Saffron-Spiced Chicken Makhani with Lemon Yogurt

 

Few dishes rival the elegance of a slow-simmered meal that envelops your home in fragrant, exotic notes. This Saffron-Spiced Chicken Makhani with Lemon Yogurt reimagines a timeless Indian-inspired classic with a refined twist—tender chicken steeped in garam masala, turmeric, and a whisper of saffron, enriched with creamy yogurt and brightened by a touch of lemon. The slow cooker melds these flavors with Rotel tomatoes and a late addition of peas, creating a dish that’s as effortless as it is opulent. Serve it over fragrant rice with a scattering of cilantro, and you’ve crafted a masterpiece fit for both intimate dinners and grand occasions. This isn’t just dinner—it’s an experience.Saffron-Spiced Chicken Makhani with Lemon Yogurt

 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes

1 t. kosher salt

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

2½ t. garam masala

Pinch of saffron threads (about 10-15 threads), crushed

1-2½" piece of Melissa's organic ginger, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 Melissa’s shallots, diced

2 T. unsalted butter

1 T. tomato paste

1½ t. turmeric

1 14-oz. can Rotel tomatoes

1 10-oz. pkg. frozen peas

1½ c. plain yogurt

1 T. fresh lemon juice

¼ c. chopped Melissa’s organic cilantro

 Lightly mist the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray (like PAM) for easy cleanup.

 In a medium bowl, toss the chicken cubes with kosher salt, black pepper, garam masala, and crushed saffron threads until evenly coated. Transfer to the crockpot.

 In a separate bowl, combine the minced ginger, garlic, diced onion, unsalted butter, tomato paste, turmeric, and Rotel tomatoes. Stir until blended, then pour this vibrant mixture over the chicken.

 Set the crockpot to low and cook for 6 hours, allowing the saffron and spices to infuse the chicken with rich, tender flavor.

 After 6 hours, stir in the frozen peas and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Turn off the heat, then gently fold in the plain yogurt and fresh lemon juice, lending a creamy texture and a zesty lift.

Serve this luxurious dish over your favorite rice—basmati or jasmine enhances its sophistication—and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves for a final flourish.

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Cripple Creek Crab Cakes

In the autumn of last year, I reviewed a fascinating cookbook called Food to Die For; you can read that review here. One of the recipes in the book that intrigued me was one for crab cakes. I don’t know how it is in your area, but I find it very difficult to find good lump crab meat in my area, particularly considering my favorite seafood place (a local icon) closed down a number of years ago. Lo and behold, two days before Christmas I spotted it at Fresh Time, on sale! Christmas dinner, solved!

The beauty of crab cakes is that there’s really not a whole lot to putting them together, and you can make them ahead. They need to be chilled for at least an hour, but I find them more flavorful if you chill them overnight. Imagine how easy your meal would be if the main dish was made ahead of time.

These are wonderful! As crab cakes are one of my favorite things, I’m so pleased to know that no longer will I have to deny myself because of lack of availability of lump crab meat thanks to Fresh Thyme. If you like crab cakes as much as I do, you’re going to want to try this recipe.

Cripple Creek* Crab Cakes

1 lb. lump crab meat
½ red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely diced
½ c. white onion, diced
4 scallions, chopped, including tops
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg, beaten
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. hot sauce
3 c. bread crumbs, divided
2 to 4 T. of vegetable oil, for frying
Lemon wedges for garnish
Chopped parsley, for garnish

In a large mixing bowl, combine the crab, pepper, onion, scallions, and garlic.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and hot sauce.
Add the liquids to the crab. Mix in 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs.

Form the mixture into eight patties, and dredge in the remaining breadcrumbs.
Place the patties on a plate, then cover and chill for at least an hour, preferably overnight.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat (I used a combination of olive oil and butter.). Cook until the patties are golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once.

Serve with remoulade and lemon wedges.

 

*Adapted from a recipe in Colorado Collage by the Junior League of Denver, a 1995 a collection of recipes from across the state, inspired by different cities and towns.

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Texas Roadhouse Roadkill, my version

 

Have you noticed, like I have, that all of a sudden there seem to be a lot of recipes for Texas Roadhouse Roadkill all over the Internet? I’ve been to Texas Roadhouse only once. It was about 13 years ago, and I honestly have no idea what I ate. It had just opened locally, was jam-packed, and the only impression I got from the place was that I just wanted to get out of there. I will admit to being intrigued with this recipe, so much so that I decided to make it myself, altering it so it met with my standards. I did so by adding the additional step of dipping the patties into an egg wash and then into Italian breadcrumbs. I think that makes beef patties cooked on top of the stove so much better. They seem more like a chopped steak than they do a hamburger. Try this recipe and let me know what you think. The end result does look like a plate of roadkill, but it is awfully good.

 Texas Roadhouse Roadkill, my version

2 lb. ground chuck
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. Montreal steak seasoning
½ t. freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
½ c. Italian breadcrumbs
2 T.  butter, divided
1 T. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 8-oz. pkg. crimini mushrooms, sliced
1-2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a large bowl, combine ground chuck, Worcestershire, steak seasoning, black pepper, and mix until well blended. Shape mixture into four oblong potions about ½” thick.

Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water until frothy; pour into a shallow bowl. Put Italian breadcrumbs into another shallow bowl. Dip each patty into the egg mixture, and then into the Italian breadcrumbs, turning to coat. Place coated patties on a plate.

In a 10” – 12” skillet, melt 1 T. butter. Add oil, heating until hot. Sauté onions and a sprinkling of salt for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms to the skillet and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes. Turn out vegetables into a bowl.

Place pan back over heat and melt remaining tablespoon of butter until sizzling, but not brown. Put the crumb-coated patties into the pan and cook for five minutes. Flip to the other side and cook five minutes more. Pour sautéed onions and mushrooms over the top of the burger patties. Cover each one with a generous amount of shredded Monterey jack cheese. Put a lid on the pan and cook until the cheese melts.

 Serve immediately.

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The Chart House Clam Chowder (Copycat)

 

The first time I was in Maine, I made it my business to try absolutely every lobster dish that I could find, and that included lobster ice cream, which was actually pretty tasty. I also tried as many regional specialties as possible, and that included clam chowder that I ate up and down the eastern seaboard. This recipe is a copycat one that I had at The Chart House in Ogunquit, Maine. I did not have russet potatoes, so I used Melissa’s baby red potatoes, unpeeled, and it came out beautifully. This is a wonderful chowder, almost velvety, and quite complex in taste, due to their signature spice blend.

 It's soup season, so you might want to add this to your repertoire.

The Chart House Clam Chowder (Copycat)

 Adapted from food.com 

1 slice hickory smoked bacon, minced

1⁄2 t. butter

1 c. onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 t. seasoning (see spice blend recipe below)

1 T. flour

1 6.4-oz. can minced clams

1 c. bottled clam juice

1 1⁄2 c. half-and-half

1⁄4 t. white pepper

2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced

 INGREDIENTS FOR THE CLIFF HOUSE SPICE BLEND:

4 t. oregano

4 t. dried parsley

2 t. marjoram

2 t. dill

4 t. thyme

4 t. basil

1 t. sage

4 t. rosemary

2 t. tarragon

1 T. flour 

Make The Chart House Spice Blend:

 Blend ingredients, crushing in a mortar if possible. Store in a resealable plastic bag to refrigerate.

 For the Clam Chowder:

 In a heavy-bottomed, 4-pint soup kettle, sauté bacon, butter, onion, garlic, and The Cliff House Spice Blend over low heat. Do not allow to brown.

Drain clams and set aside, reserving the juice. Slowly stir the flour and clam juices in the sauté mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Add half and half and simmer 20 minutes.

Add white pepper, potatoes and clams. Heat to serving temperature. Do not allow to boil, as this toughens the clams. Serve at once with crackers and warm cornbread.

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Pecan Crusted Salmon

When the late Mr. O-P and I were living in Connecticut while we were working at Yale, we had the opportunity to try a lot of different ethnic restaurants, one of which was an African restaurant, Eritrean food specifically. I have to say it didn’t wow me. The bread was like a thick placemat in both appearance and taste. I had ordered pistachio-crusted salmon that was so insipid that it didn’t even taste like salmon.  The idea of nut-crusted salmon, however, appealed to me. The other day when I was chopping pecans, I decided to chop a few more to use on top of salmon for dinner. It was a wonderfully flavorful dish.

Pecan Crusted Salmon

 ¼ c. butter, melted

3 T. Dijon mustard

1½ T. honey

¼ c. panko

1/3 c. finely chopped pecans

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

4 (4-oz.) fillets salmon

Salt, to taste

 Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

  Pat salmon dry, place on baking sheet that has been lined with a piece of parchment or foil.

 Stir together butter, mustard, and honey in a small bowl;

set aside. Mix together panko, pecans, and parsley in another bowl.

Brush each salmon fillet lightly with the honey mustard mixture.

Generously coat the tops of fillets with panko/pecan mixture.

Bake salmon in the preheated oven until it flakes easily with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with a wedge of lemon.

 * I used Mike’s hot honey

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Creamy Corn Casserole

 

The cheesy corn casserole is something Midwesterners always enjoy, particularly alongside a plate of Kansas City barbecue. It is the ultimate in creamy, cheesy, comfort food. You can serve it as easily at a picnic as you can alongside something a little more high end at dinner, like I did with Pecan Crusted Salmon.  It can be vegetarian if you leave out the bacon, which is perfectly fine. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like this; kids particularly seem to enjoy its creamy, corny goodness.

Creamy Corn Casserole

 1 T. olive oil
1 T. Melissa’s minced garlic
2 14.5-oz. can corn
4 oz. cream cheese
2 T. butter
¾ c. whole milk
¼ t. kosher salt
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper
¼ t. smoked paprika
¼ t. Old Bay blackened seasoning
1½ c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided
¼ c. sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and warm the garlic for 30 to 45 seconds.

Stir in the corn, cream cheese, butter, and milk. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the ingredients are melted together, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the salt, pepper, paprika, blackened seasoning, ¾ of the shredded cheddar, and half of the bacon. Pour into a 1½-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining ¾-cup cheddar and bacon. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbly.

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Salisbury Steak with Porcini Mushroom Gravy

 

I collect Salisbury steak recipes in the same way that I collect meatloaf recipes. For me, there is nothing more comforting than chopped meat. It’s surprising, considering what they are, that there are so many different varieties of both. This recipe is a riff on Bobby Flay’s Salisbury steak. I ramped up the flavor by using dried porcini mushrooms instead of the button mushrooms that he had suggested. What a wonderful difference in taste. This Salisbury steak, with its porcini sauce, is woodsy, earthy, beefy, and very comforting.Salisbury Steak with Porcini Mushroom Gravy

 1 lb. ground chuck

1 egg, beaten

2 T. grated Parmesan

2 T. Italian breadcrumbs

1 t. Melissa’s minced garlic

1 t. kosher salt

1 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

1 .5-oz. pkg. Melissa’s dried porcini mushrooms

½ white onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 c. beef stock

1 T. tomato paste

1 t. Worcestershire

2 T. heavy cream

 Hydrate mushrooms according to package directions, drain; and set aside.

 Mix together beef, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, garlic, egg, salt, and pepper until combined. Form into 4 oval-shaped patties.

 Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet, and, once hot, add the patties.

 Cook for 5 minutes, and then flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes; remove from pan.

 Add onion and mushrooms to the skillet, and cook until the onions are tender. Add the Worcestershire, tomato paste, and beef broth. Simmer for a few minutes, and then add the heavy cream.

 Add the patties back to the skillet, and spoon the sauce over the top.

 Simmer for about 5 minutes, and then serve over pasta, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes.

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Ginger Cemetery Cookies

 

This recipe, from Baking in the American South that I reviewed here, seemed appropriate for the month of October because of the name. But, in truth, there is nothing scary about these cookies at all. The recipe was submitted for inclusion in a 2004 publication, Food to Die For, a fundraising cookbook to aid restoration efforts of the 26-acre Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg, Virginia. The cemetery, now a landmark, is the resting place for Civil War soldiers from over 14 states. The cookies were served at so many cemetery fundraisers, hence the name.Ginger Cemetery Cookies

 12 T. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. granulated sugar, plus ¼ c. for rolling

1 large egg

¼ c. molasses

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 t. baking soda

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. ground cloves

½ t. ground ginger

½ t. kosher salt

 Place the butter and the 1 cup sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg and molasses and beat until just combined, 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and set aside.

 Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt in a medium bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, beating on low speed until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.

 When you are ready to bake, heat the oven to 325ºF, with a rack in the middle. Put the 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the sugar. Place 2 to 3 inches apart on 12-by-17-inch ungreased baking sheets and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness with the bottom of a glass.*

Bake, one pan at a time, until firm and crisp, 10 to 14 minutes. Immediately remove from the pan to cool on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the pan between batches. Let the cookies cool to room temperature, 15 minutes, before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

*I didn’t find that it was at all necessary to add the final step of flattening with a glass. As you can see from my results, they flattened out just fine. Why go to the extra trouble?

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Cajun Cod

 

This week’s fish dish employs the use of Pacific cod, and is, honestly, my first cod experience. It certainly won’t be my last. The thing I have come to realize about making fish is that it is unbelievably easy, and takes so little time. The hardest part is remembering to take it out of the freezer the night before so that it is thawed and ready for the next day.

 This is a delicious way to bake cod. It is so flavorful, and very attractive on the plate. I served mine with basmati rice and peas.

Cajun Cod

 3 Pacific cod fillets

Salt and pepper

¼ c. butter, melted

1 T. olive oil

1 T. Melissa’s minced garlic

  1 T. Slap Ya Mama

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle both sides of the cod fillets with salt and pepper, and place into the bottom of a 1½-qt. baking dish.

 In a small bowl whisk together the melted butter, olive oil, garlic, and Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning. Spread evenly over the fish.

 Bake for about 15-17 minutes or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.

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