Deviled Chicken Thighs with Warm Winter Slaw

I made these the other night in my new Le Creuset cast iron braiser, and they were amazing – a bit better than when I did them in the pressure cooker, because they browned better.  This is a simple recipe, and a definite weeknight favorite in our house. The warm slaw is awesome, and we usually serve with some parsleyed new potatoes.  This can be be served with a regular slaw in the summer for sure!  Here is the recipe :

Love my new Le Creuset Braiser!

Chicken Thighs

2 TBS cider or rice vinegar

1 Tbsp garlic hot pepper sauce ( Chilolo is best, I think)

4 Chicken Thighs, trimmed of visible fat ( bone in or out your choice)

½ Cup seasoned bread crumbs

½ tsp garlic powder

1 Tbs chopped fresh Thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

½ tsp Kosher Salt

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

2 Tbs Dijon Mustard

2 Tbs light olive oil

Directions:

 1)       Mix vinegar and hot sauce in a one gallon zip lock bag, and add the chicken.  Seal the back, and make sure chicken is well coated.  Let marinate for at LEAST 10 minutes – preferably about half an hour.

2)      Pre heat oven to 375

3)      Mix breadcrumbs, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper on a plate. 

4)      Drain chicken, and brush Dijon over both sides.  Dredge in breadcrumb mixture till well coated on both sides.

5)      Using an ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil till shimmering, med high.  Add thighs, and cook first side till browned, about 4 – 6 minutes.  Turn, and place skillet in the oven till well browned, and cooked through -  about 15 – 20 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Warm Winter Slaw

 Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable slaw mix (broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage,  and carrots)

½ cup sliced almond/cranberry mix

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

3 tbs cider vinegar, and 2 tbs maple syrup, well mixed

½ tsp kosher salt

2 tbs olive oil

1)      Using a large skillet, heat olive oil over med high heat. 

2)      Add coleslaw mix, berries, nuts and onions, and sauté till tender – about 5 minutes.

3)      Stir in vinegar mix and coat well, continuing to cook for another minute or two, then serve warm

Tilapia with Mediterranian Mushroom Olive Sauce

This was a really tasty week night quickie -  Total time was about 10 minutes with almost no prep at all.  I just served it over some left over cous cous I had with some steamed veggies, but some rice would have been a better choice.  The cous cous was a little too fine for the sauce, but tasted good!









Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, with the juice
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup Calamata olives ( preferably pitted)
1/2 tsp oregano
Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste
1 pound of tilapia fillets.

Season the fish with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet with a cover, heat olive oil, then add onions and garlic.  Cook till translucent - about 4 or 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms, and brown for a minute or two.  Add tomatoes, juice, olives, oregano, salt and pepper.  Mix well and bring to a boil.

Gently place fillets on top of sauce, spooning some sauce over the fish.  Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and steam the fish for about 7 - 10 minutes or until it is flaking with a fork.

Remove fillets with a spatula, and place over rice.  Spoon sauce, tomatoes, olives and mushrooms over fish and serve.

Pan Seared Scallops with Asian Lime-Chile Sauce

This is one of Lynne's and my favorite ways to do scallops - very easy, and it only takes about 15 minutes to make.  I have a little mini food processor that attaches to my immersion blender that I use to make the sauce, but even a simple mortar pestle will work.  I only use about 1/2 the pepper, because it can get a  little too hot for my wife.  I have also made this with red pepper flakes, but that is very hard to regulate the heat!  We served this over simple whole grain brown rice, just steamed.  I like to deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine, let it reduce, and add it to the sauce, but that is just me.....

Ingredients:

2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 small fresh hot chile - about 2 inches long, minced fine with the seeds.  You can mitigate the heat a bit by scraping out some of the seeds here.
2 1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbs seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbs Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 tbs water
Juice from one fresh lime ( about 1 tbs) zest the lime first and reserve the zest for garnish
8 -10 large fresh sea scallops ( remove the tough muscle from the side if necessary)
1 tbs olive oil, and 4 or 5 drops sesame oil

For the Sauce:

Pound garlic, chile, and sugar into a fine paste in a mortar and pestle.  Add vinegar, fish sauce, water and lime juice and mix well. ( I pureed everything in my little processor - worked great!) Set sauce aside.

Make rice to the manufacturers directions.

While the rice is cooking, dry scallops with a paper towel, and season with salt and fresh ground pepper

When the rice has about 8 minutes left, heat olive oil in saute pan, seasoning it with a few drops of sesame oil ( a little goes a LONG way).  When oil is shimmering, add scallops carefully.  Sear scallops without moving for about 3 or 4 minutes, til they start to brown.  Turn over once, and do the same to the second side.  About 6 or seven minutes total.

Arrange the scallops over rice, pour sauce over and sprinkle with lime zest.  Enjoy!!