Curried Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Curried Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

serves 4

(America)

Neat little chicken salad sandwiches, along with radish and water crest sandwiches,  are traditionally one of the "ladies club bridge" or "high tea" staples.  This recipe adds a definitely Middle Eastern taste to the humble chicken salad finger sandwich  with the addition of curry powder to the recipe and a neat twist by dropping the bread  and wrapping the curry dressed chicken nuggets in pieces of Hearts of Romaine.

Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock

2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

1/3 cup golden raisins

1 cup roasted cashews, roughly  chopped

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

2 heads of  hearts of Romaine lettuce, separated

Preparation

1.  Preheat oven to 350° F.

2.  Spread the shredded coconut on a cookie sheet, place in the oven and toast for  about 8 minutes until most of the shredded coconut is nicely browned.

3.  In a 3-quart over medium heat bring the chicken  stock to a simmer.   Add the chicken and simmer, uncovered, for  25 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a clean work  surface and cool until the breasts can be handled comfortably.   Either shred the chicken or chop it into 1/2-inch pieces. Set the shredded or chopped chicken aside in medium bowl.

4.  In a separate, small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry, lime juice, honey, salt, raisins, 1/3 cup chopped cashews, 1/3 cup of toasted coconut, and ¼ cup chopped cilantro.  Check seasoning and adjust to taste.  

5.  Combine the curry/yogurt sauce with the chopped/shredded chicken and thoroughly mix.  

6.  Transfer the curry chicken salad to a platter  over a bed of lettuce , garnish  with extra chopped cilantro and coconut. Serve accompanied by additional lettuce leaves, additional chopped cashews, roughly chopped cilantro, and toasted coconut.  To eat, place some of the chicken salad on a lettuce leaf, top with some chopped cilantro, chopped cashews, and toasted coconut fold and enjoy.

Sauerkraut Pierogis

Sauerkraut Pierogis

Makes 30 pierogis

(Poland)

Every country has its own version of a dumpling,  basically cooked balls of dough made of flour, potatoes, bread or matzoh containing meats, seafood, vegetables or sweets.  The Italians lay claim to  ravioli , the Chinese to potstickers, Indians to Somosas, and the Polish to Pierogis.  There are probably as many different recipes for Pierogis as there are Polish families, this recipe is my (Italian) interpretation.  A genuine Polish friend of mine says  the only way to eat Pierogis is lightly fried in bacon grease  and topped with bacon crumbles, and  golden, caramelized onions "Co jest nie tak!" (What's not to like!)  . . .  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Dough:

 2 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
1 egg, lightly whisked
1/2 teaspoon butter, softened
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

 1/2 cup warm water

Filling:

   1 1/4 pounds medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, quartered and boiled in heavily salted water until fork tender

   1 teaspoons butter

   1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained

   1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, grated

   1/4 teaspoon salt

   1/4 teaspoon black pepper

   1 medium yellow onion, grated

Sauce:

   1 sticks butter, browned or clarified

Preparation

The dough:

1.  In a large mixing bowl, add flour, salt, sour cream, beaten egg, butter, water, and milk. With your hands mix together until dough forms a ball. Turn out on a floured board and knead until smooth. You may add a little more flour if necessary to make the dough pliable. 

2.  Divide dough into fourths. Put the pieces under a damp cloth, so it won't dry out. Roll the first piece to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness and using a 3-inch cookie cutter or a glass with a 3-inch rim cut out as many 3-inch “pierogi rounds” as possible. Put pierogi rounds under damp cloth while cutting the rest. 

 The filling:

1.   Drain the cooked potatoes and place in a large bowl.   Mash (or run through a ricer) the  hot, cooked potatoes. 

2.  Place the drained sauerkraut and the grated onion on a dry, clean kitchen towel, roll towel into a long cylinder squeezing out any excess liquid, remove from towel to a chopping board and roughly chop.  Add the chopped sauerkraut/onion to the hot mashed potatoes along with the cheddar cheese, salt and pepper and mix to thoroughly distribute the ingredients. The consistency of the mixture should be a little thicker than mashed potatoes.   You may add a little  milk if the mixture is too thick.  Allow filling to cool before proceeding to assembly.

Assembly of the pierogis:

1.  For each pierogi, place a scant 1 tablespoon of potato/sauerkraut/cheese mixture in the center of the dough circle. Fold over to form a half circle. Seal edges by pinching together with your fingers. Then take a fork and press all along the edges.  Place formed pierogi on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining  pierogi rounds and filling. 

Cooking the pierogis:

1.  Fill a large pot half full with water and bring to a boil. Drop 5 or 6 pierogis in at a time. Cook each batch for about 1 minute, the pierogi are done when they float to the top.

2.  When they float to the top, remove from pot with a slotted spoons,  place in a colander to drain.  Add the next batch of 5 or 6 pierogis.  Continue in this manner until all the pierogis have been boiled.

Serving the pierogis:

1. In a small sauce pan over medium heat melt and brown the butter and add the finely chopped onion. Cook the butter until it browns and the finely chopped onions are softened.

2. Coat a serving platter with 1/2 the browned butter, arrange the Pierogi on the platter, drizzle the remaining brown butter over them and season with coarse Kosher or sea salt. Serve hot.

Potato Pierogis

Potato Pierogis

Makes 30 pierogis

(Poland)

Every country has its own version of dumpling.  Basically cooked balls of dough made of flour, potatoes, bread or matzoh containing meats, seafood, vegetables or sweets.  the Italians lay claim to  ravioli , the Chinese to potstickers, Indians to Somosas, and the Polish to Pierogis.  There are probably as many different recipes for Pierogis as there are Polish families, this recipe is my (Italian) interpretation.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Dough:

2 1/2  cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature

1 egg, lightly whisked

1/2 teaspoon butter, softened

1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

1/2 cup warm water

Filling:

2 1/2 pounds medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, quartered and boiled in heavily salted water until fork tender
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large onion, finely chopped

Sauce:

   1 sticks butter, browned or clarified

Additional ingredients for frying:

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter  for frying 

Preparation

 The dough:

1.  In a large mixing bowl, add flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, sour cream, the beaten egg, 1/2 teaspoon of softened butter, water, and milk. With your hands mix together until dough forms a ball. Turn out on a floured board and knead until smooth. You may add a little more flour if necessary to make the dough pliable.

2.  Divide dough into fourths. Put the pieces under a damp cloth, so it won't dry out. Roll the first piece to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness and using a 3-inch cookie cutter or a glass with a 3-inch rim cut out as many 3-inch “pierogi rounds” as possible. Put pierogi rounds under damp cloth while cutting the rest.


 The filling:

1.   Drain the cooked potatoes and place in a large bowl.   Mash (or run through a ricer) the  hot, cooked potatoes.

2.  In a large sauté pan, lightly sauté the grated onion in 2 teaspoons of  butter and add this to the hot mashed potatoes along with the cheddar cheese,  1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. The consistency of the mixture should be a little thicker than mashed potatoes.   You may add a little  milk if the mixture is too thick.  Allow filling to cool before proceeding to assembly.

Assembly of the pierogis:

1.  For each pierogis, place 1 1/2 tablespoons of potato mixture in the center of the dough circle. Fold over to form a half circle. Seal edges by pinching together with your fingers. Then take a fork and press all along the edges. Place formed pierogi on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining  pierogi rounds and filling.

Cooking the pierogis:

1.  Fill a large pot half full with water and bring to a boil. Drop 5 or 6 pierogis in at a time. Cook each batch for about 1 minute, the pierogi are done when they float to the top.

Serving the pierogis:

1.  1.  In a small sauce pan over medium heat melt 1 stick (about 8 teaspoons) of butter and add the finely chopped onion.  Cook the butter until it browns and the finely chopped onions softened.

2.  Coat a serving platter with 1/2 the browned butter, arrange the Pierogi on the platter, drizzle the remaining brown butter over them and season with coarse  Kosher or sea salt.  Serve hot.