Category: Basics

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Poached Chicken and Mushroom Bowl

Poached Chicken and Mushroom Bowl | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A recipe of simple comfort for trying times. Poached Chicken and Mushroom Bowl is a fresh and healthy bowl, another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen Recipe Collection.

POACHED CHICKEN SOUP

Soups feel both cleansing and comforting. A warm bowl that makes the meal, with perhaps a glass of wine?
This soup starts with a chicken in a pot, nothing fancy. Added to flavor the broth are fresh ginger, onion, garlic and carrot –all are left unpeeled and cooked along with the chicken. In about an hour you have delicately poached chicken and a clear and flavorful broth for the soup and more.

COMFORT BOWL

After removing and shredding the chicken, add it back briefly in the stock, in which you have cooked the mushrooms and scallions. The soup is now created. Prepare your serving bowl by placing a scoop of cooked brown rice, top with shredded chicken. Next add the hot stock along with the mushrooms and green onions.

oached Chicken and Mushrooms Bowl | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Add a tablespoon or so of Bragg Liquid Aminos if you want a bit more umami flavor to the soup. Voilà, Poached Chicken and Mushroom Bowl is served.

 

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Via Carota Burger

Via Carota Burger | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Simplicity, a burger with no bun, no ketchup, not bit of distraction. A taste from my childhood, via the upscale NYC Via Carota Burger, truly a little jewel.

CLASSIC BURGER

Culinary fads come and go, the the Bijouxs remain. This trendy burger is really from my past. To begin, at 5 years old my Grandmother would get a cast iron skillet scorching hot and fry up a simple burger that created a very crispy crust. Because I was a very discerning eater even at 5, I loved my burger plain with lots of salt and pepper.

Fast forward. Living the Hollowood life as a young wife we frequented Ma Maison, and the first appearance of 22 year old Chef Wolfgang Puck. Of course when his cookboook, Wolfgand Puck’s Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen was published I began cooking from the book. One we loved for dinner was Ground Steak with Roquefort Cheese and Green Peppercorn Sauce, still a winner with the stained pages from the many times I have made this recipe. It is from his first cookbook, prior to Chef stardom, Wolfgang Puck’s Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen, order original used from Amazon.

VIA COROTA NYC 

Acoss the country one of the best Italian NYC restaurants, Via Carota, serves the Carota Svizzerina. This is hand-chopped grassfed steak, served just how I love it, seared on a flat-top (aka my Grandmother’s cast iron skillet) and served naked on the plate, lightly seasoned with garlic and rosemary, perfect.

Via Carota Burger Bijouxs Little Jewels

Via Carota Burger | Bijouxs Little Jewels

SVIZZERINA

The recipe name is from the chef’s mom in Tuscany where, they used to serve these “plain” ground burgers as a way to get children to eat meat, no bun no ketchup, please. Served seared on the outside and very rare on the inside and topped garlic cloves and rosemary cooked in olive oil. A key to the recipe is to hand-chop a New York strip steak (or lightly chop in a food processor) the meat, so it is still chunky and served seared and rare on the inside. 

Via Catora Burger simplicity, a true Little Jewel.

 

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Bijouxs Basics: Asian Style Broccolini

Bijouxs Basics: Asian Style Broccolini | Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen

Gently steamed broccolini is bathed in peppery garlic olive oil and finished with Tamari Sauce–another Bijouxs Basics, Beautiful Food by Design.

BROCCOLINI

A little background. The small florets of this variety were developed in Japan and is a hybrid of broccoli and gai lan. It was created to be mild with a slim edible stem.  Which it does and “she” does take a pretty picture.

Bijouxs Basics: Asian Style Broccolini | Bijouxs Litle Jewels

I love broccolini and it appears in my recipes in a Millet Basil salad and a classic Rotini Bake. This recipe Asian Style Broccolini, is my go-to on many week nights. It makes a great side for a simple grilled fish or along with steamed rice. It also makes a perfectly acceptable take-along side for a picnic. Many renditions of Asian Broccolini recipes abound so feel free to take this Bijouxs Basics recipe and expand; I have enjoyed the additions of fresh ginger and sesame oil.

TAMARI VS SOY SAUCE

When I first began my chef business I needed to learn the difference between tamari vs soy sauce. Here is the short version:  Tamari is made from soy and rice and has a longer fermentation than soy sauce.  It is slightly richer and darker and many times my preferred sauce when soy is required in a recipe. However, I have also been using Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, my everyday lighter substitute for soy sauce, it is non-gmo, gluten-free and vegan, total winner.

Bijouxs Basics: Asian Style Broccolini is always a Little Jewel from the Kitchen.

 

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Bijouxs Basics: Kinda Joan’s Pickles

Bijouxs Basics: Kinda Joan's Pickles

I was missing my home town Los Angeles and craving the pickles that are served at Joan’s on Third. Here is my version of Joan’s on Third Sweet and Crunchy Pickles – a Bijouxs Basic recipe.

JOAN’S ON THIRD

I spent many a lunch time at Joan’s on Third at a table on the sidewalk. I worked in design field and the Westside locale is home to the design world.  I always ordered the Salad Trio; Chinese Chicken Salad, Curried Chickpeas and fruit, and of course a side of Joan’s Sweet & Crunchy pickles. Good news, you can purchase a carton of the pickles in the deli case. 

BIJOUXS BASICS: KINDA JOAN’S PICKLES

SWEET AND CRUNCHY PICKLES

BIJOUXS BASICS: KINDA JOAN’S PICKLES

Craving the pickles, I spent time searching for a close approximation of my memory of the pickles. This recipe, Kinda Joan’s Pickles, is my take and delivers a crunch that is not-too-sweet.  These are close to Joan’s pickles. I have placed some notes on the recipe card to help clarify the ingredients.

Super easy refrigerator pickles take but a few ingredients, no cooking, marinate then ready to enjoy in about 30 minutes. Of course they are even better the next day. Enjoy them straight out of the jar, add to sandwiches and great alongside a BBQ or picnic.

Kinda Joan’s Pickles a basic from Bijouxs Little Jewels in the Kitchen.

 

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Pasta al Limone

Pasta al Limone | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A simple weeknight Italian pasta for just a couple of people-Pasta al Limone, another Little Jewel from the Kitchen.

SIMPLE ITALIAN FOOD

Italian genius, just a few on-hand ingredients create  a quiet plate of pasta for two. I love simple Italian cuisine and Pasta al Limone is a prime example of rustic, simple food.
There is nothing to learn, just create a simple lemon sauce and toss with hot pasta-done!

No special equipment required, basic kitchen equipment will do. One medium sauce pan, my favorite here,  is all that is required is to make the simple sauce  along with a pot to boil the water for the pasta. The ingredients are simple as well, lemons, Pecorino Romano cheese, olive oil, a knob of butter and pasta, that’s it.

Pasta al Limone | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Pasta al Limone | Bijouxs Little Jewels

LEMON LOVE

It’s no secret at Bijouxs I display my love of all things citrus and also the back story. Oranges and lemons were a big part of my growing up and the smell and taste is etched in my memory. Currently I have a large orange tree, but I am wanting to plant a lemon, oh, could I find an Amalfi Lemon tree to plant?? There are a plethora of lemon recipes (well, over 20 to be exact) on my Bijouxs website, the all time winner is this one, which still gets lot of views.

 

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