Category: Onion

No. 619Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

LA Hippie Nachos

LA Hippie Nachos| Bijouxs Little Jewels

These nachos are special, they are LA Hippie Nachos. Lots of little nudges make regular nachos special, Hippie Nachos No 619 from Bijouxs Little Jewels Collection.

HIPPIE NACHOS

So, what are Hippie Nachos you say? I came across this recipe online here, and had to make them. They really are such a step-up from standard nachos, yet remain true to the classic.

THE RECIPE

Who does not love nachos?? I have made them many ways over the years but discovered Hippie Nachos a recipe from artist Louesa Robuck. I met Louesa right after I moved to Ventura, a chance encounter and a friend and I went out to view her Monotype paintings in her studio. That was how the connection began. Her beautiful book Foraged Flora had just come out and she gifted me a copy! So, over the years I have attended her work shops Punk Ikebana, it was great. She truly is a talent.

ALL ABOUT THE BEANS

I think the key to this recipe is the amping-up of seasoning of the refried beans that make these nachos so special. Do not skip this step in the recipe. It’s an easy fix and really makes a difference. Once you prepare the beans you can assemble the nachos and broil to cheesy brown delights. The Have’a Corn Chips are also special, available in many markets.  

LA Hippie Nachos | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

Serve the nachos right out of the skillet while still warm.

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Chicken Tagine with Green Olives & Preserved Lemon

Chicken Tagine with Green Olives & Preserved Lemon | Bijouxs Little Jewels

ON THE MENU tonight, Chicken Tagine with Green Olives & Preserved Lemon, a favorite No. 613 in the Membership Collection.

Tagines are exotic and comforting at the same time: the pungent spices, a juxtaposition of the salty and sweet, combined with meats and vegetables gently simmered tender in a delicate broth create a different take on a comforting stew. This simple chicken tagine is a Bijouxs I would like to share.

ABOUT TAGINES

More info: Tagine is the name of the stew, and also the name of the beautiful glazed clay vessel in which tagines are prepared. No worry, you do not need a tagine (the vessel) to make a tagine (the stew) – a heavy Dutch oven with a lid will do. The things I love about tagines (the stews), besides the incredible layers of flavors, are that they are easy to prepare and utilize less-expensive cuts of meats, pure Bijouxs.

Chicken Tagine with Green Olives & Preserved Lemon | Bijouxs Little Jewels

SIMPLE RECIPE

The basic technique for most tagines is rather simple, place the meat in the tagine (or dutch oven) add the vegetables, spices, and water, then cover and simmer, that’s it. Most tagines do not require an initial browning of the meat and utilize dried spices, olives, etc. many available in your pantry.

Chicken Tagine with Green Olives & Preserved Lemon | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Chicken Tagine with Green Olives & Preserved Lemon | Bijouxs Little Jewels

COOKING IN A TAGINE

In my beautiful azure blue tagine I purchased long ago from Global Table in NYC, it is import to heat the tagine slowly on the stove, a flame tamer really helps. I recently found a pretty tagine at Willams Sonoma. The key is that the ingredients do not dry out due to the conical shape of the lid which keeps the liquids flowing back onto the ingredients. Important for getting really tender chicken in this recipe.

Enjoy this recipe!

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Mushroom Ragu

Mushroom Ragu | Bijouxs Little Jewels

This ragu is bursting with mushrooms and complex umami flavors, this may become your new Sunday sauce–Mushroom Ragu No. 595 in the Collection, another Little Jewel from the Kitchen.

MUSHROOMS

A vegetable based ragu so rich you will never miss the meat. Mushrooms are the key along how they are cooked, no rush here. This sauce is a great weekend project, perfect for Sunday Supper. Although this is a meatless sauce, the complex flavors beguile the diners. How can there be a ragu without meat? The answer is the richness from mushrooms, along with some traditional and not some not-so traditional ingredients.

L’ARTUSI, NYC

The recipe has been on the menu from day one at L’Artusi, and it is said there would be an uprising if it leaves the menu. Gargenelli pasta with mushroom ragu, ricotta salata. So loved, it can be ordered via Goldbelly here. Of course, although it relies on humble ingredients, all the parts must be just right for the sauce to come together. I followed the chef’s tips, such as brushing the mushrooms with a paper towel, avoiding any extra water. (I was one of those cooks who purchased a mushroom brush, but it is lost in the drawer of my food tools). Looking at this upgrading to improved mushroom brush.

RAGU INGREDIENTS

I have made this recipe a compilation of recipes, resulting in what I think is just a dandy mushroom ragu. Besides the mushrooms, the other cast of characters in this sauce are easy to find and work with in the kitchen. Onion, tomato paste and pasata, along with sauce favorites cream, butter, cheese and wine-what’s not to love. Ingredients such as Sicilian oregano, Red Boat fish sauce and mushroom broth are a some of the unique things you may not have on hand, but an easy order from Amazon.

SERVE THE SAUCE

I enjoy the ragu over polenta, Bob’s Red Mill makes an organic one, again Amazon, the stores don’t seem to carry their organic one. This umami-rich sauce is a winner over creamy-dreamy polenta. Also a great sauce for your favorite pasta.
Your new Sunday sauce from Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen.

 

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Chicken Pho Soup

Chicken Pho Soup| Litle Jewels from the Kitchen

Soup is comfort. The newest Little Jewel in the Collection is this light and fresh Chicken Pho Soup. A lovely take on classic Pho Soup, and it is made easy in the Instant Pot.
Enjoy recipe #591 in the Collection.

CHICKEN SOUP

This classic bowl chicken soup of comfort is elevated with traditional Vietnamese ingredients you enjoy in Pho Soup, only this is a lighter and fresher version. The broth is clear, with pieces of white meat chicken and tender rice noodles all in a spiced broth. Fresh herbs of cilantro, mint and basil are helped along with slices of fresh jalapeño.

Chicken Pho Soup | Bijouxs Little Jewels

CLASSIC PHO

Classic Vietnamese Pho Soup is traditionally made with beef, yet making it with chicken is also a great option. I became acquainted with the soup via a wonderful family restaurant near my home. I was beginning my career as a Personal Chef and asked the chef if he could share a little about the recipe. I did learn that the key is the broth. This recipe is a simplified version perfect for the home cook, and even better the chicken and broth are cooked in the Instant Pot! As we all know the Instant Pot shaves cooking time off of many long cooking dishes. The chicken is placed in the pot whole for 15 minutes of cooking and emerges falling off the bone tender. The herbs and spices that were sautéed in the pot prior, now come to bloom in full flavor.

INSTANT POT PHO

After the chicken cooks allow the Instant Pot sealing to lower and natural pressure to release. Carefully lift the chicken out of the broth, using the rack helps to lift the chicken carefully to a shallow pan to cool, then the skin is removed and the chicken meat is shredded for the soup. Now it’s time strain the broth and return to a medium pot on the stove. The salt pepper and fish sauce are added, then the shredded chicken, about 3 cups of meat.

BOWLS OF PHO

Now the fun begins, building the bowls of soup. Prepare the noodles per the package instructions, drain and set aside. First I fill each bowl with the hot broth and shredded chicken. Next to each bowl I add tons of fresh herbs, jalapeño, and green onions. Crispy fresh beans sprouts top each bowl. Soup it up! Sign up for my recipe newsletter to never miss the newest Collection recipe.

 

 

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My Everything Salad

My Everything Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

My Everything Salad is a delicious antidote to avoid food waste in the kitchen, another Bijouxs Membership Collection.

MY EVERYTHING SALAD

I have been creating endless salads using leftover ingredients in the kitchen fridge for years, hardly thinking of them as a real recipe and hardly photo worthy. I came across this salad, and it struck a cord with me. Many of the ingredients were things I typically have on hand-cooked grains, beets, carrots, green onions, cucumber, and fresh herbs. The only to-get items were the pomegranate seeds and Shishito peppers, made easy via Trader Joe’s.

 

My Everything Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

NO FOOD WASTE

I am working hard on reducing any food waste. If I cook a recipe for the blog I share it with friends and neighbors. I found that freezing large quantities of food, did not work for the solo me. I am constantly moving on to the next thing. So, leftovers in my fridge are constantly reimagined into something, interesting or not so interesting.

 

BEAUTIFUL FOOD BY DESIGN

Again, I go back to my Bijouxs basic mantra ‘“the everyday beauty all around us, right here in our kitchens.” I think even the rag-tag kitchen stragglers can be made into something healthy and beautiful-avoiding any waste.

My Everything Salad is another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Membership Collection.

 

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