No. 578Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Warwickshire Chicken

Warwickshire Chicken | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A trip to the English countryside inspired a simple dish-Warwickshire Chicken the newest Little Jewel in the Recipe Membership Collection.

ALWAYS ENGLAND

What seems so long ago a friend and I travelled to England. We toured much of the Cotswolds and nearby regions. While staying in some charming little cottages, we set out to the local markets and did some of our own cooking. Since we were both chefs, we dreamt up this easy and delish dish we dubbed Warwickshire Chicken.

WARWICKSHIRE CHICKEN

Marketing in other countries is a great experience. The markets in the nearby English villages actually had a great selection of meats and produce. Since we were cooking in small rentals we kept things simple. This chicken recipe was on repeat, and remains a Bijouxs Little Jewel.

SIMPLE COOKING

With just one small fry pan we were able to execute this delish recipe. First, we pounded thin boneless chicken breasts between plastic wrap. For the breading, we crushed up some crispy garlic croutons, again easy to find. A couple eggs were whisked in a bowl and we were ready to cook.

Warwickshire Chicken | Bijouxs Little Jewels

We added olive to the pan over a medium heat. Next, dipped the chicken breasts in the eggs and then the croutons. Fried the chicken on both sides until crispy. The hot chicken breasts were served with cool salad of baby greens dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and salt & pepper.

This recipe remained a favorite when we returned at the end of each day to our cottages to make a fresh and healthy meal-Warwickshire Chicken,  still a true Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.

 

No. 577Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Baked Fish with Almonds

Baked Fish with Almonds | Bijouxs Little Jewels

An exotic sounding recipe but actually this a simple bake for fresh white fish, baked with a sweet & spiced almond crust and resting on a bed of thinly sliced onions. The flavors are similar to classic Bastilla, via a take on a recipe by Paula Wolfert. Baked Fish with Almonds, the latest Little Jewel recipe in the Membership Collection.

PAULA WOLFERT

Here’s my food story. To begin, the origin of the recipe is from Paula Wolfert in ‘Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco’. As I mentioned, I was soooo lucky as a young girl to attend a cooking class taught by Paula Wolfert, there I came to love Moroccan cuisine. Cooking from her books is a travel lesson on food.

FIRST WE SURF

Now the next part of my story. After recently moving to the beach town of Ventura, I met Steve Walden the iconic long-board surfer here in town. He connected me to Jim Kempton, a fellow surfer and author of the cookbook First We Surf Then We Eat. I purchased the book and came across the recipe for Baked Fish with Almond Sauce, attributed to Paula Wolfert. Familiar…back my mind went to my long ago cooking class, funny how so many things in life connect.

BAKED FISH WITH ALMONDS

This version of the recipe comes from the fishing village of Safi, the best waves in Morocco. It was adapted and inluded in the First We Surf Cookbook. The recipes, both the orginal and adapted are winners. The almond sauce bakes into a rich crust atop the mild white fish. The fish is baked on a bed of onions along with some water to keep the fish from drying out. The onions and pan sauce are additions to serve with the fish, along with couscous and a simple cabbage salad.

Moroccan cuisine, a Little Jewel from the Kitchen.

 

No. 576Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives

Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Spicy food is a culinary tradition in hot, arid countries and LA has been no stranger to the heat. What to do about dinner always remains an ongoing question. Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives, just as the name suggests, is a very strong pasta-just in time.

FOODS OF TUSCANY

There are some very special ingredients at play this version of the recipe. Simple yes, but with very intense flavors that begin with Ligurian Olives from the hills of the Italian Riviera. Both black and green olives are packed in brine along with pure mineral salt. The olives create a rich black color for the sauce, with a taste almost akin to salty caviar.

 

Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives | Bijouxs Little Jewels

The Taggiasca Ligurian olives (to be exact), are mixed with capers, garlic and anchovy to coat strands of another special Tuscan local ingredient addition, Ancient Tuscan Grain Spaghettoni.

ANCIENT TUSCAN GRAINS

Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives | Bijouxs Little Jewels

These Tuscan Ancient Organic grains are farmed, milled and bronzed but all within 4 miles, keeping this a very local and closed loop product. I discovered these grains online and it is a more ‘toothsome” pasta, similiar to our whole wheat. A special Bronze Extrusion process is used that gives the pasta a rougher surface texture. This allows the sauce to really attach to the pasta, making every bite a flavorful experience. This pasta stands up to the assertive flavors of olives, garlic and capers of the sauce.
Spaghetti Forte with Ligurian Olives | Bijouxs Little Jewels
Just add little jewels of red pepper flakes – a plate of intense flavor to counter that spicy craving.
Stay Strong!

 

No. 572Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Capers, Dill and Lemon

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Capers, Dill and Lemon | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Capers, Dill and Lemon is a beautiful, simple weeknight dinner. Recipe No. 572 from the Membership Collection.

SIMPLE SALMON

Slow roasting is a simple method to produce a tender salmon you will repeat often. Simplicity is one of the watch words here in the Bijouxs Kitchen. I know life can be extremely busy, so many things pulling your attention. This salmon is a no-stress cook, giving you time for a glass of wine and check the mail.

SLOW ROASTING

If you have not slow roasted any fish, this method is great for keeping the salmon tender without drying it out, which many times happens when you roast salmon. This method came to my attention when taking a cooking class eons ago taught by Chef Paula Wolfort. Her books are classic, I enjoy her Slow Mediterranean Kitchen cookbook. Full of Little Jewels.
I also have a Slow Roasted Salmon with Salsa Verde recipe on my website.

BEAUTIFULLY SIMPLE FOOD

Your Collection Membership gives you full access to all 572 Recipes. A perfectly portable cookbook, no lugging a big book around, all the recipes are easily accessible via your phone. Handy when picking up ingredients at the market. Enjoy this Collection, created for the home cook in mind.

 

No. 564Recipe Card Posted on Leave a comment

Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort

Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

Cooking the seasons at Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen with Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort. Tis’ pear season, enjoy with this not-to-miss salad with a little twist on the pears.

PEAR SEASON

Yes, pear season is here and there are a bounty of choices. For this salad I chose Bosc pears, identifiable with the a warm cinnamon brown skin with russeting over the surface of the skin, beautiful. The pears are firm, great for baking, as in this case roasting the pears before adding to the salad.

Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort | Bijouxs Little Jewels

ROASTED PEARS

Roasting the pears for the salad creates a more complex flavor for the salad. Usually they are added raw but here they are roasted, seasoned lightly with salt and pepper, creating a complex flavor for the salad. They roast quickly in about 15 minutes and are ready for the salad. Adding them while still warm creates a salad that is both cool & warm.

Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort | Bijouxs Little Jewels

ROASTED PEAR SALAD

The other salad ingredients are basic: arugula, walnuts and best of all crumbled Roquefort cheese. For the cheese select real Roquefort from France, check the label. It is a bit more pricey but the flavor is beyond compare.

Roasted Pear Salad With Arugula, Walnuts & Roquefort | Bijouxs Little Jewels

SORGHUM

The salad’s grain if often a wheat product, but I used Sorghum. It may not be familiar to you, but this grain-free wonder is a stand in for wheat and grain products. You prepare it like many other grains, the easiest way is to use the Instant Pot. You can use cooked sorghum as a stand in for quinoa, rice, or even oats for breakfast. I have used it in this kale salad, it really stands up to the other ingredients.

Enjoy this Fall salad, another Little Jewel from the Recipe Collection Membership. Join to receive access to all 564 recipes in the collection.