Poulet tchoupitoulas

Active: 45 minutes; Total: 2 hours 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6

Butter, unsalted	1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons
Onions, yellow; julienned	3 cups
Bell pepper, red; chopped	½ cup
Salt	2 teaspoons + 1 tablespoon
Cayenne	¼ teaspoon + ⅛ teaspoon + ½ tablespoon
Pepper, freshly ground	1 tablespoon +
Andouille sausage	½ pound
Garlic; chopped	1 tablespoon
Sweet corn; kernels removed	1 ear
Eggs	5 large
Heavy cream	2 cups
Tabasco	¼ teaspoon
Worcestershire sauce	1 teaspoon
Crusty bread; cubed	4 cups
Parmigiano-Reggiano; grated	½ cup
Paprika	3 ¾ teaspoons
Garlic powder	1 tablespoon
Onion powder	½ tablespoon
Oregano, dried	½ tablespoon
Thyme, dried	½ tablespoon
Vegetable oil	½ cup +
Chicken thighs	6 pounds

1. Preheat oven to 350°F; grease a 2-quart glass rectangular baking dish with 1-tablespoon butter. 
2. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt 2-tablespoons butter, then add the onions, bell pepper, 1-teaspoon salt, and ¼-teaspoon cayenne. 
3. Season generously with pepper, and sauté until the onions are soft and start to brown, about 6 minutes. 
4. Add the sausage, and continue to cook for 3 minutes. 
5. Add the garlic and corn, and cook for 1 minute; remove from heat and set aside. 
6. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs for 30 seconds. 
7. Add the cream, 1-teaspoon salt, ⅛-teaspoon cayenne, Tabasco, and Worcestershire; whisk until fully incorporated. 
8. Stir in the sautéed sausage mixture, and then add the bread cubes; mix well. 
9. Transfer the filling to the prepared dish, and sprinkle with cheese. 
10. Bake until golden brown and set, about 55 minutes. 
11. In a small bowl, combine paprika, 1-tablespoon salt, garlic powder, ½-tablespoon pepper, onion powder, ½-tablespoon cayenne, oregano, and thyme with the oil; mix well. 
12. Smear the mixture evenly over each piece of chicken. 
13. Heat a large oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat. 
14. When hot, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. 
15. Place the chicken in the pan skin side down, and sear until a deep golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. 
16. Turn the chicken, and place in the oven, roasting until the juices run clear, about 25 to 30 minutes. 
17. Remove from the oven, and rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Emeril Lagasse’s recipe featured in The Last Holiday.

Chicken, zucchini & corn enchiladas

Active: 25 minutes; Total: 55 minutes; Serves: 8

Tomatoes, crushed	28 ounces
Onions, white, diced; divided	2 large
Garlic	2 cloves
Chile pepper, dried, chipotle or ancho	1
Chili powder	1 ½ tablespoons
Oregano, dried (preferably Mexican)	1 ½ tablespoons
Cumin, ground	1 ½ teaspoons
Salt	½ teaspoon
Tortillas, corn	16
Zucchini, diced	2 cups
Corn kernels	2 cups
Cheese, cheddar, shredded	2 cups
Chicken, rotisserie	2 cups

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. 
2. Combine the tomatoes, 1-cup onions, garlic, chile, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and salt in a blender; puree until smooth, about 1 minute. 
3. Spread ½-cup sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. 
4. Layer four tortillas over the sauce. 
5. Top with ½-cup zucchini, ½-cup corn, ½-cup cheese, ½-cup chicken, and ¼-cup onion; repeat the layers twice. 
6. Top with the remaining tortillas, zucchini, corn, chicken, and onions. 
7. Spread the remaining sauce on top. 
8. Coat a large piece of foil with cooking spray, and cover the baking dish tightly; bake the enchiladas for 10 minutes. 
9. Remove the foil, and sprinkle the remaining ½-cup cheese. 
10. Continue baking until the cheese is melted and the edges are staring to brown, 15 to 20 minutes longer. 

Recipe from Eating Well. 

Chicken with ricotta dumplings

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 1 hour 10 minutes; Serves: 6

Cherry tomatoes	20 ounces
Olives, Nicoise	3/4 cup
Wine, dry red	1/3 cup
Salt	1/8 teaspoon +
Pepper, freshly ground	1/8 teaspoon +
Nutmeg, freshly ground	Pinch +
Chicken, boneless, skinless thighs	6
Olive oil, extra virgin	1 tablespoon
Ricotta	8 ounces
Parmesan, grated	½ cup + 2 tablespoons
Egg, lightly beaten	1 large
Flour, all-purpose	¼ cup
Oregano, fresh snipped	1 tablespoon

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. 
2. In a 3-quart rectangular baking dish, combine the tomatoes, olives, wine, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; bake 20 minutes. 
3. Pat chicken dry with paper towels; brush with oil. 
4. Add chicken to the tomato mixture; bake 20 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, ½ cup parmesan, egg, flour, oregano, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper, and pinch of nutmeg. 
6. Drop dumpling dough from a tablespoon onto the hot chicken mixture. 
7. Sprinkle with 2-tablespoons parmesan; bake 20 minutes. 
8. Let stand 5 minutes, sprinkle with fresh oregano, and serve. 

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.

High-flying turkey & black bean chili

Beans, black, cooked, rinsed	30 ounces
Lime juice, freshly squeezed
Salt, sea
Oil, extra-virgin olive	3 tablespoons
Onion, yellow, chopped	1 large
Garlic, minced	1 clove
Jalapeño, deribbed, chopped	1
Chili powder	2 teaspoons
Ancho chili powder	1 teaspoon
Paprika, smoked	1 teaspoon
Cumin, ground	1 teaspoon
Oregano, dried, gently crushed in your hand	1 teaspoon
Cinnamon, ground	½ teaspoon
Turkey, ground	1 pound
Tomatoes, fire roasted, crushed	28 ounces
Piquillo peppers, roasted, chopped	2
Maple syrup, grade B	1 tablespoon
Lime juice, freshly squeezed
Cilantro avocado cream
Avocado, halved, flesh scooped out	1
Water	2 tablespoons
Lime juice	¾ teaspoon
Cilantro, coarsely chopped	2 teaspoons
Salt	¼ teaspoon

1. In a bowl, combine the beans with a spritz of juice and a pinch of salt; set aside. In a 6-quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat. 
2. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, and sauté for 3 minutes, until the onions are translucent. 
3. Add the garlic, jalapeño, chili powder, ancho powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon, and sauté for another minute. 
4. Add the turkey, and break up the meat with a wooden spoon, and brown for about 3 minutes. 
5. If the pan is too dry or the spices stick, pour in a little juice from the tomatoes to deglaze the pan, stirring with the wooden spoon to loosen any bits stuck to the pan. 
6. Add the tomatoes and another pinch of salt, then the peppers and beans; stir to combine. 
7. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
8. Remove the cover and simmer for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. 
9. Stir in the maple syrup. 
10. Taste, and add the lime juice and salt, as needed. 
11. Place the avocado, water, juice, cilantro, and salt in a blender, and process until smooth, about 1 minute; transfer to a small bowl. 
12. Serve the soup in bowls garnished with a dollop of the cilantro avocado cream. 

Recipe mildly adapted from The Healthy Mind Cookbook by Rebecca Katz.

Ropa vieja

Oil, extra-virgin olive	2 tablespoons + ¼ cup
Steak, skirt, cut along the grain into 6-inch pieces	2 ½-pounds
Salt, kosher	2 teaspoons + 1 ½ teaspoons
Onions, white, halved	1 large
Bell peppers, green, halved, seeded	1 large
Water	5 cups
Bay leaf	1
Garlic, smashed	3
Cumin, ground	1 teaspoon
Oregano, dried	1 teaspoon
Wine, dry white	¼ cup
Tomatoes, crushed	2 cups

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Heat 2-tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. 
2. Sprinkle the steak with 2-teaspoons salt. 
3. Working in batches, sear the steak pieces until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to a bowl. 
4. Add a half of the onion and half of the bell pepper and cook, stirring after 2 minutes, until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. 
5. Return the steak to the pot, and add the water, bay leaf, and one clove of garlic.
6. Cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours. 
7. Transfer the steak to a bowl, and let cool 10 minutes. 
8. Shred the steak by hand, and return to the bowl. 
9. Pour the cooking liquid through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; reserve 2 cups liquid, discard the solids and remaining liquids. 
10. Thinly slice the remaining onion and bell pepper halves. 
11. Heat the remaining ¼-cup oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. 
12. Add the sliced onions, peppers, and remaining cloves of garlic. 
13. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. 
14. Stir in the cumin and oregano, and then add the wine. 
15. Bring to a simmer; add the steak and remaining 1 ½-teaspoons salt; fold to incorporate the vegetables. 
16. Simmer until the meat is warmed through, about 5 minutes. 
17. Add the tomatoes and 2-cups reserved cooking liquid. 
18. Bring to a simmer, stirring. 
19. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. 
20. Gently simmer, stirring every 5 minutes, until the meat is tender and the liquid is thickened, about 20 minutes. 
21. If necessary, uncover and cook several minutes to thicken the sauce. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, March 2018.