This versatile chicken and greens dish is well-balanced, flavorful, and can be prepared in advance and in varying amounts with easy-to-procure ingredients. When you are ready to eat, just pop it into the oven for a quick no-brainer, hands-off meal that only requires one pan to wash.
Wine Braised Mushrooms with Creamy Polenta
Spring Jerk Marinade
Kohlrabi and Spring Onion Latkes
Rhubarb Strawberry Compote
If I can put aside a few stalks of rhubarb before my older son manages to eat them all, completely raw, I chop them up and combine with strawberries, for the classic combination and otherworldly compote that has as many uses as it has strawberries, and qualifies as a serving of vegetables, even for dessert. Use this strawberry rhubarb compote as a filling for crumb bars or pies, to top your porridge, or to spread on toast and these Rhubarb Oat & Cream Scones. Prepare in large batches and freeze for another day or to surprise everyone with an unseasonable Strawberry Rhubarb Pie on Thanksgiving.
Rhubarb Strawberry Compote
Yield: 5 ½ cups
What you need:
4 cups rhubarb, ¼ inch thick slices
½ cup turbinado sugar
2-4 tablespoons water, divided
4-6 cups strawberries, quartered for pie filling and small dice for jam or spread
What you do:
Put the rhubarb, sugar and 2 tablespoons water into a small pot.
Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes, until rhubarb softens. If rhubarb is sticking to bottom of pot, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Add strawberries and continue to cook on medium high for about 5 minutes, until strawberries break down and mixture thickens (so that it coats the back of a spoon).
Allow to cool. At this point, you can freeze the compote in small storage containers or plastic bags.
I recommend adding about 1 tablespoon of tapioca starch per 2 cups of compote when using as a pie or crumble filling.
Jerk Lamb Shepherd's Pie
Jerk Lamb Shepherd's Pie
Yield: Serves 6
What you need:
- 3 red or yukon gold potatoes, about 1 ½ cups cut into ½ inch cubes
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons butter (optional)
- 3 medium carrots, small dice
- 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
- 1 bunch cooking greens, chopped (such as mizuna, chard, kale, mustard greens)
- 1 lb ground lamb (or beef)
- 1 - 1 ½ cups spring jerk marinade (below)
What you do:
- Place the cubed potatoes into a large stock pot and cover with cool water. Add a generous handful of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain. Using a ricer or potato masher, mash the potatoes, adding butter if desired.
- In a medium pot fitted with a steamer basket, add water to just above the basket. Bring to a boil. Add the carrots and a few pinches of kosher salt. Steam until the carrots are tender but still firm, about 5 minutes.
- In a large skillet, heat oil on medium high heat. Add the chopped greens and a pinch of salt and sauté until they are soft. Remove greens from pan and set aside.
- Using the same skillet, heat another tablespoon of oil. Add the ground lamb, breaking it up with a spoon until you have ½ inch crumbles. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and sauté until cooked through.
- Add the jerk marinade to the lamb. Cook about 5-7 minutes until the marinade is absorbed into the lamb and the lamb breaks down further into smaller crumbles.
- Preheat the broiler. In an oven- proof casserole dish, layer the lamb, followed by carrots and greens and top with the mashed potatoes.
- Heat under the broiler on high for about 12 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and crisp.
To Freeze: Wrap casseroles tightly with plastic wrap. Label with contents and reheating instructions.
To Reheat: Thaw overnight or for at least 12 hours in refrigerator. Preheat broiler. Remove plastic wrap and broil under high for 12-15 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and crisp and the center is warmed.
Spring Jerk Marinade
Yield: ~ 4 ½ cups
What you need:
- 2 shallots or small spring onions, about ½ cup large dice
- 20 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch scallions, top ⅓ of green removed, roughly chopped
- 4 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled & roughly chopped, about ¼ cup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- 6 tablespoons tamari soy sauce or shoyu
- ½ cup lime juice, approximately 4 limes
- 1 ½ ounces fresh thyme, leaves and tender stems only, approximately ½ cup
- 6-8 habanero peppers
- 6 tablespoons ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
- ¼ cup water
What you do:
- Put all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Process on high until completely pureed.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Be judicious with the chili peppers. The heat level will intensify over time.
- Freeze unused portion for up to one year.