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Grilled Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Zucchini and Goat Cheese

Here a creamy, moist zucchini spread lies beneath the skin of golden brown barbecued chicken breasts. These are easy to assemble in advance, refrigerate, and grill just before dinner. Accompany with grilled corn on the cob and heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad, and finish off with Honey-Rum Pumpkin Ice Cream. Don’t put your grill away at the end of summer; the smoky flavor of grilled foods is perfect for chilly days as well.

A Harvest of Pumpkins and  Squash Season Recipes by Lou Seibert Pappas (Chronicle Books) 

• 1 pound zucchini
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  
• 4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
  
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
  
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (about 12 ounces each)
  
• Herbes de Provence for sprinkling

Stuffed Grapeleaves - Etli Yaprak Dolmasi

This is what Channon told me (educated me) about this dish. “This recipe is primarily based on a reference made by Hans Derschwam in his travelogue to Turkey in the 16th Century. The young German visitor describes a dish of grape leaves filled with meat and plums:  Item mutton.  Chopped small, a spoonful is put on a wine leaf and put together like a krapfen.  In it, one also puts cut sour plums, and boils the whole thing simply in water.  Serve hot.
This recipe is quite special for its uniqueness. The word “krapfen” meant “stuffed fritter” in 16th C German and conveys Han’s observation that the leaves were folded over to enclose the filling. Although many stuffed pastries and vegetables appear in a variety of early world cuisines, to date, I have found no other mention of the practice of using grape leaves in food There does exist a recipe for pickled grape tendrils in the 15th C Italian manuscript by Platina “On Right Pleasure and Good Health”. This hardly constitutes a “dolmas” or stuffed type food.  Athenaeus’ he Deipnosophistae (Scholars at the Dinner Table) in the late 2, early 3rd century in Greece  is reported to mention grape leaf appetizers but I have yet to locate this reference (many ref to stuffed fig leaves though) in I have, however, found recipes that describe similar ingredient combinations used in vegetable recipes in medieval Arabic sources.  A plum, meat, parsley and gourd  recipe called "Khaukhiyya" can be found in the Kitab al Tibakha, the 15th C contemporary Mameluke cookbook to the first Ottoman cookbook.
Khaukhiyya- Boil meat and plums. Fry vegetables- Swiss chard, eggplant, carrots, gourds and so on (onions and garlic are frequently mentioned in other recipes). Macerate the plums in the meat broth and strain it and put it with the vegetables. Then sweeten it and garnish it with walnuts and parsley.
When I created this stuffed grape leaf recipe I experimented using very tart black plums. They imparted a citrus like flavor and a sweetness that developed with cooking.  A nice touch would be to use slightly blanched fresh grape leaves.  I’m sure this would affect the overall taste of the recipe but as it is, the results are delicious. Since fresh leaves weren’t available, I used a jar of brined grape leaves (Ziyad and Roland brand are my favorites) and a simple blend of garlic, parsley, onion, lemon, salt and pepper to compliment the meat and plums.
I prepared this recipe one spring for a large group and to my surprise, found out that plum season was over. After frantically calling several suppliers I realized that there were no plums to be found in the entire area- to get any would require a special order and a huge expense.  Faced with this ongoing seasonal problem I decided to do what anyone in 16th Century Turkey would do- substitute the next closest thing: prunes. The result was a wonderful taste and texture, the prunes blended well with the other ingredients and benefited from the long cooking time.  Whichever you choose to do, plums or prunes, fresh or brined leaves, I’m sure you’ll love the results.”

• 1 pint jar brined grape leaves- drained
• 1.5 cups sour plums or 1.5 cups pitted prunes- chopped small
• 1 teaspoon sea salt- divided
• 2 medium onions, minced
• 2 cloves garlic,  minced
• 1/ 2 cup packed fresh flat leaf parsley- washed, dried and minced
• 1/ 4 to1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper- fine
• 1 pound ground lamb (or ground beef or combination of both)
• 1/ 2 freshly squeezed lemon (about 1/8 cup) juice
• 1/ 2 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  

Using jarred leaves;

Carefully remove the leaves from the jar. They are tightly rolled and squeezed into the jar (I’ve often wondered how they do it!) and can rip when you are pulling them out. Unroll the leaves and gently peel the leaves apart. Set aside any badly ripped, discolored or extremely large grape leaves, you’ll use these to line the pan and lay on top of the dolmas in the pot.

The best leaves to use are those about the size of your palm plus some, about 6 inches in diameter. If they are too large they will take too long to cook, if too small they will over cook or won’t hold enough filling.

Cut or trim the stems of the grape leaves off using a sharp paring knife or a pair of scissors. If using brined leaves, place them in a large bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 30 minutes and rinse with cold water very well. Depending on how tough the leaves are you may wish to steam or parboil them. Try parboiling about 2 minutes at a time and check for softness as you go.  As well, if they are very salty you may wish to soak them again. I have had great success with Ziyad brand grape leaves. They are thin and delicate, but full of flavor.
In a skillet, over medium heat, heat the olive oil, season the onions with 1 teaspoon salt, and sauté the onions until they begin to caramelize. Add garlic, herbs, chopped plums or prunes. Remove from heat add the raw ground lamb, mixing everything together very well. Add the second teaspoon of salt. Don’t cook this mixture but simply blend well. Use clean hands to blend if necessary.
Place a grape leave on a work surface, shiny side down, place about 1 1/ 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture near the stem end, then fold in the end and sides and roll up neatly. Repeat this process until all the leaves are stuffed.
Line the bottom of a large, heavy based pot (3 to 4 quarts) with several grape leaves (used ripped and discolored ones), then arrange the filled rolls in snug layers, seam side down. Make one layer of dolmas and then place the next layer perpendicular to the first. You do not want them to be able to move around. If they are too loosely packed they will unroll and result in grape leaf soup. I like to use my dutch oven for large batches or my 1 quart enameled cast iron pot for smaller batches.   Pour in the stock, squeeze lemon or pour juice over the dolmas.
When you are finished with the layering, if you have any extra leaves, place them on top of the rolls. Place a heat proof dish (I’ve used salad plates with success) on the top to keep the rolls pressed down.
Cover with a lid and simmer slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the leaves are tender and the meat is cooked. Take one of the dolmas out of the pot, test it for doneness (you want the leaves tender and the filling soft). You may need to add more liquid, if so, add 1/ 2 cup water and continue to simmer another 15 minutes. Check again.   Let cool. Serve at room temp. If you store them in the refrigerator, bring them to room temperature before serving.
 
Makes approximately 60-90  dolmas depending on the size of the leaves. You can make these up to 3 days in advance, then remove from fridge about 1-2 hours before serving. You can also reheat them gently in a microwave at 70% power for 45 seconds, or until warm.

ONION BRAISED CHICKEN WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND LEMON

Lemon and onions are favorite flavors for chicken throughout the Mideast. Sometimes nutmeg is also used. Freshen the flavor with an extra squeeze of lemon juice at serving time.

• 2 1/ 2 lbs. chicken pieces
• salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large onions, halved and sliced thin
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 to 2 1/ 2 cups diced butternut squash - l" cubes
• freshly grated nutmeg to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice or to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley - optional
• lemon wedges

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat oil in a stew pan. Lightly brown chicken pieces in 2 batches in oil over medium heat. Remove with tongs to a plate. Add onions and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until softened. Return chicken to pan and add any juices from plate. Add garlic and broth. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add squash, sprinkle it with nutmeg and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken and squash are tender, turning chicken pieces once or twice.

Remove chicken and squash pieces from pan but leave in onion. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Stir in lemon juice and add a little more nutmeg. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning. Return chicken and squash to pan. Cover and warm over low heat for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley if you like and serve hot, with lemon wedges."

JALAPENO SEA BASS WITH TOMATOES, POTATOES, and GARLIC

• 4 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/ 4 cup Italian parsley sprigs, plus 1 tablespoons chopped parsley for sprinkling
• 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, cut in pieces, seeded if desired, or 1/ 2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound boiling potatoes, cooked, sliced about 1/ 2" thick
• salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 2 red, green, or yellow bell peppers, halved, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
• 1 1/ 2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/ 4" thick
• 2 lbs. fish steaks or fillets, such as sea bass, halibut, or cod 1" thick, rinsed and dried
• pinch cinnamon, optional
• 1/ 2 onion, cut into thin slices

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine garlic, parsley sprigs, and jalapeno peppers in food processor. Process to chop. Add 1 tablespoon oil and process until blended to a paste. Oil a shallow 2-quart casserole and arrange the potato slices inside in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with bell pepper strips then with half the tomato slices in one layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Top with fish in a single layer and spread spice paste evenly over it. Sprinkle fish with salt, pepper, and if you like, cinnamon. Top fish with onion slices, then with remaining tomatoes. Pour remaining oil evenly over the top. Cover and bake for 25 minutes, or until fish can just be flaked with a fork, but is not falling apart. Sprinkle with parsley and serve from the casserole. Serves 4 or 5.

CORIANDER AND PEPPER CRUSTED SALMON

• 4 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly minced coriander or cilantro leaves
• 4 salmon fillets (about 4 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt

With a mortar and pestle, or the back of a large spoon in a small bowl, crush the coriander seeds. Combine with the pepper, salt and coriander leaves. This may be done 6 hours in advance. Cover and set aside.

Preheat oven and baking sheet to 425°F. Spread coriander and pepper mixture on shallow plate. Lightly brush each salmon fillet with 1/ 2 teaspoon olive oil; press into spice mixture to coat only the topside. The salmon can be prepared to this point in advance, covered and refrigerated for up to 6 hours. Let salmon rest for 15 minutes to come to room temperature before cooking.

Heat remaining oil in sauté pan over high heat. Place fillets in heated pan, cook 2 minutes on each side. Remove to heated baking sheet. Place in preheated oven; cook 5 to 10 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 135°F. Remove from oven, tent with foil. Let stand 2 to 4 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 145° F. Serve immediately, with mango salsa. Serves 4.

Variation:

Delete coating salmon with coriander and pepper mixture. Brush with oil; sear salmon as directed above. Before roasting, brush top of each fillet with 1 teaspoon maple syrup, sprinkle lightly with black pepper. Continue as above.

Mango salsa

• 1 ripe mango
• 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
• 2 tablespoons red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Puree half of mango in food processor or blender. Dice remaining half. Gently stir all ingredients together to combine, season to taste. Store refrigerated.

RICKI CARROLL'S EASY LASAGNE

With the combination of mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan, this lasagna is a triple treat.

• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1/ 2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 5 cups spaghetti sauce (not a very thick one)
• 1 1/ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 12 lasagna noodles, prepared according to package directions
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350F. Mix the ricotta with ¼ cup of the Parmesan. In another bowl mix the sauce and the oregano. Spread 1 cup of sauce in an ungreased 9x13" baking dish. Top with four of the noodles. Spread 1 cup of the cheese mixture over the noodles. Top with 1 cup of the sauce mixture. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup of the mozzarella.

Repeat with four noodles, the remaining cheese mixture, 1 cup of sauce, and 2/ 3 cup of the mozzarella. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake about 15 minutes longer, or until lasagna is hot and bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

GOAT CHEESE AND MUSHROOM PIZZA

• 1 1/ 2 cups thawed frozen spinach
• 2 tablespoons (or more) olive oil
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 2 cups thinly sliced white mushrooms
• 1 1/ 2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/ 2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 Boboli (store bought bread-like pizza crust) - large size original or thin crust.
• 6 ounces herbed goat cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Squeeze the moisture from the spinach.
2. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan until hot and stir in the shallots, mushrooms, and garlic.
3. Cook just until golden brown, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with the sugar and mix lightly.
4. Remove from the heat. Place the Boboli on a nonstick baking sheet.
5. Spread the mushroom mixture over the Boboli. Top with spinach and sprinkle with the goat cheese.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until bubbly and serve hot. Serves 4.

GARLIC CHICKEN WITH SPINACH AND CILANTRO

• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 1/ 2 cup chopped scallions (white only)
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 1/ 3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/ 2 cup chicken broth (about)
• 1/ 3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/ 2 cup chopped whole scallions (white with a little green)
• 1/ 4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 lb fresh spinach, trimmed, chopped
• Bibb lettuce, radicchio or red cabbage cups

1. Combine chicken, 1/ 2 cup chopped scallions, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and red pepper flakes in a bowl and mix well.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet until hot but not smoking and add the chicken mixture. Stir fry over medium heat until the chicken is light brown. Increase heat to high.
3. Stir in the remaining soy sauce, broth and red wine vinegar.
4. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in the cilantro and /2 cup chopped whole scallions.
6. Combine the rice wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons olive oil and pepper in a bowl and mix well.
7. Pour over the spinach in a bowl, tossing to coat. Add to the chicken mixture and mix well.

Spoon into lettuce or red cabbage cups. Serves 6.

CHICKEN AND MANGO CURRY (meat)

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon mild curry paste
• 1 pound chicken breast fillets, cubed
• 2 tablespoons onion, minced
• 1 lb. canned mango slices, or 2 fresh mangoes, sliced
• 1 1/4 cups coconut milk
• 1 cucumber, deseeded and sliced
• cooked rice

Place half the mango and all of the coconut milk in a food processor and blend until smooth Set the mixture aside. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the curry paste and sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the chicken pieces and onion and stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Add the mango coconut mixture to the chicken and cook until the mixture is bubbly.. Stir through the remaining mango slices and cucumber and cook for an additional minute or two until the mango and cucumber are hot but not wilted. Remove from heat immediately and serve with rice.

Serves 4 This recipe can be doubled or tripled

Glazed Chicken Breasts With Strawberry Salsa

This easy, elegant dish is from Susie Fishbein's cookbook, Kosher by Design Entertains (Mesorah Publications), a unique new cookbook that provides menus perfect for any occasion.

Glazed Chicken Breasts:

• 4 boneless skinless, chicken breasts, tenders removed
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons strawberry jelly
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Strawberry Salsa:

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• juice of 1 lime

Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and sear on both sides, 4-5 minutes per side, until browned. You can also grill the chicken on a barbecue grill. Remove the chicken to a plate.
To the same pan, add the shallots and sauté on low heat until soft, about 4 minutes. (If you grilled the chicken on a barbecue, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan and sauté the shallots in it and continue). In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the chicken stock. Add it to the pan. Add in the jelly and balsamic vinegar. Cook until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and coat both sides with the glaze. Remove from heat.
Prepare the salsa. Place the chopped strawberries into a small bowl. Toss with the red onion, balsamic, pepper, mint, and lime juice. Allow flavors to mix for 10 minutes.
Serve chicken with the salsa warm or at room temperature. Serves 4.

QUINCE STUFFED WITH MEAT

Quinces look like pears and smell like pineapple and can be used in a variety of ways: as a main dish stuffed with meat, or boiled in water and served hot with honey on a cold day. This is from Riva Goldman's new book from Hippocrene Books, NY (www.hippocrenebooks.com) Mama Nazima's Jewish Iraqi Cuisine. Riva was born in Basra, Iraq and left as a child as part of the forced repatriation of Jews and later learned the art of cooking from her mother, a healer who incorporated her work into traditional recipes. She married an American and lives in New Mexico with her husband and 3 children.

• 1 lb. lean ground beef or chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 quinces, halved, insides scooped out to form a pocket and insides chopped and set aside

Stuffing:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium size onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• 1/3 cup raisins
• juice of 1 large lemon

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup sweet red wine such as Concord grape
• juice of 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine the meat, salt, garlic, paprika, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.

Heat the oil in a pan over high heat and add the onions. Reduce heat to medium and add the meat and chopped quince, and stir for 2 minutes. Cover and cook meat until tender, about 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Add the nuts, raisins, and lemon juice, and simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat. Fill each quince halfway with the meat mixture and place neatly on a baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Combine the wine, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon, and 1 cup water in a bowl.
Pour the sauce over the stuffed quinces. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.
Serves 8.

SPLIT CHICKEN BREAST PUTTANESCO STYLE with Green Olives, Tomatoes, Onions, Thyme, and Lemon Zest

A great way to jazz up a chicken dinner instead of serving the sauce over pasta.  If you would like the dish to have a little kick, add a large pinch of red pepper flakes.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1/ 2 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  
• 1/ 4 teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1 1/ 2 cups canned whole plum tomatoes, drained
  
• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, split
  
• 1 tablespoon capers
  
• 1 cup green olives, pitted
  
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  
• 1 teaspoon grated and finely chopped fresh lemon zest
  
• 5 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
  
• Salt
  
• Pepper