Dinnertime

My absolute favorite time of the day is when I get home from work, kick off my shoes and see my sweetheart and baby girl. I love to reconnect at the end of the day and have dinner together. In my work as a private chef, I have a first hand opportunity to see the impact of the family meal. It's also the only opportunity that I have all day not to rush--but to taste, savor and enjoy my food. I love to eat, almost as much as I love to cook. I love all types of food and meals--ribs and fried chicken eaten with my hands, insanely spicy Thai food, 4 course white tablecloth dinners...you name it. Dinner time is my reward for getting through a hectic day. Growing up, my family always had dinner together. It's a luxury in this day and age, not only to eat together, but to also have a hand in making your own food. After cooking all day for other people, the food that I cook for my family is simple but tasty, with ample portions for lunch the next day. I believe so strongly in the family meal that I could not cook for other people and not cook for myself. To not cook for my own family would be the ultimate hypocrisy. As a result I am constantly on the lookout for recipes that are fast, tasty and delicious. I've been on an Indian food kick for a while now and I love Madhur Jaffrey's Quick and Easy Indian Cooking cookbook---it's a small book, not terribly impressive looking, but it has some really great recipes in it, like this one for silken chicken. It is aromatic, tender from marinating in lemon juice, and exotic from garam masala. You can spice it up if you want or leave the cayenne out completely for a milder dish.

I've simplified the recipe a little bit. Here is my version:
Silken Chicken (adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Quick and Easy Indian Cooking)
3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/2#
Juice of 1 small lemon mixed with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Make three diagonal slashes in the chicken breast and prick the breast with a fork. Pour the lemon juice and salt mixture over the chicken, making sure to rub the lemon juice into the flesh, especially the slits. Set the chicken aside to marinate while you complete the 2nd half of the marinade.

Combine:

1/4 c. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. garam masala (Indian spice blend available at most major supermarkets.)

1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 clove of garlic, grated or put through a garlic press

1 tsp. of finely grated fresh ginger, or 1 tsp. dry ginger

Stir well and pour the cream marinade over the chicken breasts, again rubbing the marinade into the flesh and let marinate for a minimum of 10 minutes.

Turn the oven on to 400F and line a baking sheet with tinfoil for a quick clean up. Remove the chicken from the marinade (most of the marinade will cling to the chicken) and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the chicken with a little bit of paprika for color. Bake the chicken for about 15minutes and serve immediately with steamed rice or potatoes and a vegetable.

If you have the time, I really like the Green Peas in a Creamy Sauce, also adapted from Quick and Easy Indian Cooking. (Matar Makhani) Talk about yum-o! (take that Rachel Ray) Made with frozen peas, you can make it while the chicken is cooking. Steam some rice and buy some Naan from the grocery store and you have put together an impressive dinner in under an hour.

Green Peas in a Creamy Sauce (adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Quick and Easy Indian Cooking)

1 10oz package of frozen peas

In a glass measuring cup combine:

1/4 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. garam masala

1/2 tsp. salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix the above ingredients together, then add enough cream to make 2/3 c.

additional ingredients for sauteing: 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Heat 3 Tbsp. of oil in a sauce pan, then toss in the mustard and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the peas to the pan and pour the spiced cream mixture over. Cover and let simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Taste, season and serve.