Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love

by Cristina Ferrare

  CHICKEN CROQUETTES

  WITH FETA

  CHEESE FILLING

  12 SERVINGS

  My mom and grandmother would make croquettes out of almost any leftover beef, lamb, or fish, but my favorite croquettes are made with chicken. I like to eat them right out of the frying pan, while they’re still sizzling hot, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of kosher salt. The crunchy layers outside along with the fluffy hot insides with oozing cheese make my head swim!

  I use these croquettes in my Nontraditional Greek Salad (Nontraditional Greek Salad With Chicken Croquettes).

  3 eggs

  ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

  ¼ cup Romano cheese

  2 cups diced roasted chicken

  1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

  ½ cup mashed potatoes, homemade or store-bought

  ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  1 cup feta cheese; you can use goat cheese instead if you like

  1 cup Wondra flour

  2 cups plain bread crumbs

  2 cups canola oil

  2 lemons, cut into wedges

  Fresh thyme, for garnish (optional)

  Combine 1 egg with the Parmesan and Romano cheese, and beat well.

  In a food processor, combine roasted chicken, egg with cheese mixture, parsley, mashed potatoes, and salt. Process until uniform and smooth.

  Using about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture, create a cylinder that will fit into the palm of your hand. Pull the cylinder open to form two halves, and with your thumb press a hole in each half. Place a piece of feta or goat cheese the size of a large grape in one half and cover it up with the other half. Shape back into a cylinder, making sure the cheese is surrounded by the chicken so it doesn’t ooze out during frying. Continue to make croquettes with the remainder of the chicken mixture (about a dozen croquettes).

  Place the croquettes on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. (The croquettes can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before frying.)

  When you’re ready to cook the croquettes, beat the remaining two eggs. Line up the Wondra flour, the beaten eggs, and the bread crumbs. Roll a croquette first in the flour, then in the beaten eggs, and finally in the bread crumbs, making sure you have covered the whole croquette with the crumbs. Place on a baking rack while you coat the rest of the croquettes. When all of the croquettes are ready to fry, place canola oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until hot (about 5 to 6 minutes). You can check to see if the oil is hot enough to start frying by breaking a tiny piece of croquette off and dropping it in the oil. If it starts to bubble and sizzle, the oil is hot enough. Lower heat to medium, and fry the croquettes until they are golden brown on all sides. Keep an eye out so they don’t burn; you want the crust to be a deep golden brown. Drain croquettes on a paper towel.

  Croquettes can be served right out of the frying pan, while they are still sizzling hot, with lemon wedges on the side, fresh thyme, and a pinch of kosher salt. They can also be served at room temperature and are delicious cold, right out of the refrigerator.

  ROASTED CHICKEN

  WRAPS WITH BLACK

  BEAN SALSA, ARUGULA,

  AND GUACAMOLE

  6 SERVINGS

  This chicken wrap is another one of those reasons I always have a roasted chicken on hand in my refrigerator.

  I start my meal by serving a bowl of soup (tortilla soup is perfect—Tortilla Soup) and then serve these wraps filled to the brim for lunch or dinner.

  I often bring these wraps for lunch on a plane when I’m traveling, and they worked well as school lunches for the kids.

  2 to 3 tablespoons Black Bean Salsa (Black Bean Salsa With Roasted Corn)

  2 tablespoons Guacamole (Guacamole)

  6 flour or whole wheat tortillas

  2 roasted chicken breasts, diced

  4–5 cups arugula leaves

  Keep the black bean salsa and guacamole in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the wraps.

  Preheat the oven to 325°F.

  Wrap the tortillas in foil, and heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the oven, but leave the tortillas in the oven to keep them warm until you’re ready to use them.

  To assemble each wrap, place 1 tortilla on a warm plate. Keep the remaining tortillas covered. Spread 2 tablespoons guacamole over the entire tortilla. Add ¼ cup of chicken to the bottom third of the tortilla. Place 3 tablespoons bean salsa and 6 to 10 leaves of arugula on top. Roll the tortilla over once, and fold the sides in tightly. Fold into a burrito shape. With the seam side down, place on a cutting board and cut with a sharp knife on the diagonal.

  Serve with a generous dollop of guacamole, sour cream, and salsa.

  I don’t always have the time to roast a chicken, so I’m thrilled that most supermarkets have ready-made roasted chickens available.

  CHICKEN BARBECUE

  SANDWICHES

  6 TO 8 SANDWICHES

  These sandwiches are so easy to make, it’s embarrassing. They’re great for when you have college kids and the gang comes over, but you’ll need some extra napkins! Follow the recipe for Green Apple Slaw. You can use as much of it as you like on the sandwiches—and still have leftovers on the side.

  8 chicken thighs, washed and dried well

  1 tablespoon onion powder

  1 tablespoon garlic powder

  1 tablespoon brown sugar

  1 tablespoon chili powder

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce

  6 kaiser rolls or whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted

  Green Apple Slaw (Green Apple Slaw)

  Preheat the oven to 350°F.

  Remove the skin from thighs.

  To make the rub for the thighs, in a bowl combine onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, and chili powder. Mix well.

  Place the chicken in a roasting pan, and drizzle the olive oil over the thighs. Use your hands to completely coat the chicken with the oil. Sprinkle on the rub, using your hands to spread the rub all over the thighs. Pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken, and turn to coat both sides (don’t rub).

  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and baste every 15 minutes for 45 more minutes, until the meat literally falls off the bone. While baking, add water ¼ cup at a time if the bottom of roasting pan get too dry.

  Transfer the chicken to a large platter and let sit for 5 minutes. Shred the thigh meat, using two forks to pull the meat apart while it’s hot.

  Toast the kaiser rolls. Divide the meat evenly on the 6 rolls, and top each sandwich with some of the barbecue sauce–pan drippings. Put as much slaw as you would like on your sandwich!

  CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

  4 SERVINGS

  This is the perfect sandwich: whole-grain bread, creamy chicken salad, ripe tomatoes, avocado slices, and for a bit of heat, sliced jalapeño.

  I serve the sandwich open-faced. I’m like everyone else, trying to watch calories, so I avoid the second slice of bread, but if you like, go ahead; slice it in half and get great satisfaction from all the wonderful flavors and textures. Just make sure to slice the sandwich in half while it’s open-faced; then slice the top piece of toast in half and place it on top of the sandwich. If you try to slice the whole sandwich in half at once, the delicious insides will ooze out!

  2 cups diced white meat chicken breasts

  ½ cup mayonnaise

  1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  2 teaspoons finely chopped scallions

  2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley

  4 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

  2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeño

  2 tablespoons finely chopped celery

  2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  4 slices seven-grain or whole wheat bread

  2 medium tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick

  Pinch of kosher salt

  Pepper

  1 ripe avocado

  1 lemon, cut in half
<
br />   2 jalapeño peppers, sliced thin (optional)

  Place the chicken, mayonnaise, mustard, scallions, parsley, basil, jalapeño, celery, and lemon juice in a bowl, and mix well.

  Toast 4 slices of the whole grain bread. Spread cup of chicken salad over each slice of toast. Top with a slice of tomato, a pinch of kosher salt, and pepper to taste.

  Peel and seed the avocado. Cut it into thin slices, and squeeze lemon juice on both sides of the slices to keep them from turning brown. Place the avocado slices on the sandwich, and top with 3 or more slices of jalapeño if you like.

  COOK’S NOTE: You can also serve this chicken salad in a pita pocket, on rye or sourdough bread, or on toasted ciabatta.

  CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

  6 SERVINGS

  Another great dish to make with fresh or leftover roasted chicken is enchiladas, fully loaded with chicken, refried beans, and Monterey jack cheese in a homemade enchilada sauce.

  Enchilada sauce

  3 tablespoons canola oil

  2 medium onions, chopped

  6 scallions, chopped

  1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed

  1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes

  1 cup tomato puree

  ½ cup chopped canned green chilies

  1 teaspoon sugar

  1 tablespoon cumin

  2 teaspoons coriander

  1 tablespoon chili powder

  Assembly

  6 (8- to 10-inch) low-fat flour or whole wheat tortillas

  2 (15-ounce) cans nonfat or low-fat refried beans, heated

  2 cups diced roasted chicken, white and dark meat, bite-size pieces

  2 ½ cups Monterey jack cheese, grated on the large holes of a cheese grater

  10 scallions, finely chopped

  ½ cup sliced black olives

  ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

  2 jalapeños, seeded and diced

  1 ¼ cups light or nonfat sour cream, at room temperature

  Heat a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the canola oil, onions, and scallions, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the butter and garlic, and sauté for 3 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, chilies, sugar, cumin, coriander, and chili powder, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

  Remove from heat and cool for 20 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard.

  In small batches, blend the tomato mixture in a blender until completely smooth. Pour into a glass pie plate, and set aside.

  Preheat the oven to 325°F.

  Prepare to roll the enchiladas. Line up all of the ingredients on the counter with a cutting board: tortillas, refried beans, chicken, Monterey jack cheese, scallions, olives, cilantro, jalapeño, sour cream. Dip each tortilla on both sides in the enchilada sauce to soften it. Spread ¼ cup of the refried beans on each tortilla (if you have leftover beans after spreading them on all 6 tortillas, distribute the rest evenly among them). Add ¼ cup of the chicken and ¼ cup of cheese over the beans.

  Sprinkle on 1 tablespoon of scallions, some sliced olives, and 1 teaspoon of cilantro. Add the jalapeño at your own discretion; I like it spicy. Roll each tortilla tightly and place them all seam side down in a baking dish.

  Whisk ½ cup of the sour cream into the remaining enchilada sauce and pour over rolled tortillas. Sprinkle with any remaining cheese, scallions, and olives down the middle of the enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

  To serve, place an enchilada on each of 6 plates and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sour cream on top. Serve with Tomato Salsa (Tomato Salsa) and Guacamole (Guacamole) on the side. You can keep leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

  COOK’S NOTE: This dish freezes up beautifully.

  “BEST EVER”

  CHICKEN CHILI

  6 SERVINGS

  This thick and hearty bowl of chili is lean and mean and low in fat. It tastes even better the next day.

  Chili

  2 tablespoons ancho chili powder

  teaspoon cayenne pepper

  1 tablespoon cumin

  4 tablespoons canola oil

  2 medium onions, chopped

  4 scallions, chopped

  2 garlic cloves, minced

  1 ½ pounds ground dark-meat chicken

  2 teaspoons kosher salt

  1 cup low-fat milk

  2 tablespoons tomato paste

  1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes

  1 ear fresh corn kernels, scrapped of the cob, or 1 cup canned or frozen corn

  1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans

  Garnish

  6 tablespoons sour cream

  ½ cup loosely packed cilantro, coarsely chopped

  Handful tortilla chips, to crush over the chili

  1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped

  In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cayenne, and cumin.

  Heat a heavy-bottomed sauce pot until hot. Add the canola oil and heat until hot. Add the onions and scallions, sauté for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the ground chicken and salt. Add the chili powder mixture, and mix.

  Using a metal spatula, break up the chicken into small pieces.

  Add milk, and reduce until the chicken starts to sizzle. Lower heat to a simmer, add tomato paste, and stir completely. Keep mixing for at least 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes, corn, and kidney beans, and mix well.

  Serve in a deep-dish bowl, garnished with a dollop of low-fat sour cream, cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, and chopped jalapeño.

  COOK’S NOTE: You can use this chili as a sauce for pasta or even in a lasagna. Really, all you need is the low-fat ricotta, fresh Parmesan cheese, and lasagna noodles; put it together and bake!

  CHICKEN POTPIE WITH

  CORN-BREAD CRUST

  4 TO 6 SERVINGS

  For me, chicken potpie is predictable and boring! The crust, traditionally a piecrust, doesn’t do it for me. I like saving my piecrusts for pies filled with juicy, fruity goodness.

  This corn-bread crust is a wonderful alternative and seems to go with the creaminess of the filling. I like it better!

  Filling

  2 cups chopped potatoes

  ½ cup chopped carrots

  1 tablespoon olive oil

  1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  1 medium onion, chopped

  ¼ cup all-purpose flour

  2 cups chicken stock, homemade (Roasted Chicken Stock), or store-bought organic chicken broth

  2 cups chopped roasted chicken breast

  ½ cup frozen baby peas

  1 teaspoon kosher salt

  Cracked pepper

  Dash of Tabasco sauce

  Corn-bread crust

  ¾ cup cornmeal

  ¾ cup all-purpose flour

  1 tablespoon baking powder

  1 ½ tablespoons sugar

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¾ cup low-fat milk

  2 tablespoons canola oil

  1 large egg yolk, slightly beaten

  Boil the potatoes and carrots until tender but not soft, and set aside.

  Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray or coat lightly with butter.

  For the filling, heat a large saucepan until hot, add the oil, butter, and onions. Sauté onions until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and mix. Slowly pour in the chicken stock whisking well with a wire whisk. Still using the whisk, cook the mixture over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped chicken, peas, cooked potatoes and carrots, salt, pepper to taste, and Tabasco.

  Cook on medium heat until the mixture is heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn into the prepared casserole dish, spreading evenly.

  Preheat the oven to 400°F.

  For the crust, in a bowl combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a small bowl combine the milk, oil, and egg yolk. Add to the dry ingredients, and mix until uniform but a bit lumpy. Spoon the b
atter evenly over the filling.

  Bake until the top is golden brown, about 22 to 25 minutes.

  COOK’S NOTE: I also like to make this recipe using individual ramekins. Place 12 ramekins on a baking sheet. Spray butter-flavored cooking spray all over the insides, and fill the ramekins three-quarters of the way up with the chicken mixture. Top with 2 tablespoons of the corn-bread batter and spread to cover the filling. Bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until the corn bread is puffed up and golden.

  BEEF AND

  LAMB

  My dad made his living as a butcher and would always bring home the best cuts of meat that weren’t too expensive. Every so often he would bring home T-bone steaks (his favorite); he would personally grill them on the backyard grill, and they always turned out perfect. My mom would make incredible dishes that drove me crazy while they were cooking. Whether the aroma came from meatballs simmering in a sauce, a meat loaf baking, a roast caramelizing in the oven, or a skirt steak sizzling in the frying pan, it never failed to make my mouth water and get me excited about dinner. My mom and grandmother were genius at preparing beef, then using the leftovers—if there were any—to make other great-tasting beef dishes.

  This chapter is devoted to fabulous and economical ways to use ground beef and lamb and inexpensive cuts of meat that are tender and rich in flavor. I’ll also show you how to use expensive cuts of meat and still be able to feed your whole family without having to cut into your budget.

  Kick-butt Chili

  Award-winning Herbed Farfalle and Beef Salad

  Grilled Beef Sandwich