Chicken with lima beans and artichoke hearts in Avgolemono (Egg and Lemon Sauce).

I make this dish quite often in the winter.  Originally, this dish is made with fava beans or broad beans.  I haven't been able to find either at the super market, but I also can not acquire a taste for fava beans.  From what I recall, when my mother used to make this dish, I just couldn't eat the beans.  I ate the artichokes but not the beans.  Probably because my mother didn't like them that much either. Therefore,  she wouldn't make this dish too often.

As I was experimenting one day to make something with chicken, I wanted to give the lima beans a try.  (Honestly, when I first tried this dish years ago, I thought that the fava beans were lima beans :) what can I say I was young and didn't know much about cooking).  So I came up with this recipe.  Lima beans with chicken and artichoke hearts in avgolemono (egg and lemon sauce).  I have been making this dish ever since, and when I'm short on time and forget to defrost the chicken breasts, I will also make it without the chicken.  It's a nice vegetarian version if you are not too strict of a vegetarian since there is egg in the sauce.  Both ways, with the chicken or without, the dish is delicious, and it's also gluten free.  Enjoy!

Ingredients (Makes 6 servings-appr. 12oz ea.)

1 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast cubed

¼ cup olive oil

½ cup chopped onion

1 tsp. chopped garlic

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. dill

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

2 cups chicken stock

12 oz. frozen baby lima beans

12 oz. frozen artichoke hearts

Avgolemono - Egg and lemon sauce:

1 egg

½ cup lemon juice

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, pour the olive oil and sauté the chicken with the onions and garlic.  Add the dill and thyme.  Let the chicken sauté until there is no pink showing.  Add the lima beans and artichokes along with the chicken stock.  Add the salt and pepper.  Lower the heat and let it cook for about an hour, until the beans, artichokes and chicken pieces are tender.  Remove from heat and let it cool before making the avgolemono (egg and lemon sauce). 

Avgolemono (egg and lemon sauce)

1 egg

½ cup lemon juice

Separate the egg yolk from the egg white.  Place the egg white in a bowl.  Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon, about ½ cup.  Beat the egg white till frothy.  Add the egg yolk and continue beating.  Add the lemon juice while still beating and slowly pour the mixture over the lima beans and chicken.  Stir, so the egg and lemon sauce will distribute evenly.  Serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 serving (306.8 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 319

Calories from Fat 117

Total Fat 13.0g

Saturated Fat 1.8g

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 92mg

Sodium 703mg

Potassium 783mg

Total Carbohydrates 19.3g

Dietary Fiber 6.2g

Sugars 2.3g

Protein 32.9g

Seafood chowder with cod fillets and shrimp

I make this soup quite often in the winter. And what a better time to have some heartwarming soup, than this year's winter. The weather has been unseasonably cold in the Midwest with inches upon inches of snow and freezing temperatures. We end up staying inside in the warmth of our homes and experiment with cooking (at least I am). Enjoy this heartwarming soup and for those of you who live in the Midwest, stay safe and warm.
Enjoy!

Makes 10 servings (approximately 12 oz each serving).

½ cup olive oil
1 cup diced Canadian bacon
1 cup red onion
1 ½ cup diced celery
1/3 cup parsley
2 tsp garlic
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups diced potatoes
6 oz frozen peas
12 oz large shrimp
1 lbs Cod Atlantic Frozen-At-Sea Fillet
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup skim milk
1 tsp cornstarch
3 tsp water

Saute the Canadian bacon, red onions, garlic and celery in the olive oil (Canadian bacon is less fatty than the usual bacon). Add the potatoes and the chicken stock. Let it cook till the potatoes are tender. Since they are diced, they will cook at approximately 15-20 minutes.

Add the frozen peas and parsley. Add salt and pepper according to taste. Since using the chicken stock and the seafood, you might want to skip the salt altogether. It could end up being too salty. On this dish, I only used a pinch.

Add the milk and let it simmer while you dilute the cornstarch in the water. Add that and then add the shrimp and cod pieces. Cook till the shrimp are pink in color and the soup is heated through. Remove from heat and serve.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 11.401 oz (323.2g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 227
Calories from Fat 98
Total Fat 10.9g
Saturated Fat 1.6g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 69mg
Sodium 414mg
Total Carbohydrates 16.2g
Dietary Fiber 3.0g
Sugars 3.9g
Protein 17.8g

Greek Style Oven Fried Chicken

I was craving some fried chicken the other day. So I decided to make it with my usual Greek twist in it. The oregano, the cumin and the lemon juice shouts Greek. This dish can easily be made gluten free. Use gluten free all purpose flour (like King Arthur's) and gluten free breadcrumbs.

Makes 8 servings (approximately 6.2 oz each serving)

2 ¼ lbs chicken pieces
½ cup flour
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
2 eggs
1 tsp water
2 cups bread crumbs
2 tsp oregano

Wash and skin the chicken pieces or you can buy them skinless and boneless. I used a whole chicken that I cut up into pieces. Whatever chicken I had leftover I boiled it for my little shih tzu and kept the chicken stock in the freezer for future use.

In a bowl, mix together the flour with the ground pepper, salt and cumin. Set aside. Beat the 2 eggs with the water in another bowl and set aside. Mix the breadcrumbs with the oregano into a third bowl and set aside.

Coat the chicken pieces with the flour mixture first. Then dip them into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Place them on a cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil, into a single layer. Bake at 400°F preheated oven for about 1 hour. Turn once. Remove from the oven, place the chicken in a platter and squeeze some fresh lemon juice. Serve and Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 6.173 oz (175g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 395
Calories from Fat 109
Total Fat 12.1g
Saturated Fat 3.3g
Cholesterol 154mg
Sodium 471mg
Total Carbohydrates 25.9g
Dietary Fiber 1.6g
Sugars 1.8g
Protein 42.8g

Before it goes into the oven

Ready to eat! Enjoy!

Greek Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

This is the traditional way of making Greek Chicken Lemon Rice Soup.  I’ve seen recipes that will add cornstarch or a can of cream of chicken soup to make it thick, but this is the original recipe, more natural and very authentic.  You can omit the chicken altogether and have the plain version of Lemon Rice Soup, by using chicken stock.  I often make this soup with a whole chicken and I don’t add the chicken stock at all.  The whole chicken adds more flavor to the soup.  On this version, I added the chicken stock since chicken breasts don’t have much flavor.  You can also use chicken legs and thighs instead of breasts for more flavor.   

Greek Chicken Lemon Rice soup                

10 servings (approximately 2 cups = 16 oz each serving)

1.25 lbs chicken breast (2 large chicken breasts)

2 quarts water (about 8 cups)

4 cups chicken stock

6 cups additional water

1 cup rice (not parboiled rice but regular long grain rice)

¼ tsp salt

2 eggs

½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (or the juice of two (2) lemons)

Wash the chicken breast and place them in a pot with the water.  Let it cook for ½ hour to 45 minutes.  Make sure it doesn’t boil over.  Skim the froth that collects on the surface of the water till it’s clear. 

When the chicken is cooked, remove from the pot.  Add the chicken stock to the pot, the rice, the additional water, and the salt.  Let the rice cook completely to the point where each grain is almost split in half.  This will release extra starches thus making the soup thick. 

In the meantime, cut the chicken breast into pieces and add to the soup.  Let it heat through and remove the soup from the heat.   

Egg and Lemon Sauce:

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.  Set the egg yolks aside.  Squeeze the juice of two lemons.  Set that aside.  In a bowl whisk the egg whites till frothy.  Add the egg yolks while you continue beating.  Add the lemon juice while still beating.  Slowly ladle some of the soup into the egg/lemon mixture while continue beating.  Add more of the soup to bring the egg/lemon mixture to the soup temperature.  (The soup should not be too hot or the eggs will curdle).  Then slowly pour the egg/lemon mixture into the pot.  Stir and serve.  The soup will be thick and creamy.  Enjoy!

Note 1: The soup freezes well without the egg/lemon sauce.  You can freeze it, and when you are ready to use it, heat it through and then add the egg/lemon sauce.

Note 2:  When heating up the soup, heat it in medium-low heat.  Otherwise, the egg/lemon mixture will curdle the soup. 

Note 3:  If you are using a whole chicken, when the chicken is cooked pour the stock into a fat separator container.  The container will separate the chicken fat from the actual chicken stock.  Then pour the chicken stock without the fat into a pot and continue making the soup. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 serving (476.4 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 192

Calories from Fat 32

Total Fat 3.6g

Saturated Fat 1.0g

Cholesterol 81mg

Sodium 369mg

Total Carbohydrates 16.3g

Dietary Fiber 0.3g

Sugars 0.7g

Protein 22.0g

 If you try this recipe and like it please comment below.  If you like what you see on this blog, feel free to follow it.   If you have any questions post them in the comments box.  

Fall Squash Vegetable Soup

I made this soup for dinner tonight, and it turned out so well, that I had to post it. It was a cold and rainy day so it was most appropriate for a nice hot bowl of soup. The chili powder and the freshly ground pepper gave the soup an extra kick which also contradicted with the sweetness of the squashes. It was a nice combination of spices and sweet and savory. Serve with a grilled cheese sandwich and you have yourself a meal. Enjoy!

Makes 12 cups

4 cups cooked butternut squash
3 cups cooked acorn squash
1.5 cups cooked sweet potato squash
1 cup cooked buttercup squash
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 cups skim milk
6 cups chicken stock
2 tsp paprika
1.5 tsp chilli powder
1.5 tsp freshly ground pepper
1.5 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup water (optional)

Preparation:
If you are making this soup from scratch here are the directions:

Butternut squash: wash, peel, seed it and cut into cubes. Microwave for 10 minutes till soft.
Acorn squash: wash, cut it half, seed it and place it in a microwavable dish and microwave for 10 minutes till soft. When cooked, scoop out the filling and discard the skin. 
Sweet potato squash: wash, peel, seed it and cut into cubes. Microwave for 10 minutes till soft
Buttercup squash: wash, cut in half, seed it and place it in a microwavable dish and microwave for 15 minutes till soft. When cooked scoop out the filling and discard the skin. 

Peel, wash and chop the onion. Set aside. Peel and chop the garlic. Set aside. In a Dutch oven, over high heat, pour the ¼ cup olive oil. Add the chopped onion, garlic and sweat it till the onion is transparent, but not burned.   Add the cooked squashes and the milk. Lower the heat. With a hand held food blender, smash the squashes into a creamy texture. Add the chicken stock, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to medium high and heat through. If it becomes too thick add a cup of water. Heat through. Remove from heat. Add the chopped parsley, stir, and serve.  

Notes:
1) You can substitute any of the squashes with sweet potato, carrots, parsnips, or pumpkin.
2) If you don’t want to make the soup from scratch, you can buy canned/cooked squash.
3) It freezes wonderfully for any leftovers you might have. 
4) You can also cut the recipe in half. The above ingredients make 12 cups. 



Nutrition Facts  Serving Size 1 serving (254.3 g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 105
Calories from Fat 37
Total Fat 4.1g
Saturated Fat 0.6g
Cholesterol 1mg
Sodium 604mg
Total Carbohydrates 16.4g
Dietary Fiber 2.5g
Sugars 5.1g
Protein 2.9g

Salmon with Lemon Artichoke and Capers Sauce

Salmon is such a great fish which is a shame to actually cover it with any type of sauces.  But I got tired of eating grilled salmon all the time so I thought I'd try it with this lemon caper sauce that I sort of came up with a few years ago.  Back then, I used flour.  More like a basic white sauce but with lemon juice.  Over the years, I experimented making it with cornstarch, which takes a lot less time for the sauce to thicken than making it with flour.  It's a great sauce to pour over grilled chicken or any other type of fish.  Another time I baked some tilapia fillets in the same sauce in the oven, but without the cornstarch.  That recipe  in another Greek Fusion Cuisine Blog post.  This is a quick and easy recipe to make if you are crunched for time, or to make on a weekday after work.  Within an hour I had dinner on the table. 


Makes approximately 6-8 servings depending on how big you want your serving. 6 servings are approximately 8 oz each. The Nutritional information below is for 6 servings at approximately 8oz each.

1.5 lbs salmon fillet
 2 tbsp olive oil
4-5 lemon slices

Preheat oven to 500° F. (Broil) Put a grill pan – big enough to fit the salmon fillet- in the oven to get hot. When hot remove from the oven and brush with the one-tablespoon olive oil. 



 In the meantime, wash and pat dry the salmon. Put the salmon, skin side down on the pan and brush with the remaining olive oil.  Top the salmon with the lemon slices. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the pan back in the oven and broil for 8-10 minutes.  

Lemon Caper sauce with Artichoke hearts

¾ cup chicken stock
¼ cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
2 cups artichoke hearts quartered (from a jar will do fine)
1 tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup water
1.5 tbsp butter

2 tsp capers

Salt and pepper to taste

In a sauce-pan add the chicken stock, lemon juice and artichoke hearts. Heat through. Dilute the cornstarch in the ¼ cup water and add to the sauce stirring till slightly thickened. Turn the heat off. Add the butter and stir till the butter is melted.  Add the capers.   Remove the salmon from the grill pan and place in a serving platter.  Pour the lemon-artichoke-caper sauce on top.  Serve over hot rice   



 Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

11 serving (255.1 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 345

Total Fat 21.8g21.8

34Saturated Fat 5.4g5.4

27Cholesterol 79mg79

26Sodium 285mg285

12Total Carbohydrates 10.6g10.6

4Dietary Fiber 4.3g4.3

17Sugars 1.2g1.2

Protein 27.8g27.8