Lilly's Kitchen

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 2 to 3 cups panko bread crumbs
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil for frying
• 5 cups tomato sauce
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella torn into bite-sized pieces

Directions

1. Season and prep the meat

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place cutlets between two pieces of parchment or plastic wrap. Using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin, pound meat to even 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Place flour, eggs and panko into three wide, shallow bowls. Season meat generously with salt and pepper. Dip a piece in flour, then eggs, then coat with panko. Repeat until all the meat is coated.

2. Fry

Fill a large skillet with 1/2-inch oil. Place over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry cutlets in batches, turning halfway through, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

3. Assemble and bake

Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle one-third of the Parmesan over sauce. Place half of the cutlets over the Parmesan and top with half the mozzarella pieces. Top with half the remaining sauce, sprinkle with another third of the Parmesan, and repeat layering, ending with a final layer of sauce and Parmesan.

Transfer pan to oven and bake until cheese is golden and casserole is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

Makes 12-15 matzo balls

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup schmaltz or olive oil
• 1/4 cup chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
• 1 cup matzo meal
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, dill, or cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt, more for cooking
• black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Make the mix

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, schmaltz, stock, matzo meal, nutmeg, ginger and herbs. Add 1 teaspoon salt and season with pepper to taste. Mix with a spoon or spatula. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours or overnight.

2. Shape and cook

Fill a wide, deep pan with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. With wet hands, take some of the mix and mold it into the size and shape of a Ping-Pong ball. Gently drop it into the boiling water, repeating until all the mix is used.

Cover the pan, reduce heat to a lively simmer and cook matzo balls about 30 to 40 minutes for al dente, longer for light. If desired, the cooked matzo balls can be transferred to chicken or vegetable soup and served immediately. Alternatively, they may be placed on a baking sheet and frozen, then transferred to a freezer bag and kept frozen until a few hours before serving; reheat in chicken or vegetable soup or broth.

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 red onion, halved and sliced
• 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1 jalapeño, halved and sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bunch of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, for serving
• 1/2 lemon, juiced OR 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• black pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons xawaash*
• 2 teaspoons of kosher salt

Directions

1. Season the Chicken

Combine the chicken, lemon juice, paprika, black pepper, 1 teaspoon xawaash blend and 1 teaspoon salt; mix until evenly coated. This can be done the night before and the chicken can be stored in the fridge until needed.

2. Sauté the Onions, Garlic, and Jalapeño

Add oil to a carbon steel pan and set it to medium. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the garlic and jalapeño and sauté for another 3 minutes.

3. Cook the Chicken

Turn the burner to medium-high and add the chicken. Let the chicken cook undisturbed for 5 minutes, or until it is almost cooked all the way through. Sprinkle the last teaspoon of salt over the pan, then stir the chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer until it is cooked through and browned.

4. Steam the Peppers

Add the bell peppers and remaining 1 teaspoon xawaash blend and mix together. Turn down the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid and let the suqaar cook, stirring occasionally, until the bell peppers become tender, about 15 minutes. Take the lid off the pan and let the sauce reduce for another 3-5 minutes.

5. Serving

Serve the chicken suqaar sprinkled with the cilantro and with flatbread on the side.

Notes:

* To make xawaash: combine 4 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom in a small stainless steel pan. Toast over low heat, stirring continuously, for 1 minute or until the spice mix becomes fragrant, then stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric. Makes 6 teaspoons.

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

• 3 chiles de árbol
• 4 large Roma tomatoes, halved (1 and 1/4 pounds)
• 4 tomatillos, husked and halved (12 ounces)
• 1 jalapeños, halved
• 1/4 white onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Toast Ingredients

Line a large cast-iron skillet with a sheet of foil and heat the skillet over medium-high. Add the chiles de árbol to the hot, foil-lined pan and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly toasted and fragrant, 10 to 15 seconds per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, jalapeño and garlic to the hot, foil-lined pan and cook, turning occasionally, until everything is charred on all sides, about 3 minutes for the garlic, 4 to 5 minutes for the jalapeño, 6 to 8 minutes for the onion and tomatillos, and 8 to 10 minutes for the tomatoes. Transfer to the same plate with the chiles de ábol to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel the garlic.

3. Blend

Transfer the tomatoes to a sauce pan and immersion blend. Do the same, stepwise, with the tomatillos and then the onion. Lastly add the garlic and chiles.

4. Reduce

Bring the salsa to a simmer and reduce until the desired consistency is achieved. Add salt to taste.

Notes:

Makes 16 rolls

Ingredients

• 360 grams AP flour
• 46 grams potato flour
• 100 grams lukewarm water
• 170 grams of lukewarm milk OR 140 grams of lukewarm milk and 30 grams of heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 10 grams kosher salt
• 40 grams brown or turbinado sugar
• 10 grams yeast

Directions

1. Make the Dough

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Knead the dough at low speed with a mixer for 6 minutes until smooth and satiny. The dough should bounce back when poked

2. Bulk Prove

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled.

3. Shape and Final Prove

Turn the dough out on a floured work surface and deflate it. Divide it into 16 equal pieces. Round each into a smooth ball. Prepare a metal 9″ x 13″ pan or two 9″ round cake pans with silpat(s). Place the rolls in the prepared pan(s), cover, and let rise for 1 hour, until puffy-looking and just barely touching each other. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

4. Bake

When the rolls have risen, uncover, and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place the pan(s) on a rack. While still warm, brush the tops with more melted butter, if desired. Serve warm.

Notes:

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 onion diced
• 180 grams of kasha
• 1 egg
• 3 teaspoons of diamond kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons Better than Bullion AND 1 and 3/4 cups water OR
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Saute

Set the water or stock on those stove and heat to barely a simmer or microwave until steaming. Sauté the onion in a saucepan until it is starting to brown. Scramble the egg in a bowl and then add the kasha and mix well. Add the kasha to the pan and stir until no clumps are form 2-3 minutes; then flatten the kasha on the bottom of the pan and let sit for another 2-3 minutes. Add salt.

2. Steam 

If using the Better Than Bullion, add it to the hot water and stir in. Add the cayenne and paprika and season with black pepper to taste. Mix the spices into the kasha and then quickly add the water or stock and cover. Set the burner to low and a timer for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off take the lid and fluff the kasha and let it cool a bit before serving or portioning.

Notes:

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 28 ounce can of tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup chicken stock OR 2 teaspoons of better than bullion low sodium chicken base
• 2 teaspoons doenjang
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Optional:

• 1 shallot, thinly sliced

Directions

1. If Using Shallot

Fry the shallot until crispy.

2. Combine Ingredients and Simmer

Add the tomatoes, garlic and shallot to a pot. Blend until smooth and then add the rest of the ingredients except the heavy cream and salt. Bring to a simmer and reduce until desired thickness is obtained. Typically this takes 1-2 hours.

3. Finish Soup

Stir in the heavy cream. Add salt to taste.

Notes: