White-Poached Chicken with Chinese Cabbage and Peanut Rayu (adapted from Ottolenghi Comfort.)

Ingredients

Chicken and Cabbage

• 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb 5 oz/600g)

• 4 tsp Shaoxing wine

• 10g ginger (peeled and finely grated, about ⅓ oz)

• 2 tsp peanut oil

• 1 large Chinese cabbage (napa or wombok), thinly sliced (about 4½ cups/400g)

• 1 cup (20g) basil leaves, torn

• 6 green onions, finely sliced on the diagonal (about ¾ cup/60g)

• 1–2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve

• Salt

Peanut Rayu

• 1 cup (240ml) peanut oil or other flavorless oil

• 3 tbsp chile flakes (ideally Korean gochugaru, or an equal mix of regular chile flakes and Aleppo pepper flakes)

• Note- I used Italian pepper flakes and this may have been a bit too hot, so maybe 2 tbsp?)

• Scant 1 cup (120g) unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped in a food processor

• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped

• ⅓ cup (35g) sesame seeds

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

• 1 tsp flaked sea salt

Instructions

1. Make the Peanut Rayu:

   • Put the oil and chile flakes into a small pan and place over medium-low heat.

   • When the oil starts simmering, add the peanuts, garlic, and sesame seeds. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.

   • Add soy sauce, sugar, and flaked sea salt, then set aside to cool and decant into a sealed jar. (Ideally make a day ahead; it keeps up to 2 weeks in the fridge.)

2. Prepare the Chicken:

   • Half an hour before cooking, remove chicken breasts from the fridge to bring to room temperature.

   • When ready to cook, fill a large pot (with tight-fitting lid) with 6⅓ cups (1½ liters) of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

   • Once boiling, add chicken breasts, stir quickly, cover with lid, and turn off heat. Let sit, undisturbed, for 1 hour.

   • Strain chicken and discard poaching liquid.

3. Finish the Dish:

   • When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and tear chicken into long shreds. Place in a large mixing bowl.

   • Add Shaoxing wine, ginger, peanut oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside for at least 5 minutes.

   • Just before serving, add sliced cabbage and most of the basil. Toss well to combine.

   • Transfer to a serving plate and spoon peanut rayu on top.

   • Finish with green onions and remaining basil leaves.

   • Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

• The key technique is poaching chicken in just-boiled water at room temperature for 1 hour; ensure the chicken is not cold or it will not cook through properly.

• Peanut rayu adds rich, aromatic flavor and can be used over other dishes like eggs, noodles, or celery.

• Serves 4.

• 	Calories	Net Carbs	Protein	Fat
  Per serving	1,046	15.5 g	58 g                           82g

Mayonnaise-Based Caesar Dressing (with Anchovies, Metric/Grams)

 This is via Perplexity, so not sure where they stole it from!

Ingredients:

Mayonnaise: 173 grams 

Extra-virgin olive oil: 45 grams* 

Fresh lemon juice: 23 grams 

Some lemon zest (optional)

Dijon mustard: 15 grams 

Garlic: about 4 grams (use ¾ of a large clove, or a small clove)  (Nope - 2 -4 cloves!)

Worcestershire sauce: 7.5 grams 

1 - 2 tbls capers (optional)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese: 34 grams 

Anchovy fillets: 3 - 5 fillets, finely minced (about 20 grams) 

*If you are opening a can of anchovies, use some of the oil in place of some of the EVOO.  

Sea salt: pinch 

Freshly ground black pepper: to taste 

White pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a bowl (or a Nutri bullet or a blender), whisk together the mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, minced anchovies (or anchovy paste), salt, and pepper until smooth.

2. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

3. If the dressing is too thick, thin it with a teaspoon (about 4 grams) of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

4. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

5. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Makes about 12 ounces.

Asian Cole Slaw

24 oz/ cole slaw
5 green onions, chopped
(Mix together and set aside.)

2 packages chicken flavor ramen noodles
6 T butter
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 T sesame seeds
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, stirring onse.
Allow to cool, then mix with veg.

Dressing
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt.

Cold Lemony Asparagus Salad

Aasparagus, woody ends removed, green or combination of green and white.
Sliced mushroom
Red pepper, diced
Lemon vinaigrette dressing:
1/3C vegetable oil
1/4C lemon juice
1/4C sliced green onions
1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt

First blanche the asparagus. To blanche the asparagus put it in boiling water for 1 minute and then immerse in ice water to stop the cooking. - I just cooked the asparagus, didn't bother with grilling it.

In a container with a tight lid combine all vinaigrette ingredients and shake to combine, add all veggiesto large bowl, pour vinaigrette over all and toss to cover.

Chill until you are ready to serve and you can serve it cold or at room temperature.

The green, white and red make a very christmas-y color combination.

Blue Cheese Dressing

1/2 cup Helmann's mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 - 5 oz blue cheese, crumbled or chopped
2 tsp (or more) vinegar*
2 tblsp (at least) hot sauce**

Mix everything together in a bowl, add extra vinegar or hot sauce if too thick. Chill for an hour or so and serve.

**The hot sauce is my replication of the dressing at Mad Mex's.

Basic Vinaigrette

Basic Vinaigrette
Yield About 3/4 cup

Time 5 minutes

Mark Bittman

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons or more good vinegar -- wine, sherry, rice, balsamic, etc.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 large shallot (about 1 ounce), peeled and cut into chunks

Method
1. Combine all ingredients but the shallot in a blender and turn the machine on; a creamy emulsion will form within 30 seconds. Taste and add more vinegar a teaspoon or two at a time, until the balance tastes right.

2. Add the shallot, and turn the machine on and off a few times until the shallot is minced within the dressing. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve. This is best made fresh but will keep a few days refrigerated; bring back to room temperature and whisk briefly before using.

Summary
Vary this however you like: with herbs, with garlic (roasted is very nice), with a tiny bit of soy sauce and sesame oil, with lemon juice in place of the vinegar, with hazelnut oil, with spices . . . you name it, in moderation it will work. You can also just beat the ingredients in a bowl with a fork, or shake them in a jar; it won't be as creamy, but it will still taste delicious.

Source: The New York Times

You can obviously do this without the shallot, usng an onion or red onion or garlic or nothing. You can add whatever spices or spice blend you have handy (Mrs. Dash).