A Trip to the Market

The market had many new things. It was hard to choose what to purchase for my menu.  I decided on chicken thighs and a beautiful bunch of kale. The chicken was locally raised and the thighs were very large. The kale was a very bright green and there were samples of a salad, the recipe I brought home and prepared.

The chicken thighs are browned on both sides and placed on a rack on a baking sheet.  They are finished in the oven.  While they are roasting I made the sauce.  Brown onions in the drippings and add garlic for about 30 seconds.  Pour in  some beer.  The recipe called for wheat beer, but I think any kind will do. Stir in a can of diced tomatoes, chopped rosemary, smoked paprika, cumin and salt and pepper.  Simmer about 5 minutes.  Return the chicken thighs to the pan and simmer until thighs register 165 degrees. Serve some of the sauce and some chopped parsley over the thighs.  Rice or pasta would work well with the chicken and sauce.

Kale is a funky green vegetable.  The stems are tough and should be cut away from the curly green leaf.  If used in a soup or stew or any other dish where it is cooked in liquid, it can be used as is.  However, using it in a salad or other raw state, it must be softened.  In this recipe the dressing is made and poured over the raw kale.  The dressing is EVOO, lemon juice, and sea salt. When it is poured over the kale, with your hands, massage it into the kale. When the leaves are softened and a very dark green.  Toss in toasted pine nuts, diced red bell pepper and sliced Kalamata olives.

This was a great dinner. The salad keeps well in a plastic bag and is as tasty the second, third and beyond day.

I saw some other interesting vegetables at the market and will  go back and pick them up for next weeks dinner.  Have a good week and if you are in the midwest and northeast, stay warm and safe.  I see another storm on the way.