Country Captain with Chicken and Shrimp

This recipe in some form dates back to the 1700-1800's when tall sailing ships sailed between the East Indies and American ports in Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia, trading cargoes of rich spices for loads of rice and tobacco. During such a trip an inventive ship's cook dipped into the ships store of fragrant spices and used them to flavor the chicken for a special meal for the captain. So pleased was the captain that upon his arrival in the port of Savannah, Georgia he made it for his host. Country Captain is still served in the south today.

This recipe I adapted from Savannah Seasons cookbook published in 1996 by Elizabeth Terry. Mrs Terry is the former owner of the lovely Elizabeth's at 37 Street, in Savannah, Georgia.

I feel sure that's more than you wanted to know about that. But it is a very cool, gloomy, rainy day here and perfect for this dish.

Country Captain with Chicken and Shrimp
6 servings
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1/2 cup apple juice
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 1/2 tablespoons currants
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup minced Vidalia onion
1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup Granny Smith apple, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 14-ounce can diced, pureed tomatoes in juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce
1 recipe Curried Rice (see below)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Using a medium saute' pan, bring the apple juice, curry powder, and currants to medium warm. Add the diced chicken and set aside to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large, lidded casserole dish, place the chicken breasts and marinade, then layer the onion, bell pepper, almonds, and apples, followed by the tomato puree, salt, and chili sauce. DO NOT stir.

Place the casserole over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add the cooked curried rice, cover, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and chicken is cooked.

Remove from oven, stir in the chicken broth, and place the shrimp on top of the rice, chicken, and vegetables. Return to oven, covered for 5 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink.

Serve with a tossed green salad and supper is ready.

Curried Rice

This is to be prepared in advance for Elizabeth Terry's Country Captain with Chicken and Shrimp (above). However, it makes a wonderful dish to accompany many meat and seafood dishes.

Curried Rice
4-6 servings
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2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons hot curry powder
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups raw white basmati rice
2 1/2 cups water

Melt the butter at medium heat in a lidded saucepan. Stir in the curry, ginger, orange zest, and salt, and simmer 1 minute. Stir in the rice and simmer, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the water, raise heat, and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Leave lid on. Remove from the heat and place in pan of warm water for at least 10 minutes. This is to finish cooking the rice and to keep it warm prior to serving. Use according to the recipe above or on its own.

Roasted Onions with Vinegar and Rosemary

Since receiving a beautiful rosemary plant from my friend Edie, that she grew from seed, I have made anything and everything that mentions rosemary. OMG! You will not believe how easy and delicious this dish is. If you have left-overs use them in a salad or spoon them over braschetta with slivered Manchego or Parmesan cheese.

I'm thinking a few of these over a cheese omelet couldn't be a bad thing.

Roasted Onions with Vinegar and Rosemary
4-6 servings
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4 or 5 onions, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the onions with the oil, vinegar, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Put them in a baking dish with a few tablespoons water. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and continue baking until the onions are browned around the edges and tender, about 30 minutes more. Give them a stir every 10 minutes or so toward the end.

Saint and Scriptures Sunday - Change

The world is a wheel always turning. Those who are high go down low, and those who've been low go up higher

Everything changes. Nothing stays the same. And letting go of the way things are anticipating instead what they might become, frees us to live each moment more fully.

Time marches on, and our destiny marches with it. There is purpose in how our lives unfold, the ups and downs serve our growth. We must neither resent the doldrums nor savor too long the elation. Giving too much attention to either state interferes with our awareness of the present. And the present has come to teach us.

We must move with time. We must focus our attention on the moment and accept whatever feelings each experience elicits. Emotional maturity is accepting our feelings and letting them go and facing instead the next moment with fresh receptivity. Our lessons are many, and they accompany the lows as well as the highs. We can be grateful for both.

Nothing lasts forever, and with each struggle is the opportunity for real growth.

Please visit Dianna at The Kennedy Adventures for more Saint and Scripture Sunday.

Ravioli and Tomato Salad with Masses of Basil

I'm not a big fan of pasta salads in general. Too many are served cold from the refrigerator where they've been sitting for hours soaking up all that mayonnaise. If you're going to make a pasta salad, try a warm one, or at least room temperature. Or make an Asian noodle salad which are intended to be eaten chilled.

This is a perfect picnic or tailgate salad.

Ravioli and Tomato Salad with Masses of Basil
serves 4-6
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1 pound cheese ravioli or tortellini
2 pounds ripe tomatoes
1 6-ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained and halved
1 bunch basil, the leaves torn into pieces
1/2 cup Nicoise or Greek olives, pitted and cut into large pieces
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Red wine vinegar

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the ravioli. Blanch the tomatoes for 15 seconds, then scoop them out. Peel, seed, and chop them into large pieces. Put the tomatoes and artichokes in a large bowl with the basil, olives, capers, and oil.

Salt the pasta water. Add the ravioli, cook until done, and drain well. Add them to the bowl and toss gently with a rubber spatula. Taste for salt, season with pepper, and sprinkle with vinegar to taste. Serve warm or room temperature.

Southwest Chicken Breast with Black Bean Relish

This is perfect for the up coming holiday. You can marinade the chicken and make the relish ahead.

Southwest Chicken Breast with Black Bean Relish
6-8 servings
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8 chicken breast halves, boned and skinless
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
14 ounce can artichoke hearts

Relish
2/3 cup black beans, cooked and drained
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup corn
1/3 cup red bell peppers, diced fine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime, juiced
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the chicken in a dish. Mix the next 6 ingredients and pour over the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Heat grill to medium heat. Place chicken on the frill and cook for 10 minutes. Turn and brush with the marinade. Place the artichokes on the grill. Grill for 10 to 15 minute, until chicken is done.

Mix all the relish ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bev's Cold Tomatoes

Our fresh garden tomatoes are slowly coming to an end. I made this the other day with baby kale in place of the spinach, because I had a ton of it. A great make-ahead dish, and can be used as a salad or vegetable. Also a great winter dish when you have to resort to grocery store tomatoes. Roasting the worse tomato in the world will bring out the great flavor.

Don't forget to visit Miz Helen's Country Cottage today for Full Plate Thursday!

Bev's Cold Tomatoes
6 servings
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2 pounds spinach, cooked briefly, thoroughly drained and finely chopped
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 medium tomatoes
Sugar
Dried or fresh basil to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Drain the spinach thoroughly, then squeeze out the remaining moisture.

3. In a skillet heat one-quarter cup of the olive oil with the pine nuts and saute until lightly browned. Add the onions and garlic and cook briefly until the onions are pale golden in color. Remove from heat.

4. Add the spinach, one-quarter cup of the remaining oil, the salt, and pepper.

5. Cut the stem ends from the tomatoes, hollow them out and sprinkle the insides with salt, pepper and a little sugar and a pinch of basil. Stuff the tomatoes with the spinach mixture.

6. Arrange the tomatoes in a baking pan and pour the remaining oil over them. Bake until the tomatoes wrinkle, about 15 minutes. Chill. At serving time, bring to room temperature.