Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya

Date Published: Jan 21st, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 21st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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What is Jambalaya?

Jambalaya is a savoury rice dish often made with chicken and Andouille sausage, but can contain any variety of proteins. It’s a staple in Louisiana cuisine and is very similar to gumbo in terms of flavour (think of this as a rice version to the stew). The ingredients to both of these dishes are so similar that when I’m making one, I’ll usually make the other 😅. To best describe Jambalaya as a dish, I’d say it’s like an earthy rustic paella – which is not surprising since it has roots from both Spanish and French cuisines.

Special Southern Seasonings:

There are 2 special seasonings in this recipe that I had to order specifically to make this as authentic as possible.

Cajun Seasoning – This is a blend of spices that adds salt, spiciness, and smokiness to the dish. Common go-to brands are “Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning” or “Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning“. If you can’t find either around you, a quick Google search will yield many recipes to make a spice blend of your own.

Gumbo Filé / Filé Powder – Filé powder, also known as gumbo filé, is a spice that is made from dried ground leaves of the sassafras tree. This powder has dual purpose as a thickening agent and also provides earthy flavours. The aroma is similar to that of sage and bay leaf. If you can’t find gumbo filé in a pinch, consider using cornstarch to thicken and some pinches of sage – it won’t be quite the same, but it’ll be similar enough.

Creole vs Cajun – adding tomatoes is optional

Both Creole and Cajun food are Louisiana cuisines from different areas. Think of Creole as city-style cooking with more variety of ingredients at their disposal, whereas Cajun food can be considered country-style cooking with ingredients that are more limited to what can be harvested and what is available. Tomatoes is one of those ingredients that is commonly seen in Creole food, but not Cajun. Across my hours of research, I found tomatoes incorporated into many recipes, but also just as equal number of comments omitting the tomatoes to tailor to the authenticity of cajun rustic flavours. I’ve chosen to exclude tomatoes in my recipe to bring out the earthy flavours more, but feel free to add a can of crushed tomatoes if you want it more tangy.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

500g / 1lb chicken thighs, cut to 2.5cm pieces
1/2 Tbsp + 2 tsps Cajun seasoning (I use ‘Slap Ya Mama’ brand, find it here)
1 Tbsp of bacon fat (you can use vegetable oil or lard instead)
340g/12 oz (1 package) Andouille sausage, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper/capsicum, diced
1 stick of celery, diced small
1 + 0.5 tsps gumbo filé/filé powder
2 tsps Worcestershire sauce
1.25 cups of uncooked white rice, rinsed (a long-grain white rice is preferred, but you can also use basmati. Jasmine is okay but will be a little softer and mushier)
2.5 cups of chicken stock
Garnish: sliced spring onions

*Note: if you prefer a tomato-based jambalaya, add in one 16oz crushed can of tomatoes just after the vegetables have softened (between step 4 and 5).

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, mix the diced chicken with 1/2 Tbsp of Cajun seasoning and let it marinate until ready to use.

In a deep pan on MED-HIGH heat, melt 1 Tbsp of bacon fat and sear the sliced Andouille sausages on both sides until browned (you may want to do this in batches if you can’t fit all the sausage in a single layer). Once browned, remove the sausage onto a plate and set aside.

In the same pan, add in the marinated diced chicken (from step 1) and sear both sides until lightly brown, about 1-2 minutes per side. You don’t want to fully cook the chicken at this time. When browned, remove from the pan and set aside.

Still in the same pan, add in the garlic, onion, green bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 5-8 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Add in 1 tsp gumbo filé, 2 tsps Cajun seasoning and 2 tsps Worcestershire sauce. Mix well, then add in the Andouille sausage (from step 2) and the chicken (from step 3). Cook for 5 minutes.

Add in 1.25 cups of white rice and 2.5 cups of chicken stock. Mix well, turn the heat down to LOW and put the lid on, checking on it every few minutes to give it a stir, ensuring nothing sticks to the bottom. Let the rice cook until all the liquid has been absorbed. If the rice is still undercooked once the liquid is gone, add a little more chicken stock to continue cooking.

Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, mix in another 0.5 tsp gumbo filé, taste and adjust salt as needed.

Garnish with sliced spring onions. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya

Date Published: Jan 21st, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 21st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

500g / 1lb chicken thighs, cut to 2.5cm pieces
1/2 Tbsp + 2 tsps Cajun seasoning (I use ‘Slap Ya Mama’ brand, find it here)
1 Tbsp of bacon fat (you can use vegetable oil or lard instead)
340g/12 oz (1 package) Andouille sausage, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper/capsicum, diced
1 stick of celery, diced small
1 + 0.5 tsps gumbo filé/filé powder
2 tsps Worcestershire sauce
1.25 cups of uncooked white rice, rinsed (a long-grain white rice is preferred, but you can also use basmati. Jasmine is okay but will be a little softer and mushier)
2.5 cups of chicken stock
Garnish: sliced spring onions

*Note: if you prefer a tomato-based jambalaya, add in one 16oz crushed can of tomatoes just after the vegetables have softened (between step 4 and 5).

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, mix the diced chicken with 1/2 Tbsp of Cajun seasoning and let it marinate until ready to use.
In a deep pan on MED-HIGH heat, melt 1 Tbsp of bacon fat and sear the sliced Andouille sausages on both sides until browned (you may want to do this in batches if you can’t fit all the sausage in a single layer). Once browned, remove the sausage onto a plate and set aside.
In the same pan, add in the marinated diced chicken (from step 1) and sear both sides until lightly brown, about 1-2 minutes per side. You don’t want to fully cook the chicken at this time. When browned, remove from the pan and set aside.
Still in the same pan, add in the garlic, onion, green bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 5-8 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Add in 1 tsp gumbo filé, 2 tsps Cajun seasoning and 2 tsps Worcestershire sauce. Mix well, then add in the Andouille sausage (from step 2) and the chicken (from step 3). Cook for 5 minutes.
Add in 1.25 cups of white rice and 2.5 cups of chicken stock. Mix well, turn the heat down to LOW and put the lid on, checking on it every few minutes to give it a stir, ensuring nothing sticks to the bottom. Let the rice cook until all the liquid has been absorbed. If the rice is still undercooked once the liquid is gone, add a little more chicken stock to continue cooking.
Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, mix in another 0.5 tsp gumbo filé, taste and adjust salt as needed. Garnish with sliced spring onions. Enjoy!

January 21, 2025December 19, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

French Onion Mac & Cheese with Garlic Toasts

Date Published: Jan 11th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 11th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, sides, vegetarian
Serves: 8 as a main | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 1.5 hours

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French Onion soup + Mac and Cheese. This is it. The ultimate comfort food. There are no short cuts here and no low-calorie nonsense this time. This is the real deal – pile on that butter and pack on the cheese because it’s time to indulge.

This mac and cheese recipe incorporates the essence of a French Onion soup: the sweet caramelized onions, tons of gruyère cheese, and topped with slices of toasted garlic bread. There’s just no better way to marry these two classic comfort dishes. This recipe does take a bit of time to caramelize the onions, but do it slow and low and you won’t regret it!

Happy cooking!

This recipe is adapted from the NYT version.

Ingredients you’ll need: *This recipe makes a LOT of mac and cheese (8-10 servings), halve the recipe if needed.

Caramelized onions:
- 3 Tbsps butter
- 900g/2 lbs (about 3 large) yellow or sweet onions, sliced
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 large bay leaf
- Splashes of beef stock as needed
- 2 Tbsps sherry vinegar
Pasta:
- 1 box (1lb/16oz/454g) of elbow pasta/macaroni
Baguette toasts:
- 1 baguette, sliced to 2.5cm thickness
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 cup (4oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
Béchamel Cheese Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps butter
- 3 Tbsps all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 4 cups (170g/6oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
- 4 + 1 cups (200g/7 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
- Salt & pepper
Fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Directions:

Caramelize the onions (you can do this the day before):

In a large deep oven-safe skillet (I use a 5.5 qt braiser enamel cast-iron pot) on MED heat, add in 3 Tbsps of butter, sliced onions, 6 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf. Cook until the onions soften (3-4 minutes), then turn the heat down to LOW and slowly continue to cook the onions until they’re a deep brown colour (~45 minutes to 1 hour).

Stir frequently, every 4-5 minutes to ensure the onions don’t burn and scrape the brown bits off bottom regularly. If it seems like it’s about to burn, add a splash of beef stock to loosen everything.

The onions will occasionally threaten to burn

Once the onions are done, add in 2 Tbsps of sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan and scrape up any remaining bits for 30 seconds. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig stems. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.

Make the pasta:

While the onions are caramelizing, cook the pasta according to package instructions with a pinch of salt in the water, but stop cooking 2 minutes before it’s finished. Strain the pasta but reserve the pasta water for later in case needed and run the pasta under cold water until ready to be used.

Run under cold water to stop the cooking process

Make the baguette toasts:

While the pasta cooks, arrange the baguette slices onto a baking tray and broil for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast them until they’re just firm (you don’t need to brown them). Cut the end off of one clove of garlic and rub one side of each toasted baguette slice and set aside.

Make the cheese sauce:

Preheat the oven to 450˚F/230˚C.

In the same pan that was used for the onions, melt 2 Tbsps of butter on MED heat. Once melted, sprinkle in 3 Tbsps of flour. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until the flour is incorporated, bubbles, and turns a light golden brown.

Slowly add in the 4 cups of milk while whisking at the same time to ensure the flour and milk mixes well together without clumps. Let the sauce come to a simmer.

Add back in the caramelized onions (from step 1) and mix together.

Next, add in 4 cups of gruyère and 4 cups of cheddar cheese. Continue to whisk until all the cheese has melted, then add in the cooked pasta (from step 2). Mix it all around, then add salt and pepper to taste.

If you prefer your mac & cheese on the runnier side, add some reserved pasta water (from step 2) to the pot until you reach the desired consistency. Turn off the heat.

Assemble & Bake!

Arrange the garlic-rubbed baguette toasts over the mac and cheese and sprinkle the 1 cup grated cheddar cheese over the top of the toasts.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Broil for 1-2 minutes at the end until the cheese is golden brown.

Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately!

Summarized Recipe:

French Onion Mac & Cheese with Garlic Toasts

Ingredients:

Caramelized onions:
- 3 Tbsps butter
- 900g/2 lbs (about 3 large) yellow or sweet onions, sliced
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 large bay leaf
- Splashes of beef stock as needed
- 2 Tbsps sherry vinegar
Pasta:
- 1 box (1lb/16oz/454g) of elbow pasta/macaroni
Baguette toasts:
- 1 baguette, sliced to 2.5cm thickness
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 cup (4oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
Béchamel Cheese Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps butter
- 3 Tbsps all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 4 cups (6oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
- 4 + 1 cups (7 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
- Salt & pepper
Fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Directions:

Caramelize the onions (you can do this the day before):
- In a large deep oven-safe skillet (I use a 5.5 qt braiser enamel cast-iron pot) on MED heat, add in 3 Tbsps of butter, sliced onions, 6 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf. Cook until the onions soften (3-4 minutes), then turn the heat down to LOW and slowly continue to cook the onions until they’re a deep brown colour (~45 minutes to 1 hour). Stir frequently, every 4-5 minutes to ensure the onions don’t burn and scrape the brown bits off bottom regularly. If it seems like it’s about to burn, add a splash of beef stock to loosen everything.
- Once the onions are done, add in 2 Tbsps of sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan and scrape up any remaining bits for 30 seconds. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig stems. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
Make the pasta:
- While the onions are caramelizing, cook the pasta according to package instructions with a pinch of salt in the water, but stop cooking 2 minutes before it’s finished. Strain the pasta but reserve the pasta water for later in case needed and run the pasta under cold water until ready to be used.
Make the baguette toasts:
- While the pasta cooks, arrange the baguette slices onto a baking tray and broil for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast them until they’re just firm (you don’t need to brown them). Cut the end off of one clove of garlic and rub one side of each toasted baguette slice and set aside.
Make the cheese sauce:
- Preheat the oven to 450˚F/230˚C.
- In the same pan that was used for the onions, melt 2 Tbsps of butter on MED heat. Once melted, sprinkle in 3 Tbsps of flour. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until the flour is incorporated, bubbles, and turns a light golden brown.
- Slowly add in the 4 cups of milk while whisking at the same time to ensure the flour and milk mixes well together without clumps. Let the sauce come to a simmer.
- Add back in the caramelized onions (from step 1) and mix together.
- Next, add in 4 cups of gruyère and 4 cups of cheddar cheese. Continue to whisk until all the cheese has melted, then add in the cooked pasta (from step 2). Mix it all around, then add salt and pepper to taste.
  - If you prefer your mac & cheese on the runnier side, add some reserved pasta water (from step 2) to the pot until you reach the desired consistency. Turn off the heat.
Assemble & Bake!
- Arrange the garlic-rubbed baguette toasts over the mac and cheese and sprinkle the 1 cup grated cheddar cheese over the top of the toasts.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Broil for 1-2 minutes at the end until the cheese is golden brown.
- Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately!

January 11, 2025December 19, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Drunken Chicken (a Chinese cold dish)

Date Published: Jan 6th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 6th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <30 mins, Asian, appetizers, healthy, low cal, sides, Taiwanese
Serves: 1 plate | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 28 mins (+ 2 hours marinating)

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Drunken Chicken is a traditional Chinese savoury appetizer dish served either cold or at room temperature. Fair warning, if you don’t like alcohol, you’re not going to like this dish. I grew up with this dish and I absolutely hated it when I was a kid because of how strong the alcohol flavour was. It was almost always served as part of a 10 course prix-fixe meal at fancy Chinese restaurants during get-togethers with extended families, work dinners, or wedding banquets. Any time there’s any occasion to celebrate, drunken chicken makes an appearance. Now as an adult and being more accustomed to alcohol, I found a new appreciation for this dish. It’s unique and is a nice way to open your palate before the hot stir frys come out, and the salty cool alcohol flavours gives a good break from hot spicy foods.

This recipe is ridiculously easy and cooks up quickly. Make sure you use good quality Shaoxing Wine for this dish since it’s 50% of the marinade – you’ll taste the difference. You’ll need to marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours or better if overnight, so make sure you give yourself enough time before serving.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

4 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone in or out
1 Tbsp kosher salt flakes + more to taste
4x 3mm slices of ginger
2 spring onions, trimmed and cut 4cm lengths
Ice water bath
1 tsp granulated sugar
1.5 cups (375ml) Shaoxing Wine (Chinese cooking wine)
1 Tbsp goji berries

Directions:

In a pot or a deep pan (with a lid), arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer and add in 1 Tbsp salt, ginger slices, and spring onions. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Put the lid on and turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the water to a boil, then turn it down to LOW to let the chicken simmer for 8 minutes.

Add just enough water to cover the chicken

After 8 minutes, turn the heat off and let the chicken sit for another 5 minutes with the lid on (do not open the lid until the timer is up or else you’ll let the heat escape). Prepare an ice water bath for the chicken in this time.

When the timer is up, check that the chicken is cooked (internal temp should be at least 165˚F/74˚C). If it hasn’t cooked, simmer it for a bit longer, otherwise remove the chicken and place it in the prepared ice water bath. This will allow the skin to firm up with a bouncy texture.

With the remaining broth, turn on the heat again to MED-HIGH and let the broth simmer until the liquid has reduced to about 1.5 cups (15-20 mins).

While the broth is reducing, once the chicken has cooled, remove it from the ice bath and remove the bone with your hands (if present). Slice the chicken and place it in a glass or non-reactive bowl with a lid.

Once the broth has reduced, strain it into a measuring cup and add in the equivalent amount of Shaoxing wine into the measuring cup (ie. if you have 1.5 cups of broth, you will add to it 1.5 cups of the wine), 1 tsp sugar, and the goji berries. Stir until the sugar dissolves and taste. You should have a very savoury alcohol-tasting broth.

Pour the alcohol/broth mixture into the bowl with the sliced chicken and cover. Refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

When serving, strain the liquid from the chicken and serve chilled. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Drunken Chicken (a Chinese cold dish)

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone in or out
1 Tbsp kosher salt flakes + more to taste
4x 3mm slices of ginger
2 spring onions, trimmed and cut 4cm lengths
Ice water bath
1 tsp granulated sugar
1.5 cups (375ml) Shaoxing Wine (Chinese cooking wine)
1 Tbsp goji berries

Directions:

In a pot or a deep pan (with a lid), arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer and add in 1 Tbsp salt, ginger slices, and spring onions. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Put the lid on and turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the water to a boil, then turn it down to LOW to let the chicken simmer for 8 minutes.
After 8 minutes, turn the heat off and let the chicken sit for another 5 minutes with the lid on (do not open the lid until the timer is up or else you’ll let the heat escape). Prepare an ice water bath for the chicken in this time.
When the timer is up, check that the chicken is cooked (internal temp should be at least 165˚F/74˚C). If it hasn’t cooked, simmer it for a bit longer, otherwise remove the chicken and place it in the prepared ice water bath. This will allow the skin to firm up with a bouncy texture.
With the remaining broth, turn on the heat again to MED-HIGH and let the broth simmer until the liquid has reduced to about 1.5 cups (15-20 mins).
While the broth is reducing, once the chicken has cooled, remove it from the ice bath and remove the bone with your hands (if present). Slice the chicken and place it in a glass or non-reactive bowl with a lid.
Once the broth has reduced, strain it into a measuring cup and add in the equivalent amount of Shaoxing wine into the measuring cup (ie. if you have 1.5 cups of broth, you will add to it 1.5 cups of the wine), 1 tsp sugar, and the goji berries. Stir until the sugar dissolves and taste. You should have a very savoury alcohol-tasting broth.
Pour the alcohol/broth mixture into the bowl with the sliced chicken and cover. Refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When serving, strain the liquid from the chicken and serve chilled. Enjoy!

January 6, 2025December 18, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Colcannon (Irish Kale Mashed Potatoes)

Date Published: Jan 1st, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, vegetarian, easy
Serves: 8 (1 large bowl) | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

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Happy New Year everyone!!!!🥳 I hope everyone had a great 2024, if not, here’s to a better 2025! To kick off the new year, here’s a twist to an old staple.

Colcannon is a traditional Irish mashed potato dish that incorporates kale (or cabbage). It sounds weird, but trust me, it actually works. Think of the kale as an excuse to pile on that butter. 😉

I learned of this dish when I found myself with a large bunch of kale taking up half the space in the vegetable drawer and some potatoes threatening to sprout. A quick search of these ingredients led me to this dish and now this is my go-to mashed potato dish to serve at any occasional to make an interesting twist to a classic.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1kg Yukon gold potatoes, diced (peeled or unpeeled depending on how like it)
6 Tbsps (85g) unsalted butter
1 large bunch (~6-8 cups, semi-packed) of kale (curly or lacinato), stems removed and chopped small
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 spring onions, sliced
1/2 cup milk
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a pot and add enough water to cover and a sprinkle of salt. Bring the heat up to HIGH to let the water come to a boil, then turn it down to MED and continue to simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender (~15-20 mins). Drain and set aside.

In a medium sized pot or deep pan on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter and add in the kale. Sauté for a few minutes until the leaves are wilted. Add in the garlic and spring onions and continue to cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant and the spring onions have softened.

Add in the cooked potatoes (from step 1) and milk into the pan and mix it all together. Once everything is heated through, turn off the heat and mash the potatoes until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Colcannon (Irish Kale Mashed Potatoes)

Ingredients:

1kg Yukon gold potatoes, diced (peeled or unpeeled depending on how like it)
6 Tbsps (85g) unsalted butter
1 large bunch (~6-8 cups, semi-packed) of kale (curly or lacinato), stems removed and chopped small
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 spring onions, sliced
1/2 cup milk
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a pot and add enough water to cover and a sprinkle of salt. Bring the heat up to HIGH to let the water come to a boil, then turn it down to MED and continue to simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender (~15-20 mins). Drain and set aside.
In a medium sized pot or deep pan on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter and add in the kale. Sauté for a few minutes until the leaves are wilted. Add in the garlic and spring onions and continue to cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant and the spring onions have softened.
Add in the cooked potatoes (from step 1) and milk into the pan and mix it all together. Once everything is heated through, turn off the heat and mash the potatoes until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference. Done!
Melt 2 Tbsp of butter and drizzle on top with green onion garnish before serving.

January 1, 2025December 15, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Hearty Chicken Corn Chowder – the ultimate comfort food

Date Published: Dec 27th, 2024 | Last Updated: Dec 27th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: soups
Serves: 6 (as mains) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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Chicken corn chowder is the ultimate comfort food for me. No matter what’s going on in this world, a big bowl of this soup seems to always hit the right spot. It’s especially fitting for this cold weather we’ve been having lately!

My version of a chicken corn chowder packs a ton of vegetables and protein because I like my soups hearty and filling. It also makes a large pot of soup, enough for at least 6 large portions. The jalapeño is optional if you prefer a bit of a kick.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

200g (~6 slices) bacon, chopped
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper/capsicum, diced
1 raw jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and diced (optional, for a mild kick, keep the seeds in if you like it spicier)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper + more to taste
1 tsp kosher salt + more to taste
1 tsp paprika (ideally sweet smoked, but any will do)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 chicken breasts (or 2 large ones), skinless, boneless
1kg (4 med-large) potatoes, peeled and diced to 2cm cubes
2 cans of corn, drained or cut the kernels off 3 ears of sweet corn
3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

In a large soup pot on MED heat, add in the chopped bacon and cook until browned and crispy then remove onto a paper towel and set aside.

Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pot and add in the 2 Tbsps butter. Once the butter has melted, add in the diced onion, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, jalapeño (if using) and minced garlic. Mix everything together and cook until the vegetables are soft enough to break with the spatula (5-8 minutes).

Sprinkle in the 1/2 cup flour and stir until well combined for 1-2 minutes so the flour cooks a little.

Add in the 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp paprika. Mix together then slowly add in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time while mixing to ensure there are no clumps and make sure you scrape the bottom of the pot.

Once all the chicken broth has been added, add in the 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream. Stir everything together and let the soup come to a boil.

Add in the 3 whole chicken breasts. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Once the chicken has cooked, remove the breasts and set aside on a plate.

Add the diced potatoes and corn to the soup and continue to simmer until the potatoes are cooked (~10 minutes).

While the potatoes are cooking, use two forks to shred the chicken (don’t worry if it’s a little undercooked in some parts).

Add it back into the pot along with half the amount of cooked bacon (from step 1).

When the potatoes are soft enough the break with a spatula, add 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce and mix. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Done! Serve hot with a sprinkle of the rest of the cooked bacon (from step 1) sprinkled on top.

Summarized Recipe:

Hearty Chicken Corn Chowder – the ultimate comfort food

Date Published: Dec 27th, 2024 | Last Updated: Dec 27th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: soups
Serves: 6 (as mains) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

200g (~6 slices) bacon, chopped
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper/capsicum, diced
1 raw jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and diced (optional for a mild kick, keep the seeds in if you like it spicier)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper + more to taste
1 tsp kosher salt + more to taste
1 tsp paprika (ideally sweet smoked, but any will do)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 chicken breasts (or 2 large ones), skinless, boneless
1kg (4 med-large) potatoes, peeled and diced to 2cm cubes
2 cans of corn, drained or cut the kernels off 3 ears of sweet corn
3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

In a large soup pot on MED heat, add in the chopped bacon and cook until browned and crispy then remove onto a paper towel and set aside.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pot and add in the 2 Tbsps butter. Once the butter has melted, add in the diced onion, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, jalapeño (if using) and minced garlic. Mix everything together and cook until the vegetables are soft enough to break with the spatula (5-8 minutes).
Sprinkle in the 1/2 cup flour and stir until well combined for 1-2 minutes so the flour cooks a little.
Add in the 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp paprika. Mix together then slowly add in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time while mixing to ensure there are no clumps and make sure you scrape the bottom of the pot.
Once all the chicken broth has been added, add in the 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream. Stir everything together and let the soup come to a boil, then add in the 3 whole chicken breasts. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Once the chicken has cooked, remove the breasts and set aside on a plate. Add the diced potatoes and corn to the soup and continue to simmer until the potatoes are cooked (~10 minutes).
While the potatoes are cooking, use two forks to shred the chicken (don’t worry if it’s a little undercooked in some parts) then add it back into the pot along with half the amount of cooked bacon (from step 1).
When the potatoes are soft enough the break with a spatula, add 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce and mix. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Done! Serve hot with a sprinkle of the rest of the cooked bacon (from step 1) sprinkled on top.

December 27, 2024December 15, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Instant Pot Svíčková – a Shortcut to Babička’s Classic Beef with Vegetable Cream Sauce

Date Published: Dec 23rd, 2024 | Last Updated: Dec 23rd, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, Czech
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 40 mins | Cook time: 1 hour

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This recipe is a shortcut version from the OG svíčková recipe that cuts down the cooking time from 3.5 hours cook time to 1 hour. You’ll need an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker for this recipe. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can still find the original svíčková recipe below as Toby’s grandmother (babička) makes it:

Babička’s Svíčková (Beef with Vegetable Cream Sauce)

This is Toby’s babička’s (grandmother’s) version of a svíčkova. It’s his all time favourite Czech dish – and I can see why! In its simplest terms, svíčkova is a steak dish served with knedlíky (Czech bread dumplings) and…

by Abby March 29, 2021December 23, 2024

What is Svíčkova?

Svíčkova is one of Czech’s most popular dishes. In its simplest terms, svíčkova is a steak dish served with knedlíky (Czech bread dumplings) and smothered in the most addicting creamy vegetable sauce made of parsnip, celeriac, carrots and onion. There’s a slight lemon-y tang to the sauce that balances out the heaviness of the cream.

The sauce is the star of the show and is meant to be on the runny side, rather than a thick gravy. I’m always so tempted to serve this as a soup in itself if it wasn’t so rich 😅.

Here are two recipes for knedliky – one is a flour/bread base (houskové knedlíky) and the other is a denser potato base (bramborové knedlíky). Svíčkova is usually served with the flour based dumplings.

Czech Bread Dumplings – Houskové Knedlíky

Czech Potato Dumplings – Bramborové Knedlíky

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

600g good quality beef/steak (ie scotch fillet, eye fillet, rump steak, chuck steak – pick one with less tendon and more fat)
2 Tbsps (50g) + 1 Tbsp (25g) + 25g lard
2 medium onions (~3 cups), diced
1 whole celeriac (~3 cups), peeled and grated
- Celeriac can come in a wide variety of sizes. The one we got was roughly bigger than a baseball: 370g before peeling and 300g after peeling which came up to about 3 cups once grated. When grating, shave away at the skin until the celeriac is completely white.
2 medium sized parsnips (~3 cups), peeled and grated
3 large carrots (~3 cups), peeled and grated
4 cups (1 litre) beef stock
10 whole black peppercorns
10 whole dried allspice berries
4 dried bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
200ml thickened/heavy cream
2 Tbsps lemon juice (or more to taste)
Serve with:
- Knedlíky (Czech bread dumplings)
- Wedges of lemon
- Cranberry sauce
- Whipped cream

Directions:

A quick note about preparing the vegetables:

The exact amount and size of vegetables aren’t important, as long as you roughly have equal amounts of the celeriac, parsnip, and carrots.
Celeriac is a root vegetable and comes in a variety of sizes and is essentially a starchy celery. It’s got a green and white rough and wrinkly exterior that you want to remove by trimming it off with a knife until you get to the softer inside and the entire celeriac is white.

After you’ve peeled the vegetables, you can either dice them into small cubes, or the quickest way is to grate them in a food processor.

Rinse and pat dry the beef and rub salt and pepper on all sides and let it sit at room temperature for 20 mins.

(If you haven’t already, you can make the knedlíky dough in this time and while it proofs for an hour you can continue making the svíčková.)

In your instant pot on the SAUTÉ setting, set the heat to HIGH and melt 2 Tbsps of lard. When the pot is hot, add in the beef and sear on all 4 sides until browned (roughly 90 seconds on each side). Remove the beef and set it aside on a plate.

Turn the heat down to MED-HIGH and add in the diced onions. Sauté the onions until lightly browned and translucent (3-4 mins), making sure to scrape any brown bits that may be stuck on the bottom of the pot from the beef.

Next, add in the grated celeriac, parsnip, carrots, and another 1 Tbsp of lard into the vegetables and mix it around (the extra lard prevents them from burning). Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften (4-5 mins).

Once the vegetables begin to soften, add in the 4 cups of beef stock, 10 black peppercorns, 10 allspice berries, 4 bay leaves, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Make sure you COUNT the number of peppercorns and allspice berries you add in because you’ll have to take them out later. Let the mixture come to a simmer then cancel the SAUTÉ setting and put the Instant Pot lid on. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on HIGH for 5 minutes.

Once the timer is up, carefully release the pressure valve and when safe, remove the lid, stir the vegetables around, then add in the seared beef (from step 2) into the middle of the pot, submerging it in the liquid. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on HIGH for 35 minutes.

(You can take this time to cook the knedlíky if you haven’t already.)

Once the timer is up, carefully release the pressure valve and when safe, remove the lid. Take out the beef and put it into a bowl and cover to keep warm until ready to slice.

Remove and discard all the bay leaves, allspice berries and black peppercorns (this part is tedious). Once all the spices are removed, use an immersion/stick blender and blend the remaining vegetables in the broth until you get a smooth creamy texture. You can also blend this in a blender for an even smoother sauce.

Add the thickened cream and lemon juice and mix. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. When ready to serve, slice the beef. If your beef has gone a little cold, place it back into the sauce to warm it up and then slice.

To plate traditionally when serving: Place a ladle of the sauce on a dinner plate, ensuring the sauce covers the entirety of the bottom of the plate, then top with a few slices of the beef in the centre and fan out a few slices of knedlíky (Czech bread dumplings) on one side. You can top it with a spoonful of cranberry sauce, a dollop of whipped cream, and a wedge of lemon. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Instant Pot Svíčková – a Shortcut to Babička’s Classic Beef with Vegetable Cream Sauce

Date Published: Dec 23rd, 2024 | Last Updated: Dec 23rd, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, Czech
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 40 mins | Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

600g good quality beef/steak (ie scotch fillet, eye fillet, rump steak, chuck steak – pick one with less tendon and more fat)
2 Tbsps (50g) + 1 Tbsp (25g) + 25g lard
2 medium onions (~3 cups), diced
1 whole celeriac (~3 cups), peeled and grated
- Celeriac can come in a wide variety of sizes. The one we got was roughly bigger than a baseball: 370g before peeling and 300g after peeling which came up to about 3 cups once grated. When grating, shave away at the skin until the celeriac is completely white.
2 medium sized parsnips (~3 cups), peeled and grated
3 large carrots (~3 cups), peeled and grated
4 cups (1 litre) beef stock
10 whole black peppercorns
10 whole dried allspice berries
4 dried bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
200ml thickened/heavy cream
2 Tbsps lemon juice (or more to taste)
Serve with:
- Knedlíky (Czech bread dumplings)
- Wedges of lemon
- Cranberry sauce
- Whipped cream

Directions:

Rinse and pat dry the beef and rub salt and pepper on all sides and let it sit at room temperature for 20 mins.
- (If you haven’t already, you can make the knedlíky dough in this time and while it proofs for an hour you can continue making the svíčková.)
In your instant pot on the SAUTÉ setting, set the heat to HIGH and melt 2 Tbsps of lard. When the pot is hot, add in the beef and sear on all 4 sides until browned (roughly 90 seconds on each side). Remove the beef and set it aside on a plate.
Turn the heat down to MED-HIGH and add in the diced onions. Sauté the onions until lightly browned and translucent (3-4 mins), making sure to scrape any brown bits that may be stuck on the bottom of the pot from the beef.
Next, add in the grated celeriac, parsnip, carrots, and another 1 Tbsp of lard into the vegetables and mix it around (the extra lard prevents them from burning). Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften (4-5 mins).
Once the vegetables begin to soften, add in the 4 cups of beef stock, 10 black peppercorns, 10 allspice berries, 4 bay leaves, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Make sure you COUNT the number of peppercorns and allspice berries you add in because you’ll have to take them out later. Let the mixture come to a simmer then cancel the SAUTÉ setting and put the Instant Pot lid on. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on HIGH for 5 minutes.
Once the timer is up, carefully release the pressure valve and when safe, remove the lid, stir the vegetables around, then add in the seared beef (from step 2) into the middle of the pot, submerging it in the liquid. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on HIGH for 35 minutes.
- (You can take this time to cook the knedlíky if you haven’t already.)
Once the timer is up, carefully release the pressure valve and when safe, remove the lid. Take out the beef and put it into a bowl and cover to keep warm until ready to slice.
Remove and discard all the bay leaves, allspice berries and black peppercorns (this part is tedious). Once all the spices are removed, use an immersion/stick blender and blend the remaining vegetables in the broth until you get a smooth creamy texture. You can also blend this in a blender for an even smoother sauce.
Add the thickened cream and lemon juice and mix. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. When ready to serve, slice the beef. If your beef has gone a little cold, place it back into the sauce to warm it up and then slice.
To plate traditionally when serving: Place a ladle of the sauce on a dinner plate, ensuring the sauce covers the entirety of the bottom of the plate, then top with a few slices of the beef in the centre and fan out a few slices of knedlíky (Czech bread dumplings) on one side. You can top it with a spoonful of cranberry sauce, a dollop of whipped cream, and a wedge of lemon. Enjoy!

December 23, 2024December 24, 2024

Abby1 Comment