Gastronomy: Monday Night Eats, Cumin Chicken with Red Pepper and Coconut Rice

This recipe is a savory and incredibly easy dish for a weekday meal. Preparation and cooking time take about thirty minutes. For picky little ones, you can easily remove the peppers. An added bonus is deglazing the pan with white wine gives the cook a chance to have a glass herself, which makes the "witching hour" a little easier. Mondays just became a bit more tolerable.

Cumin Chicken with Red Pepper and Coconut Rice

1 c white rice

1 c light coconut milk

2 c chicken stock

1 T olive oil

1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2 ½ inch pieces

2 large red bell pepper, sliced in julienne strips

2 large minced garlic cloves

2 t ground cumin

1 c white wine

1 T unsalted butter

1 bunch basil, roughly chopped

Cook rice according to package instructions—replace one cup of water with the coconut milk and 1 cup of water with chicken stock. Heat olive oil and butter in large deep skillet over medium heat. Pat chicken dry and salt and pepper both sides—brown about 10 minutes on each side until the chicken surface is brown. Add white wine and scrap the chicken bits off the pan—reduce wine by half and add garlic, cumin, and stock. This will take about 10-15 minutes. Add peppers and cook until softened, another 7 minutes or until juices are almost reduced. When rice is finished, salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken and peppers over rice—top with basil. Serves 4

Gastronomy: The Perfect Winter Meal is Seafood Chowder

When I think of the ultimate winter meal, soup is always on the top of my list. What better way to spend a winter evening than a hearty bowl of soup, a chunk of crusty bread, and a frosty mug of beer?

This recipe for seafood chowder is savory and rich without being too thick, as many cream soups tend to be. It is sure to warm your heart, fill your belly, and make the bitter cold seem bearable. I recommend picking up some Goose Island Matilda to go with—it’s a top-notch, Chicago brewed, Belgian-style ale (and my obsession as of late).

3 strips bacon, diced
1 large shallot, chopped
1 T thyme, chopped
3 celery ribs, diced
½ c white wine
½ stick butter
¼ c flour
6 c fresh chicken stock or three cans
2 potatoes (skin on), cubed
1 c heavy cream
½ lb salmon
½ lb mini sea scallops
1 lb whitefish, cod, sea bass or tilapia (I usually use two of these—1/2 lb each)
¼ c parsley, chopped
1 c white cheddar cheese, grated
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

In a large Dutch oven, sauté bacon until golden (about ten minutes). Add shallot, thyme and celery and cook until translucent. Deglaze with white wine, scraping the bits off the bottom of pan; simmer until liquid is reduced. Add butter and flour to form a roux. Cook roux over low heat until gold in color, about twenty minutes. Add chicken stock and potatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook on medium heat about 45 minutes. Add heavy cream and seafood. Cook another 30 minutes over low heat; add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in low bowls with grated cheese and a bit of parsley. Serves 8.

Style: Righting Russel Wright Dinnerware Designs

For Mother's Day this year, I was presented with a gift from the modern master, Russel Wright. Wright's dinnerware made its first appearance in the late '30s; brought simple, unpretentious pieces to the masses; and became the most widely sold ceramic tableware of all time.

Although Wright passed away in the '70s, his ideas continue to live on. Wright's daughter has recently collaborated with Bauer Pottery in LA to recreate his dinnerware designs. Wright's water pitcher is still a beautiful example of streamlined perfection; the salt and pepper shakers, an exercise in stout playfulness; and the colors, vibrant, warm, and rich. Using these new gifts on a daily basis remind me that easy, informal living never has to be ugly. Details: www.bauerpottery.com/russelwright.php.

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Style: Fishing for Finds at Fishs Eddy

A New York staple, like pizza or Lady Liberty, Fishs Eddy has offered New Yorkers everything from recycled dishware to designer-made custom pieces for over 20 years. Providing house rich, cash poor New Yorkers with the opportunity to spruce up their pads with pizzazz and finesse, Fishs Eddy provides affordable housewares—funky, elegant, or just the plain, ol’ curious. Now, through the joys and convenience of online shopping, you, too, can take advantage of this priceless New York staple.

Where else would you find a set of Democratic or Republican coffee mugs, heroes of the Torah juice glasses, recycled diner plates and flatware, or an Alice in Wonder Land platter designed by John Tenniel? No matter what you’re in the market for, find stacks upon stacks of kitchen-goodness at the indispensable and reasonably priced Fishs Eddy. Details: www.fishseddy.com.

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Style: Mid-Century Pottery that Pleases 21st Century Sensibilities

I’ll be the first to recognize that my sister and I are serious pottery junkies, a direct inheritance from our mother. We'll stop at nothing to find a new ETSY artisan or search out a piece from one of the great mission masters like Pewabic, Roseville, and Van Briggle. However, in a world where you can buy throw-away serving pieces that fly off an Ikea assembly line for next-to-nothing prices, it’s sometimes hard to discover the modern-day ceramists who still take pride in their work and wares.

On a recent trip to San Francisco, we took advantage of a variety of dining experiences; however, each of these diverse restaurants had something in common—their table tops were adorned with Heath Ceramics’ dinnerware (.Fish, Hog Island Oyster Co., Greens). This was the same pottery that I had deeply fallen in love with when my dear friend gave me a couple of pieces as a housewarming gift and that I now happily showcase in my ever-growing pottery collection. When I found out that Heath’s home and Factory Store was right across the Golden Gate Bridge in minutes-away Sausalito, I had to carve out some time for a visit.

Founded by Edith Heath in 1948, Heath Ceramics is one of the last mid-century pottery-houses still in existence. They continue to offer strong looking pieces, often laced with rich colors like onyx, sage, and French gray. Heath ceramists' design the kind of wares that are pragmatically long-lasting and timeless in design. You can dress it up or dress it down—it can contribute to a sleek modern table or play against a traditionalist setting. In addition, their dishware is oven-proof, dishwasher and microwave safe, and oh-so-kid-friendly. No wonder all the local restaurateurs are in love with Heath—it’s hard to keep your eyes and forks off of these resilient beauties! Details: www.heathceramics.com, 400 Gate Five Rd., Sausalito, 415.332.3732.

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