But, tonight I finally pulled Ms. Gur's cookbook back out from the depths of obscurity (well, technically that's not true -- I made shakshuka and pita again last weekend for a delicious brunch with my friend E) and not only tried a new recipe, but I broke the cardinal rule of cooking by making a new dish for dinner guests =-O!
Luckily for me, A, my friend M and her husband, M (LOL!) were more than happy to be my test eaters -- and they were not disappointed!
Tonight's dish was Chicken Albondigas in Tomato Sauce, which I served with a side of couscous and broiled zucchini. Albondiga is basically a Spanish word for meatballs, and according to the cookbook, this recipe comes from Jerusalem Sephardic cuisine. Judging from the spices used, I'm inclined to agree with the cookbook's theory.
Now, I mean no disrespect to my Ashkenazi heritage, but the Sephardim have the Ashkenazis beaten when it comes to flavorful recipes that don't make you feel like you've eaten a heavy sack of starch. I've never been a fan of kugel, kreplach, etc. But give me a recipe that contains tomatoes, spices and chicken and I'm a happy woman!
So the albondigas came out great, which I chalk up to the tasty mixture of spices such as turmeric, garlic, onion and paprika -- and the addition of soy sauce and cumin gave the sauce an extra kick. Plus the recipe itself is in on the simple side. The only really time-consuming element is chopping up/shredding the onion, garlic and potato. I was frustrated that the chicken was burnt a little bit, but no one semed to mind. It still tasted delicious, but I think I have to still work out the best heat setting for the pan. Plus the meatballs themselves didn't really hold together well -- perhaps you need to use more than six tablespoons of breadcrumbs to make everything bind.
Chicken Albondigas in Tomato Sauce
Recipe courtesy of The Book of New Israeli Food: A Culinary Journey, by Janna Gur
Ingredients (serves 4)
The Chicken Dumplings
10 1/2 oz ground chicken (breast or deboned thighs)
1 potato, finely grated and squeezed (Note: The food processor was a big help here)
1 onion, grated (Note: Again, use a food processor if you can)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg
6 tablespoons breadcrumbs (Note: I may try more next time)
1 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and coarsely ground black peppers
The Sauce
3 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons paprika
1 level teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons sugar
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1. Prepare the chicken dumplings: Mix all the ingredients, knead thoroughly and roll into balls the size of walnuts. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the sauce: Saute the onion until translucent. Add the garlic, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, soy sauce, spices, sugar and 1 cup water and bring to a boil.
3. Add the dumplings to the sauce and cook covered over a low heat for 30 minutes. Gently shake the pan form time to time but do not stir. Serve with white rice, mashed potatoes or lots of bread. (Note: I went with couscous and veggies -- no complaints!)
