One Perfect Bite: cashews

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Curried Chicken with Cashews

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you like a little heat with your meat, this dish will please on many levels. It is inexpensive and easy to make, but more to the point, it is absolutely delicious. While this Thai-style curry is best made with the hot and flavorful Madras curry powder, don't let the lack of it keep you from trying the dish with a less potent variety. As is the case with most rice and stir-fry combos, make sure your rice is ready to serve before you start to assemble the curry. It is way too easy to over cook the chicken in this dish, so get it from the wok to the table as soon as it is done. The sauce for this curry is rather thin, so if you'd like it to have more substance, mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with a teaspoon or two of water and add it to the wok at the very end of cooking. While it lacks eye appeal, this is a terrific dish for an adult week night meal. Unfortunately, most children won't go near it, so I can't recommend it for a family dinner if your children are under the age of twelve. I do hope the rest of you will try this curry. You will not be disappointed. Here is how it is made.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Orange Spiced Cashews

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...As we move toward the holidays, I like to stock the pantry with a supply of spiced nuts to serve with drinks or add some balance to a cheese tray. For years, I made a variation of the Union Square Cafe's bar nuts, and while I still love those fiery, yet sweet, morsels, I wanted to try something new this year. A quick search of my favorite food sites unearthed the orange spiced cashews that I'm featuring today. The recipe was develop for Martha Stewart Living, and once I saw it, I knew I had to give it a try. The recipe is simple to make and the spiced cashews are delicious. With that said, I have a caution to share with you. I strongly advise that creative impulses be contained, at least the first time you make these nuts. Too much orange zest will spoil them. Please don't ask how I know that. If you follow the recipe as it is written, I think you'll be delighted with the results. While I'll continue to make the Union Square version, I'll also make these available for folks who find the old standard too hot for their palates. If you are looking for something different to serve your guests, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. The cashews are delicious and I think you'll love them. Here's how they are made.

Orange Spiced Cashews...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups whole cashews
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix cashews with corn syrup until evenly coated. Set aside.
2) In a small bowl, combine salt, zest, ginger, coriander, cumin, and cayenne. Sprinkle mixture over nuts, and stir until nuts are evenly coated. Transfer to one of the prepared baking sheets; spread in a single layer, separating nuts.
3) Bake until the nuts are golden and the syrup is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Immediately transfer nuts to the other baking sheet. Separate cashews with a fork and let cool. Yield: 2-1/2 cups.