Apologies and a Mahmudiye Recipe

I must apologize to my faithful readers that I ended this week early. I will post some more budget recipes including a super soup that is nutritionally loaded.

My world exploded early this week with phone calls, meetings, interviews etc. and I just could not manage to keep tracking and posting.

 Mahmudiye

Another Turkish dish.

I was a lucky man, to be visiting Istanbul at the time of the year when every night ended with a feast as we broke fast, I probably had the best possible food in every household I was in. 

When I was told we were being served chicken with grapes my stomach did a turn. It did not sound good at all.

However Mustafa was quite excited about sharing this dish with me so being a culinary detective I asked if I might come early and watch him prepare it. 

“Yes my brother, we will make it together.” 

I have reduced his quantities as he was making it for 18 people, however the proportions are quite right and I encourage you to try this odd sounding recipe. 

Because when it comes to chicken with grapes my brother Mustafa knows his stuff. He told me that he typically makes this dish for a small crowd he uses boneless, skinless chicken cut into cubes. Feel free to bone your chicken.

I prefer it cooked on the bone, but hacked. I find a butcher who can do a Chinese duck cut for the chicken so it is in very small pieces. 1 hacked chicken serves six amply.

1 chicken cut into little pieces with or without bones, skin removed and saved

2+1 tbsp butter

30 pearl onions, peeled (Listen to Sandra Lee for once in your life and buy them frozen, they are a pain to peel)

12 dry apricots finely chopped

30 seedless grapes

1 1/2 tablespoon honey

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1-teaspoon cinnamon

3 ounces slivered almonds

Salt

Pepper

Saute the chicken in 2/3 of the butter in a Dutch oven. When brown add the pearl onions, the apricots, the honey, the lemon juice the broth and some salt and pepper. Put a lid on it and cook for about 40 minutes, make sure it is done. When fully cooked sprinkle on the cinnamon and stir again.

Warm the rest of the butter in a pan and toast the almonds and the grapes. Spoon the chicken to a serving dish and garnish with almonds and grapes. 

6 very nice servings at 465 calories each.

Living on a Food Stamp Budget Part 2 Day 5

Coffee with cream .34
Grapes .70

Not a complete breakfast by any means. Have I told you that this has been a mad busy week and I am eating for speed; during the day anyway.

Lunch was cabbage soup and a Vietnamese baguette with a sausage. I pulled the soup from the freezer and had a lot of it...delicious.
Sausage .99
Soup 1.24
Bread .25
Total 2.48
Once I total my week I think this indulgence will be okay.

Today's recipe: Spaghetti with chicken livers

There is a Tuscan dish made with spaghetti, pancetta, chicken liver and cream. I was not in the mood for anything creamy so I made my own version and it was incredibly delicious.  Serves 4

8 ounces spaghetti .76
1 lb chicken livers .99
4 bunches green onions 1.00
4 cups Swiss chard finely chopped 1.69
1 head of garlic chopped .25
Olive oil
Splash of pasta water, stock or white wine if you have it.
Garnish of parsley or basil if you have it.

Put your water on to boil. Clean your liver in water and cut off any fatty or spongy bits. Section into bite sized pieces.

Salt your liver and put a splash of olive oil into the pan. When the oil is very hot sear the outside of the liver (Do NOT overcook) they should still be rare inside. Remove and lower heat, add another splash of oil and the chopped garlic, saute very low while the pasta cooks.

Drain pasta and turn the heat up on the garlic, Toss in the chard and the pasta and toss. Add a splash of water, wine or stock and then the chopped scallion and the chicken liver. Toss together and serve with a bit of garnish if you have it.

This along with the cabbage soup gave me close to a home run for my daily nutrition. Chicken liver is an inexpensive protein source that is loaded in a good way. As for $$ 1.17 per serving.

Living on a Food Stamp Budget Part 2 Day 4

For Breakfast

Coffee with cream .34
Grapes (about 8 oz) .70

I wanted more to eat but needed to time my food for a dinner with a friend who eats dinner 3 hours earlier than is my custom.

For lunch I had a leftover quail. 1.41

Dinner was a different story. I prepared a meal at a friend's house. A Sezchaun pork dish. He had purchased the ingredients but it was not an expensive dish to make. I cost it out and it fits the food stamp budget when preparing for 4. It may be cheaper for Asian families who will have some of the ingredients in house.

8 ounces of pork (any cheap cut) shoulder can be had at 2.99 a pound or 1.50
ginger root .25
Soy sauce
Baby Bok Choy (1 lb) .79 at Asian markets
Scallions .33
Sweet Red pepper .99
Fermented black beans .25 (A jar will cost about .99 and you use 1/4 jar)
Hot pepper
Rice .20

Marinate the pork for about an hour in soy with ginger grated or diced.

Get a wok or pan very hot with oil, it should just begin to smoke. Toss in pork and stir to brown and cook. When done add in the vegetables holding back the scallions. When vegetables are hot throw in the black beans and scallions and a few tosses with the spatula and you are ready to serve with rice. 1.07 per serving.

To bump the nutrition higher feel free to augment with other vegetables, chard will give you E, Carrots A.

1, 252 calories.