Caramelized Onion And Dill Chicken Kreplach Recipes

CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED ONION AND CARDAMOM RICE

Steps:

• Put the sugar and scant 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, add the barberries, and set aside to soak. If using currants, you do not need to soak them in this way.
• Meanwhile, heat half the olive oil in a large sauté pan for which you have a lid over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has turned a deep golden brown. Transfer the onion to a small bowl and wipe the pan clean.
• Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl and season with 1½ teaspoons each salt and black pepper. Add the remaining olive oil, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and use your hands to mix everything together well. Heat the frying pan again and place the chicken and spices in it. Sear chicken for 5 minutes on each side and remove from the pan (this is important as it part-cooks the chicken). The spices can stay in the pan, but don't worry if they stick to the chicken. Remove most of the remaining oil as well, leaving just a thin film at the bottom. Add the rice, caramelized onion, 1 teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper. Drain the barberries and add them as well. Stir well and return the seared chicken to the pan, pushing it into the rice.
• Pour the boiling water over the rice and chicken, cover the pan, and cook over very low heat for 30 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, remove the lid, quickly place a clean tea towel over the pan, and seal again with the lid. Leave the dish undisturbed for another 10 minutes. Finally, add the herbs and use a fork to stir them in and fluff up the rice. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot or warm with yogurt mixture if you like.

CHICKEN KREPLACH SOUP

Steps:

• For the soup base: Combine the chicken, onion, carrot chunks, celery chunks, parsnip chunks, garlic, dill, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large pot. Add cold water to cover by 2 inches (about 5 quarts). Bring to a simmer, then simmer until the chicken is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool, then strain the broth (you should have about 3 1/2 quarts). Shred the chicken into a medium bowl, discarding the skin and bones. (You'll have 2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken meat.)
• For the kreplach: Combine the flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Mix the eggs, vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons cold water in a spouted measuring cup. With the processor running, pour in the egg mixture and process until the dough forms a ball on the blade, about 30 seconds. (If the dough doesn't form a ball after 30 seconds or is too crumbly, adjust with a tablespoon or so of flour if too loose or a tablespoon or so of water if too crumbly.) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature while you prepare the filling.
• For the filling, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add to the shredded chicken along with the chopped dill, lemon zest and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
• Cut the rested dough into quarters, then cut each quarter into 3 pieces (12 pieces in all). On a floured surface, press, pat or roll a chunk of dough to about a thin 3-inch round. Hold the round in the palm of your hand and add 2 tablespoons filling. Press the dough closed to encase the filling and form a ball, twisting and tearing off any excess dough. Set twisted-side down on a floured baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough and filling. (Any remaining filling can be added to the soup!)
• Heat the stock over medium heat and add the diced carrot, celery and parsnip. Simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Add the kreplach (dusting off any excess flour) and simmer until the dough is tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Serve the soup in bowls with slices of lemon and garnished with fresh dill.

FRIED ONION AND CHICKEN KREPLACH

Steps:

• Separate the onions into rings.
• To draw out the moisture, toss in a bowl with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; set aside for about 20 minutes, stirring from time to time.
• Then place the onions between sheets of paper towelling, pressing down to soak up as much onion water as possible.
• Meanwhile, prepare the chicken: roughly shred it (preferably using your fingers, so you can find little bits of gristle or bone) and place in a bowl.
• If the chicken is very dry - usually the case if you are using chicken left over from soup - spoon some broth over it, mix well, and let it drink in the liquid for at least 15 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over med-high heat; add the onion, and keep tossing with a spatula as they soften and begin to golden.
• Stir in the garli and continue cooking and turning, until the mixture is a deep caramel color, but before it turns crispy, about 5 minutes.
• Stir the onions into the chicken and let cool slightly,
• Add the egg, dill, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Refrigerate the mixture for at least an hour.
• Fill and trim the kreplach using about 1 heaping teaspoon of filling per krepl, folding into a tight triangle, and sealing with the egg wash.
• Poach the kreplach, in a large wide pot, bring at least 5 qts of lightly salted water to boil.
• Slip in the kreplach, one by one, being careful not to overcrowd the pot (if necessary cook in batches).
• Lower the temperature slightly (the kreplach might explode if the water is boiling furiously) and poach until tender - 3-5 minutes (exact time will vary on the brand of wonton wrappers used).
• Lift out the kreplach, a few at a time with a large skimmer, gently shaking the skimmer so the water drains back into the pot (they are too fragile to pour into a colander).
• Serve the kreplach in soup. Or serve poached or sauteed kreplach with gravy, fried onions, or fried mushrooms as a side dish or appetizer.

CARAMELISED ONIONS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over a low heat.
• Add the onions with a generous pinch of salt and cook slowly for 30-40 mins. Stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking or burning until they become soft and golden. If the onions start to catch, add a splash of water to the pan and mix well.
• Add the sugar and vinegar to give them a sweet, slightly sharp chutney flavour. Keep cooking on a low heat for another 5 mins, stirring occasionally until the mix is sticky, the sugar has dissolved and the vinegar has reduced. The onions are now ready to serve, or use in a recipe.