Fare Exchange: Chicken dish rich in butter, cream, Indian spices

Jane Henegar

Good morning, culinary correspondents. Before you taste today's varied recipes, consider what's needed: Can you provide an answer or two?

First, someone is longing for old-fashioned pocketbook yeast rolls, served up with careful directions for folding and baking.

Jane Guthrie reminisces: "My childhood memories of kitchen were of my grandmother when they lived on Walnut where the Provident Cafeteria is now at her kitchen 'bar' with flour flying everywhere, making what we called pocketbook yeast rolls. I have that recipe somewhere but was never successful as she was. There is a woman in Cleveland who makes them, and we give a tin of them at Christmas as neighborhood gifts so good."

Secondly, A.E. is looking for help in changing to a diet heavy in vegetables and fruits. "I especially need ideas for breakfasts that are heavy in vegetables and fruits and also high in protein. Please pass on recipes and ideas for saving money when purchasing the best fruits and vegetables as well."

BUTTERY, CREAMY CHICKEN

Barbara Mann provided an easy version of butter chicken, so named because one entire cup of butter is the first ingredient. It could as easily be called heavy cream chicken, as three cups of heavy cream are also required.

Easy Indian Butter Chicken

1 cup butter, divided

1 onion, minced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

3 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garam masala seasoning

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons tandoori masala (curry)

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt a few tablespoons butter in skillet. Stir in onion and garlic; caramelize until dark brown. Remove from skillet.

Melt remaining butter in skillet along with tomato sauce, cream, salt, cayenne and garam masala. Bring to a simmer for 30 minutes, then stir in onions and garlic.

While sauce is simmering, toss cubed chicken with oil, season with curry and spread on baking sheet.

Bake until no longer pink in center. When done, add to sauce, and simmer 5 minutes.

Where to find the spices: Curry is at Walmart. Garam masala came from Penzey's, but it is probably in grocery stores. I have not looked for it in ages.

Penzey's is a specialty spice store. The website is www.penzeys.com.

COLORFUL TREAT

Lynn Carroll often credits her good neighbor Uma Potdar with her favorite recipes to share, as she does today.

"I read you were looking for some healthful dishes for winter. I'm sending a wonderful Beet and Mango Salad I make almost weekly during these cold winter days. Each bite reminds me of a sunny tropical place. It's so fresh and easy."

Beet Mango Salad

1 large beet or 3 small, peeled and coarsely grated

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 lemon (fresh)

1 mango, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch cubes

Place grated beets in large bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Add cilantro and lemon juice. Stir. If eating immediately, add mango. Stir and serve. If eating later, add mango right before serving as the mango will lose its bright yellow color due to the beet juice. I usually make a large amount as it keeps well for several days in the refrigerator, and it really brightens up most winter meals.

SAVORY CORNBREAD

As promised, here is Mary Ann McInturff's favorite version of cornbread, enriched with cream-style corn as well as sour cream.

Sour Cream Cornbread

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup oil

1 small can (8.25-ounces) cream-style corn

3 eggs

1 cup cornmeal

1 heaping teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine sour cream, oil, corn and eggs, then add dry ingredients, and mix well. Pour into hot greased iron skillet. (Spray preheated skillet with Pam before pouring in cornbread mixture.) Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until golden brown.

VARIATIONS EXPLAINED

Martha Mackey offers an education in cornbread varieties. "Hoe cakes and corn pone are similar and are cooked primarily in a skillet, but like other cornbread recipes have many variations. Originally, hoe cakes were a field hand's food, made of cornmeal and water, and were cooked on the blade of a hoe. Now, recipes often have buttermilk and leavening in them. The difference is, they are cooked in a skillet."

PALEO TACOS

This is a second recipe shared by Eve M. from the thorough cookbook "Practical Paleo."

Hayley's Skirt Steak Tacos

You may wrap nearly any kind of protein in lettuce and top with avocado.

1 head butter lettuce or romaine lettuce

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Sea salt and black pepper

1 1/2 to 2 pounds skirt steak

Taco Toppers:

24 cherry tomatoes, quartered, or 1 large tomato, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 avocado, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime, cut into wedges

Gently separate the leaves of lettuce and rinse them off. Set aside to dry.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, garlic, chili powder and several pinches each of salt and pepper. Place the skirt steak in the bowl, and massage the seasonings into it.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

Grill the steak for about 3 minutes per side for medium doneness. Set the cooked steak aside to rest for 10 minutes, then slice it against the grain into thin strips. You may want to cut the steak into 2 or 3 sections before slicing, as skirt steaks are typically very long.

Serve the steak, tomatoes, avocado slices and chopped cilantro in the lettuce leaves with lime wedges on the side.

JUST A DASH

For canned green beans, Martha Mackey sautés a chopped onion, pours into the pan the liquid from the canned beans, then adds a little soy sauce, garlic and oregano or Italian seasoning.

"Simmer about five minutes, and add the beans to the liquid. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and let them absorb the flavors. A tablespoon of sherry may also be added as you gently reheat and serve."

Thank you for your company, and please come back.