A Life, Lived

This is Me . . .

I've been feeling this a lot lately.

Travel Tuesdays - Basilica of Santissimi Apostoli, Rome

The Basilica of Santissimi Apostoli, the Holy Apostles, is a large church that hosts the bodies of the disciples of Jesus, Philip and James the Less. It was built in the 4th century by Pope Julius I, it was the only Roman church not to be built on the site of a previous ancient building, although building materials came from the Constantine Baths., the original plan was that of the Apostoleion in Constantinople. During the Byzantine era, under Pope Pelagius I and the rule of Narses, it was reconstructed with a greek-cross plan. Adrian I writes to Charlemagne praising this building for its width and its amazing mosaics. In 1348 it was destroyed by an earthquake and only the two sculpted gate lions survive from that building. 

The two Renaissance cloisters contain a bas-relief of the Nativity by the school of A.di Cambio.

The interior, divided into three wide naves by big pilasters and matching Corinthian pilaster strips, with three chapels per side, each one roofed by a dome, ends up being splendid for the decorations and frescoes. This was the tomb of Clemente XIV by Canova.

There were stairs heading downwards on either side of the altar. They weren't blocked and since I was already wandering the church when it was supposed to be closed I headed down. There I found a crypt which isn't as old as it appears. Designed to look like an ancient a catacomb even though catacombs were never allowed within the city walls. During this construction in 1879 the remains of the apostles Philip and James were found in an ancient crypt underneath the church. They had rested there for 1200 years.

Why Didn't I Know About This?

It would have been very handy when I had all of those Executive memos to write.

Coconut Rice

Let me apologize right off for a crappy pic for this post. Rice is often a vehicle for other foods - in this case Vietnamese meatballs. That being said, the rice was delicious enough it is worthy of a pic of its own!

This dish uses Jasmine rice which I find cooks more quickly than other forms rice however using the pressure cooker cuts trhe cooking time even more. With a 3-minute cook time, you can have this pressure cooker jasmine rice recipe on your table in under 20 minutes.

Rice is one of my favourite things to cook in the pressure cooker! It’s fast, easy, and comes out perfectly every time.Some folks seem to have difficulty making rice in the IP but I've been lucky apparently. NOt only is it quick, I find the consistency of the cooked rice is better as well.

The recipe called for garnishing with toasted coconut. I skipped that step because of 'Mr. Toasted Coconut hater'. I did add chopped cilantro and we loved it.

Enjoy!

Instant Pot Coconut Rice

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Toasted coconut, optional, for garnish

Rinse rice in cool water until the water runs clear. Drain the rice in a colander or sieve.

Add the rice, coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt to the pressure cooker pot. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and 3 minutes cook time.

When the cook time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 7 minutes, then finish with a quick pressure release.

Carefully remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.

Spoon the rice into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted coconut before serving, if desired

Chicken and Dumplings

The other week I was craving chicken and dumplings. It was an odd craving to have because I don't think I have ever eaten it before. I have heard the dish referred to often enough as comforting and delicious that it was embedded in my consciousness.

A couple of weeks ago some comfort was needed so I added chicken and dumplings to our weekly menu. The recipe I chose was from the fine folks at Simply Recipes. Now that I have tried this dish i can attest to it being every bit as delicious and comforting as its reputation would suggest.

It is basically a super flavourful chicken stew with light and fluffy dumplings cooked on top of the stew. I riffed the dumplings a bit by adding some cheese to the mix - apparently there are no limits to the amount of comfort I seek . . . I also didn't use the bone in, skin on chicken - I used what I had which was skinless, boneless thighs and breasts. Other than these two changes I followed the recipe as printed.

Give it a try - you'll be comforted by the plate of deliciousness on the table in front of you.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Dumplings

For the chicken and vegetables:

3 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken thighs and breasts, skin-on, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat
2 teaspoons butter or extra virgin olive oil, or a combination of both
Salt
1 quart chicken stock homemade or store-bought
to 3 ribs celery, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 large onion, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup dry sherry or vermouth, optional
tablespoon heavy cream, optional
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground black or white pepper

For the dumplings:

2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh herb leaves such as parsley, chives, and tarragon, optional

Add the chicken stock to a medium pot and bring it up to a gentle simmer.

In a large (8-quart or larger) thick-bottomed pot, heat the butter or olive oil over medium-high heat. Pat dry the chicken pieces and sprinkle with salt.

Working in batches, brown the chicken pieces, placing the pieces skin-side down first; this will render out fat you will use to build the stew later.

Once the chicken pieces are browned on all sides, remove them from the large pot, and turn off the heat. Remove and discard the skin from the chicken pieces and put the chicken pieces into the pot of simmering stock.

Poach the chicken in the stock until cooked through, about 20 minutes or so.

Remove the chicken pieces and set on a tray to cool for a few minutes. When the chicken pieces are cool to touch, pull the meat off the bones and cut into 2-inch chunks. Set aside.

Return the heat on the large pot to medium-high. When the pot is hot, add the onion, celery, carrot and thyme and sauté until soft, but not browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the flour and stir well. The flour will absorb the fat in the pot and will stick a little to the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir the flour vegetable mixture constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let it burn. 

Get a ladle ready and have the pot of simmering chicken stock nearby. Add the sherry to the flour vegetable mixture. It will sputter and seize up.

Add a ladle of hot chicken stock and stir well. It will be goopy. Add another ladle, then another, stirring all the while, until the broth comes together.

Add the rest of the chicken stock and the reserved chicken meat. Increase the heat and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer while you make the dumplings.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add (optional) chopped fresh herbs. Add melted butter and milk to the dry ingredients.

Gently mix with a wooden spoon until mixture just comes together. (Note: do not over-mix or your dumplings will turn out too dense.)

Drop dumpling batter into the simmering stew by heaping teaspoonfuls, over the surface of the stew. (Note that the dumplings will easily double in size as they cook.) Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Once you have covered the pan, do not uncover and peek while the dumplings are cooking! In order for the dumplings to be light and fluffy, they must steam, not boil. Uncovering the pan releases the steam.

If after 15 minutes the dumplings are still not cooked through (use a toothpick or skewer to test), then cover pan again and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Gently stir in peas, parsley, and cream, if using. Add more salt to taste. Ladle portions of meat, sauce, vegetables, and dumplings into soup plates and serve. Note that the stew will continue to thicken the longer it sits.

Travel Tuesdays - Auschwitz

I don't share pics from our tour of Auschwitz for travel Tuesdays. However, in light of the recent protests in Ottawa where nazi symbols were used and the continued false comparison between vaccine mandates and concentration camps I am sharing today. I doubt I will change anyone's mind but it is important that we remember one of the darkest periods in our collective human history. A period were hatred led to the murder of millions of humans.

The Auschwitz concentration/extermination camp complex is, arguably, the twentieth century’s most pervasive symbol of human suffering, and of the depths of human cruelty. Comparing the treatment of humans there to you not being allowed to eat inside at McDonalds or shop at WalMart is offensive.