I'll Have My Way with You, Chicken: Mexicana Chicken Soup

MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUP

- Whack to pieces a whole chicken and dredge it in cumin, coriander and a good quality chile powder, salt and pepper

- Pan fry it and set aside. Don't throw juices out.

- Saute sliced onion and smashed garlic in pan the chicken was fried in. As much as you like. I add one medium onion and several cloves of garlic. Add olive oil if needed. Add one can of diced tomato and cook until that raw taste is gone. Add mild pepper like the canned chiles in the 'imported' section at Publix and add to pot.

- Add chicken back to pot with juices.

- Add a very good broth- I like Imagine Chicken Broth  that's organic or I will use what I made at another time. Like 4 cups. Then add another 3 cups or so of water...

Bring to slow simmer. DO NOT LET IT BOIL ON HIGH! It's very important that you don't break the proteins apart in a broth or it becomes cloudy. You want this on a verrrry gentle simmer....

I roast either butternut, sweet potato or acorn squash just to the firm stage. Cut into chunks and set aside while chicken cooks.

**When the chicken is done (it will start to fall off the bone. Don't over cook it!) add the vegetable of choice plus plenty of fresh lime juice and cilantro, salt (try using a nicer salt than the fine grained crap: kosher or thicker sea salt better) and fresh ground pepper to taste.**

As an accoutrement:
- chunks of avocado
- toasted pumpkin seeds
- cilantro
- dollop light sour cream or greek yogurt
- fresh tortilla strips: I used  the corn/flour blend that I fried quickly.

Yum.

SALMON: I Can't Believe I Made Croquettes..

So, I like salmon okay. That gray layer on the bottom kinda grosses me out but when Harold bought a beautiful piece of wild-cat salmon from New Leaf I cooked it and we had it with some fresh garden greens. With a good bottle of wine I was like, okay-not bad, I'll eat this again...

Getting tipsy on another night a couple days later we discussed salmon croquettes which my mother would NEVER have made. She knew all 9 of her brood would have revolted so kept it from the menu. I decided on a whim that I would make the patties with the left over Harold had so he showed up today to the shop, fish in hand, and I came up with this recipe.

They were to die for. I can't wait for more left over salmon!

CAT LOVERS SALMON CROQUES:

You'll have to figure out the proportions yourself. Use your intuition. You can do it.

PATTIES:
- Leftover salmon, preferably good wild stuff.
- dollop of mayo
- some light cream cheese
- one egg
- finely diced sweet onion
- chopped parsley/cilantro ( I had both in the garden..)
- small amount of minced capers
- nice squeeze of Meyer lemon
- pepper
- Panko crumbs to bind

Once the consistency is moist enough to bind patty them up and dredge in more Panko. I sauted in olive oil/butter blend- fairly high heat. You're just going to brown them because the fish is already cooked.

DRESSING FOR SALAD:
- mayo
- olive oil
- Meyer lemon
- seasoned rice wine vinegar
- fresh ground pepper
- chopped parsley/cilantro

I pulled butter crunch lettuce and Asian greens from the garden minutes before serving and added only thinly sliced sweet onion. I dressed the salad before I started cooking the croques. And, I had extra to drizzle to taste.

We ate them ALL and Tracy said she has new respect for Salmon Croquettes. that made me happy!