I have an exciting new program to share about one of my favorite ingredients, butter! I’ve always been a fan of Land O Lakes® Butter, so I’m excited to share that I’ve partnered with Land O’Lakes and Ree Drummond,The Pioneer Woman, to bring you Kitchen Conversations, ongoing conversations on food trends, tips and recipe ideas.
Three other food blogger friends will be joining the conversations as hosts: Brenda from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles, Julie from The Little Kitchen and Maria Two Peas & Their Pod. The goal of the Conversations is to inspire home cooks to feel more confident in the kitchen and to provide a platform to learn from each other’s hits and misses.
You can follow the food-filled conversation and recipe ideas through the hashtag #KtchnConvo on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Of course, I’ll also keep you up to date through ongoing blog posts and recipes here on A Spicy Perspective.
Our first topic of Kitchen Conversations is food trends! We food lovers often pay close attention to what’s going on in the culinary scene across the country and globe.
Every year, new ideas burst forth from renowned chefs as well as creative home-cooks, ideas that take the nation by storm.
Remember in the 1990’s when sun dried tomatoes seemed to be everywhere you looked? Or more recently when every fine-dining establishment and greasy spoon had a dish smothered in balsamic reduction?
What about cake pops and cupcakeries? Both are fabulous ideas that started a revolution.
These concepts became trendy, because they were tasty and inventive, and the rest of us reaped the delicious rewards.
It’s fun to watch what’s coming down the culinary pipeline so you can experiment with food trends at home.
Articles I’ve read recently say to expect these upcoming food trends in 2013:
- Comfort Food Gone Global
- Playing with Ancient Grains
- Creative Popcorn Snacks
- Duck Egg Dishes
- Blondies instead of Brownies
- Cauliflower, the Veggie for Cool Kids
- Ramen Noodles (fresh, not the dried packets)
Hey, I didn’t come up with this stuff, but I’m happy to experiment with them. I’ve already noticed several of these food trends taking form, and my favorite by far is the idea of Comfort Food Gone Global.
After all, I love comfort food, and I love global cuisine, so why not put them together?
Today’s dish is my take on the new food trend, Comfort Food Gone Global. These zippy Butter Chicken Sliders provide the comfort of mini burgers with exotic flavors of India.
Each little slider is layered with a chicken cutlet bathed in a rich, buttery Indian curry made with creamy Land O Lakes® Butter, then topped with a pickled mango slaw and cilantro.
Butter Chicken Sliders are magic… I’m pretty proud of these bold little beauties.
You can experiment with food trends at home, as well.
Here are a few tips to help you get started:
Stock up on staple ingredients. If your pantry is stocked, it’s easier to be creative when the moment strikes. Stock up on: butter, flour, salt, herbs, spices, canned beans and tomatoes, pasta, vinegar and honey.
Don’t be afraid to spice things up. Make use of your spice rack by adding exotic spices to every-day dishes.
When experimenting with food trends, start simple. Take a favorite dish and incorporate a unique ingredient or cooking technique. That way, you know right away if you like the concept without investing a lot of time or money.
Life and cooking are all about balance. Adding contrast to dishes makes them well rounded and enjoyable. A balanced dish is a disappearing dish.
Remember:
- Fatty rich foods often benefit from a little acidity.
- Sweet dishes could usually use a little salt or spicy heat.
- Spicy foods are great with something creamy or cooling.
- Bitter foods often need a little sweetness.
Discover new food trends by dining out late. Chefs often try out their experimental dishes on the late-night, more adventurous diners. You can get some great inspiration by eating out after 9 p.m.
Here’s how I made these Butter Chicken Sliders….
Mix the hot water, sugar and vinegar in a medium bowl. Add the julienned mango and stir. Set aside.
For the butter chicken, place a large sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add the
Land O Lakes® Butter, onions and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Land O Lakes® Butter, onions and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Then add the spices, salt, crushed tomatoes and paste to the pot. Cover and turn the heat on low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Cut each chicken breast into 4 pieces, each about the size of the rolls. Stir in the heavy cream, then gently lay the cutlets in the butter chicken curry, layering the cutlets to make sure they are all flat and covered with sauce. Cover the pot again and simmer another 7 to 9 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Meanwhile, drain the mango, then add the jicama and radicchio. Toss and set aside.
To assemble: Open the rolls and place one chicken cutlet on each roll with a generous spoonful of sauce. Top with the pickled mango slaw and several cilantro leaves.
Place the bun top above and enjoy!
Butter Chicken Sliders
YIELD: 24 sliders
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Slaw:
- ½ cup hot water
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 firm ripe mango, peeled and cut julienne
- 1 cup jicama, julienne
- ½ cup radicchio, julienne
For the Butter Chicken:
- 2 half sticks Land O Lakes® Salted Butter (1/2 cup)
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons garam masala*
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 28-ounces can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts (6 breasts)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 24 small rolls, halved
- Cilantro leaves for garnish
Directions:
- Mix the hot water, sugar and vinegar in a medium bowl. Add the julienned mango and stir. Set aside.
- For the butter chicken, place a large saucepot over medium-low heat. Add the Land O Lakes®Butter, onions and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Then add the spices, salt, crushed tomatoes and paste to the pot. Cover and turn the heat on low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Cut each chicken breast into 4 pieces, each about the size of the rolls. Stir in the heavy cream, then gently lay the cutlets in the butter chicken curry, layering the cutlets to make sure they are all flat and covered with sauce. Cover the pot again and simmer another 7 to 9 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Meanwhile, drain the mango, then add the jicama and radicchio. Toss and set aside.
- To assemble: Open the rolls and place one chicken cutlet on each roll with a generous spoonful of sauce. Top with the pickled mango slaw and several cilantro leaves.
- Place the bun top above and enjoy!
*Substitute 1 ½ tablespoon garam masala: 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, ¾ teaspoon ground coriander, ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom, ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
