dinner plans

ben & i are enjoying a lazy saturday, mostly spent at home with a brief outing planned this afternoon for groceries & perhaps a stop at a pub on the way home.  i'm quite happy to be a home-body these days, puttering around the house, watching movies, and cooking up comforting foods.  tomorrow i'm planning to make a beef stew that will surely warm the soul, and probably serve as monday and tuesday night dinners as well.  tonight i'm making a favorite stand-by from 'cook's illustrated' that is easy, healthy & delicious (made easier by purchasing ground chicken breast, rather than mincing in the cuisinart as they suggest), served over brown rice... try it!

what's on the menu at your house tonight?

Thai-Style Chicken

Serves 4.   Published January 1, 2010.   From Cook's Illustrated.

INGREDIENTS

2	cups fresh basil leaves , tightly packed
3	medium garlic cloves , peeled
6	green or red Thai chiles , stemmed (see note)
2	tablespoons fish sauce , plus extra for serving (see note)
1	tablespoon oyster sauce
1	teaspoon white vinegar , plus extra for serving (see note)
1	tablespoon sugar , plus extra for serving (see note)
1	pound boneless, skinless chicken breast , cut into 2-inch pieces
3	medium shallots , peeled and thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
	red pepper flakes , for serving (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Process 1 cup basil leaves, garlic, and chiles in food processor until finely chopped, 6 to 10 one-second pulses, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula once during processing. Transfer 1 tablespoon basil mixture to small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon fish sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, and sugar; set aside. Transfer remaining basil mixture to 12-inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet. Do not wash food processor bowl.
2. 2. Pulse chicken and 1 tablespoon fish sauce in food processor until meat is chopped into -approximate 1/4-inch pieces, six to eight 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl and refrigerate 15 minutes.
3. 3. Stir shallots and oil into basil mixture in skillet. Heat over medium-low heat (mixture should start to sizzle after about 11/2 minutes; if it doesn’t, adjust heat accordingly), stirring constantly, until garlic and shallots are golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
4. 4. Add chicken, increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring and breaking up chicken with potato masher or rubber spatula, until only traces of pink remain, 2 to 4 minutes. Add reserved basil-fish sauce mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining cup basil leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until basil is wilted, 30 to 60 seconds. Serve immediately, passing extra fish sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, and vinegar separately.