"Studio Granada Architects" Pomegranate Chicken

After making this dish I learned that the "pomegranate" is derived from the Latin  pomum ("apple") and granatus ("seeded") and that the city of Granada may have been named after this fruit. So I chose to relate this dish to a beautiful sustainable home in Iceland by Studio Granada Architects. http://studiogranda.is/ Complete with passive solar design, geothermal heating and a lovely green roof, this home uses sustainable design while blending in with the surrounding beautiful landscape.

Ingredients:

•  a few tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 lbs. of chicken beasts cut into cubes
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 2 beets, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 half cup of walnuts, pulsed in a blender
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup of grenadine
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 1 cup of basmati rice
• seeds from 1 pomegranate

for the cucumber yogurt

• 2 cups of Greek yogurt
• 1/2 a cucumber peeled and shredded
• a bit of lemon juice
• salt and pepper

How to make it,

1. Brown the chicken in a bit of olive oil over high heat, then remove from the pan and set aside.
2. In a large saute pan, saute the chopped onions in a bit of olive oil, then add the beets, garlic, walnuts, cinnamon and cayenne. stir for a few minutes
3. Add the grenadine and stock and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and cover and let it cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add the chicken  and half the pomegranate seeds and simmer stirring now and then for a half hour or so, be sure to taste the sauce to see if it needs more salt and pepper.
5. For the basmati rice, boil 1 1/2 cups of water then simmer and add 1 cup of rice, simmer for 12-15 minutes.
6. For the yogurt add the shredded cucumber to the yogurt and season with salt and pepper.
7. When I plated this dish i filled a cup with the rice then flipped it over, then poured the chicken stew mixture on top, garnishing with the other half of pomegranate seeds and a bit of mint. Then put the yogurt on the side, enjoy!

"La Caixa" Stuffed Shells

This Catalan dish is so delicious don't be surprised if your guests find themselves licking the bechamel sauce off their plates. When thinking of what architectural moment to relate to this recipe, I stumbled onto this lovely metro stop at the La Caixa Center in Spain by Arata Isozaki. Just as this shell dish holds a lovely filling comprised of 4 meats, onion and leek, this sculptural canopy is made of tree like structures which hold a beautiful glass canopy above.
Just as an added Spanish twist after seeing this canopy I was consequently reminded of one of my favorite sculptural pieces Berlin, by Spanish sculptor Eduardo Chillida, enjoy!

Ingredients,

• 1 box of. large pasta shells
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1 lb. of ground beef, veal, and pork
• 1 lb. of boneless chicken breast cut into small cubes
• 1 onion chopped finely
• 1 leek, cut into thin rings
• 2 tbsp of breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper to taste 
• 4 tbsp of butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• ground nutmeg to taste
• 1 cup freshly grated Fontina Cheese

How to make it,

1. Preheat oven to 390 F. Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet and brown the meat, onion and leek.
2. Stir in the breadcrumbs and add salt and pepper.
3. Next is to make a rue, melt the butter in a pan and blend in the flour, cook until the mixture is a pale yellow viscous substance.
4. Add the stock and the milk, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth.
5. Then bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.
6. Season this sauce with thyme, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg, be sure to taste!
7. Boil the shells until al dente, then fill with the shells with the meat/onion/leek mixture on a metal pan or glass dish.
8. Pour the bechamel sauce ontop of the shells. then add the grated cheese.
9. Bake for 25 minutes, then serve hot.