W4D IN A FLASH: TJ'S EDITION
A Lil Help from Uncle Joe to get Dinner on the Table...
When you’ve got a family full of hungry bellies, and you’re short on time (or you just DON’T feel like cooking), it’s time to lean on someone else to get dinner on the table. Of course you could grab drive-thru or order pizza, but even those options take longer than a well-stocked arsenal of TJ’s products in your kitchen. **For the record, we are not getting paid by Trader Joe’s, but we should be! We, like many of you, just love their stuff. (TJ, call us!)**
So this week, we’ve got two takeout fakeouts from TJ’s that come together in no time at all (and very little effort). Anthony’s sprucing up TJ’s Chicken Tikka Masala, and Elizabeth has an unbelievable 10-Minute Sweet Potato Gnocchi hack that will make you wonder why you haven’t been making it since TJ’s first opened!
10-MINUTE SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI WITH PANCETTA & BABY BROCCOLI
EK: It’s hard to believe this restaurant-quality dish of soft, pillowy, sweet-potato gnocchi, pancetta, baby broccoli and aged Parmesan Reggiano cheese can be cooked in 10 minutes flat! But that’s not all, it is one of the best gnocchi dishes that I have ever eaten. And the big bonus is that it only costs about $6 a serving. Crazy good and crazy cheap!
AU: I cannot wait to make this! It looks elegant and seems like a simple and fast meal to make…
EK: It is both elegant and simple! Now for the small print: it takes a little bit longer than 10 minutes to make because there’s a tiny bit of prep work, but when I say tiny I mean tiny—about 5 minutes to chop the broccoli and grate the cheese. And the truth is you will shell out more than $12 at the store if you don’t have olive oil, butter and Parm at home.
AU: Well, I always have those items on hand—they’re pantry staples! And it’s still cheaper than going to a restaurant.
EK: Yes it is. Besides having so many great high-quality products from all over the world, Trader Joe’s is value priced—it’s like shopping wholesale instead of retail. There are some products that are worth making the trip even if you don’t need anything else, and my top reason is authentic Italian Parmigiano Reggiano (they have a great selection of EVOOs, too). It’s the best price in town.
Piece for piece, it is about a third of the cost from my local Harris Teeter (a grocery store chain near me). At TJ’s, a chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano was about $7 bucks, and at my grocery store, it was $20! Even better, for a few dollars more a pound TJ’s sells the Parmigiano Reggiano Stravecchio.
If you’ve never heard of Parmigiano Reggiano Stravecchio, don’t feel bad. Most people haven’t and I’ve never seen it in a regular grocery store. The difference is in the aging. Parmigiano Reggiano that we all know and love is aged at least two years. The Stravecchio is aged an additional year, and that year gives it a more complex flavor and texture—more “flavor” crystals, which I personally can’t get enough of. And btw, There is also a Stravecchiones which is aged four or more years.
EK: Let’s get back to our 10 minute dinner! It really is as simple as the photograph. And, I have to give Bob Blumer credit for creating the recipe hack. He has been making a variation of this dish since the Sweet Potato Gnocchi was introduced, and I love how it has evolved. You won’t believe how delicious it is. So special, in fact, that you can make it for dinner guests and I promise they will leave raving about your Italian kitchen skills!
EK: The recipe is made all in one pan, and in stages. It’s fast, so it is important to prep everything in advance and set out your mis en place. Once you have everything ready, it’s time to cook. You will build the recipe in an 11-inch sauté pan with a lid, adding ingredients in 4 steps:
Fry the pancetta in a little EVOO for 3 minutes.
Add the chopped baby broccoli, and let cook with the lid on for 2 minutes.
Add the frozen bag of gnocchi and a pat of butter; cook with the lid on for 3 minutes,
Add 1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano (grated on a microplane-style grater), and stir into the mixture for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese and reduce the sauce.
AU: Even though this is a “shortcut recipe,” it still evokes the hallmark of Bob’s manifesto from his latest cookbook, Flavorbomb. You are building flavor with every step of the cooking process, and that’s how you get a tasty final product!
EK: You’re right! And that is the genius of this recipe! As long as you follow the steps, you will be richly rewarded. Note that this recipe serves 2, but can be easily doubled.
Here’s Your Grocery List:
1 package (4oz) Citterio Diced Pancetta
1 small chunk Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmigiano Reggiano Stravecchio; you will have leftovers
1 package of Frozen TJ’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Butter and Sage
1 package TJ’s Baby Broccoli
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
TJ’S TIKKA MASALA CURRY SAUCE SAVES DINNER
AU: When I don’t feel like cooking (which happens more often than you think!), I turn to tried-and-true classiques. Usually, “a classic” is some form of favorite takeout or an easy pasta.
My lovely husband, Josh (who very seldom gets to decide what we have for dinner—them is the breaks when you’re not the cook!), LOVES when I tell him I don’t feel like “cooking,” and therefore, we’re having TJ’s Chicken Tikka Masala from a pouch. Yes, I know I can make Butter Chicken easily in the pressure cooker, but it requires more chopping and measuring than this shortcut version…
Instead of just simmering the sauce with 12oz of protein, like the package directions instruct, I make it a whole meal with a few low-effort/high-reward steps. Dressing up the store bought version is as simple as adding plenty of veggies, in the form of precut cauliflower florets (and anything else that’s about to languish in the fridge crisper)!
AU: You’ll need a pound of protein—I always cube my own boneless, skinless chicken thighs (because that’s my brand!), —but did you know that TJ’s sells cubed chicken breasts for this very purpose?!? If chicken isn’t your thing, you can make this with tofu, vegetables, or shrimp—even TJ’s frozen party meatballs would be tasty!
EK: I love your surprise addition of roasted cauliflower. I can’t think of a more perfect vegetable for chicken tikka masala! And the thought of roasted cauliflower drenched in that creamy spicy tomato sauce is making me want to make this tonight!
AU: In addition to your protein of choice, you’11 want to pick up some other basics from TJ’s:
Tikka Masala Curry Sauce - usually found on the canned goods/pasta aisle. I buy a minimum of two at a time, so I’m always ready to make this meal. They used to sell a Masala Simmer Sauce in a jar, but that has been discontinued. This sauce is good, but it lacks any spice, so you’ll want to give it a goose from your own spice cabinet.
Naan - or as TJ’s labels it “Traditional Indian Style Flatbread.” I buy the plain one from the bread section, and gussy it up, but it does come in “Garlic” flavor, too.
Garlic Spread Dip - (aka “toum”) this is a white spread that is whipped garlic, oil, and lemon.
Cauliflower Florets - Half of the chopping is already done—time saved.
Red Onion - We’re going to slice this thinly and barely cook it. It adds a nice color, flavor, and crunch to the dish.
Cilantro (or Scallions) - for some fresh green color and herby flavor
Coconut Milk or Dairy - I like to add 3 tbsps - 1/4 cup of either rich coconut milk or some kind of dairy (yogurt, cream, half & half, butter, etc) to make the sauce extra silky.
Curry Powder Spice Blend - This doesn’t need to be from TJ’s. But some sort of a curry powder blend is good to season the chicken before simmering. I like to add one with a little cayenne (or other pepper) for some good heat.
Basmati Rice - If you’re not eating this over rice, then you’re missing half the fun. All the saucy goodness mixes with the floral basmati rice! *Extra credit: I pop a few whole green cardamom pods into my rice maker when I am making this dish.
EK: You are brilliant! I love Cardamon and never thought of adding it to my rice cooker! You have upped my rice game once again!!
AU: It’s a great trick, because it just scents the rice—it’s not overpowering. Be sure to use whole green cardamom pods. Here’s how the meal comes together…
FOR THE RICE: I am horrible at cooking rice, so I always use my trusty rice cooker. The only thing I do differently, as mentioned above, is add a few cardamom pods to the pot as the rice cooks. *I also choose the “harder” setting for white rice on my cooker when I’m making basmati rice, so it doesn’t overcook.
FOR THE TJ’S CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA:
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Spread cauliflower florets on a rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, until edges of florets are browned in spots. *If any florets are larger than 1.5”, I cut them into smaller pieces before roasting.
Meanwhile, Add 1 lb. cubed chicken to a small bowl, and toss with 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and curry powder spice blend. Set aside.
Thinly slice 1 small red onion into half moons, about 1/4” thick. Chop cilantro leaves until you have about 1/4 cup. Set aside. *Only use half, if it’s a large onion
In a 3-quart or larger pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the seasoned chicken to the pan in an even layer. Let cook on one side for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken releases easily from the bottom of the pan. Stir chicken, and continue cooking.
Scatter sliced red onion around the cooking chicken. Let soften, but not all the way, about 3 minutes. If the chicken is splattering too much, you can cover the pot, but leave the lid cracked for steam to escape.
Add a packet of the TJ’s Tikka Masala Curry Sauce and reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 2-5 minutes.
When cauliflower is finished cooking, remove roasted florets from the oven and add to the pot with the chicken. Stir to coat. Reduce oven temperature to 375ºF for the Naan, and turn off heat from stove.
Stir in coconut milk or dairy, as desired, (off the heat) and add 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves (or thinly sliced scallion greens).
Spoon tikka masala into bowls with basmati rice, and serve with Naan and lime wedges (optional) on the side.
FOR THE NAAN: Reduce oven temp to 375ºF. Spread a thin layer of the TJ’s Garlic Spread Dip on each piece of Naan (about a teaspoon each), then sprinkle with kosher salt. Once the oven is preheated, toast the naan for 10-12 minutes on the same rimmed baking sheet used for the cauliflower. When the Naan is done, it tastes just like an Olive Garden breadstick (in a GOOD way!).
AU: There you have it! An incredibly flavorful complete meal chock full of veggies and protein without much work! Thanks for the assist, TJ’s! xx