…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? Hawaiian Luau Chicken is sure to transport you to sunny skies, ocean waves and warm sands at Waikiki Beach. You can smell the intoxicating aroma of the luau made by simmering chicken thighs in an aromatic broth of soy sauce (or shoyu), ginger, garlic and brown sugar, it’s bright and bursting with umami flavor. “Shoyu” is a Japanese-style soy sauce that’s made with a combination of soy and wheat. It has a sweet-and-salty flavor and is used in stir-fries, as a dipping sauce for tempeh, sushi, grilled meat, tofu, eggs and vegetables and as a marinade. Aloha brand is commonly used in Hawaii but Kikkoman is an easily accessible brand that works just as well. Hawaiian Luau Chicken is best served with rice, of course, and sautéed bok choy, udon noodles, or stir-fried vegetables are all great accompaniments. Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1/2 cup shoyu soy sauce ( I prefer Kikkoman low sodium) 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 5 tablespoons finely chopped garlic 3 tablespoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger 1-3/4 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (roughly 1-1/2 to 2 pounds) 2-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch Sliced fresh scallions (green onion tops) Directions
ChefSecret: If you want to get the true luau flavor, finish off the chicken thighs on an outdoor barbecue. Quip of the Day: This luau has me on island time—no rush, just relax. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #Dinner #HawaiianLuauChicken #Aloha #Shoyu #IslandDinner #WaikikiBeach #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025
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…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? What’s the perfect crowd pleasing dish for your Super Bowl party? Chili, of course! Firehouse Beef & Bean Chili is always at the top of my list when the weather cools. But even when the weather warms, I can always go for a big bowl of chili. My recipe lets the slow cooker do most of the work. Today most Instant Cookers have a slow-mode button, so you don’t have to go out and buy another piece of kitchen equipment. The slower the chili cooks, the heartier the chili is, and you can serve it so many different ways. Leftovers are never a problem, you can smother an omelet, ladle it on hot dogs or burgers, spoon it over baked potatoes or just pile it high in a bowl with toppings of you choosing. I highly recommend browning the beef in a skillet along with the onions and garlic before adding the meat to your slow cooker. The browning process amps up the savory flavors in the chili and gives the spices a chance to bloom, enhancing their flavor. If you don’t have time or don’t want to mess up a clean skillet, you don’t have to. The beef will cook fine in the slow cooker, and it will be completely safe to eat. You’ll miss out on the flavor from browning the beef, onions, garlic, and spices because caramelizing them a bit adds a huge amount of flavor to the chili, and you’ll be disappointed if you skip the step. If you want to get dinner ready before you leave for work, then set the slow cooker to low and let it simmer for 8 hours, and it will be perfect. When you walk in the door the aroma will knock your socks off. Or you start the chili in the afternoon, cook it on high heat, and have it ready in 3 to 4 hours. If you go with this method, stir the chili occasionally so it cooks evenly. When it comes to additions for your chili, you can go completely crazy with options — fried onion strings, minced raw white onions, Fritos, avocado, pimento cheese… even bacon! If you have the time, make some crispy corn strips to top your chili. I included the recipe below. Once you make them from scratch, you’ll be glad you did. If you’re pressed for time, store-bought corn tortilla chips work just fine! Personally, I like classic chili toppings, like cheese, sour cream, and chives. If you have leftover chili, you’re in luck! Chili is super versatile, and you can use it in so many ways. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 7 to 8 hours Yield: 6 to 8 servings Ingredients For the chili 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 pounds ground beef (90/10) 1 cup diced white onion 6 tablespoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 2 tablespoons mild chili powder 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup Stout Beer (I prefer Guinness) or beef stock 1 (4.5-ounce) can green chiles 2 (15-ounce) cans drained and rinsed kidney beans 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 cup corn chips (I prefer Fritos for the nutty flavor) For the crispy tortillas strips garnish 4 corn tortillas, sliced into strips 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt For garnish 1/2 cup sour cream 1 cup grated cheese 4 tablespoons green onion tops or chopped chives Directions
ChefSecret: If you would like to substitute chunky steak, you can. Use round steak cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Brown the steak in a skillet seasoned with salt and pepper, just like the ground beef, and then proceed with the recipe as written. Quip of the Day: Why hasn’t someone figured out how to slow-cook grapes? Eight-hours later you’d have a bottle of wine. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #Chili #FirehouseBeef-BeanChili #SuperBowlChili #SuperBowlRecipe #SlowCooker #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? My executive chef, Spencer, used to tell me the magical thing about Pad Thai is the way it layers flavor with texture. It’s bright, hot, nutty, salty, sweet, and full of umami, a perfectly balanced complexity that belies the stir-fry ease of the dish. It’s also the rare dish that everyone agrees on—I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love Pad Thai. For all those reasons, it’s a meal maker’s dream—it’s fun to make it for other folks because you always get more than 100% appreciation back on your cooking effort. According to food histories, Pad Thai is based on the Chinese culinary tradition of stir fries. Kway teow is Chinese for rice noodles and pad is fried in Thai, so the name roughly translates to ‘Thai-style stir-fried noodles.’ It was either invented or introduced to Thailand in the 1930s, a pivotal time in the country’s politics, when its leaders were trying to both westernize and build national unity (Refer to the King & I Movie). Street vendors were encouraged to make Pad Thai as an expression of Thai cuisine, but also to help the country through an economically difficult time—rice noodles, stir fried veggies and very little protein add up to a satisfying yet inexpensive meal. The dish takes the bulk of its flavor from a sauce made with tamarind paste, fish sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar. If you don’t have tamarind paste, you can replicate its signature sour-sweet flavor with pomegranate molasses and lime juice—as I’ve done here. The result is a close approximation to tradition: a tangy, umami-riffic sauce that clings to the noodles and the dish’s many other ingredients. For protein, I use chicken. The chicken is nice and chewy and brings some fat to the dish. The chicken gets tossed into a wonderful jumble with the aromatics, chewy noodles, veggies—bean sprouts, shallots, and green onions—and that beautiful sauce. Add the crunchy peanuts and bright cilantro leaves, and you’re all set. Pad Thai is a fantastic dinner. It’s also impressive for weekend lunches and, given the egg, I’d even fry up a big batch for brunch. It pairs well with deep, dark, chewy, roasty beers, like porters or stouts, or a glass of Fume or Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling. Ingredients For the Pad Thai sauce 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 2-1/2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (see ChefSecret) 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce 1/3 cup water 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper For the Pad Thai 4 ounces dry Pad Thai white rice noodles 3 teaspoons peanut oil, divided 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 chicken breast, sliced into ¼”-thick strips 6 ounces extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into ½ x ½ x 2” batons 2 shallots, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 3 large eggs 1 pinch salt 2 cups bean sprouts, plus more for garnish 4 green onions, thinly sliced on the bias 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped, for garnish 1/3 cup cilantro, leaves only, for garnish 6 lime wedges, for garnish Chili oil, for serving Directions To make the Pad Thai sauce
ChefSecret: If you can find tamarind paste, use 4 tablespoons of that instead of the pomegranate molasses and lime juice mixture. For added heat and a little color, feel free to add slivers of red chile. Quip of the Day: I never knew tofu could be this good! Honestly it never o-curd to me. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #PadThai #OrientalBangkok #RiceNoodles #Tamarind #Dinner #Brunch #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? It’s really chilly everywhere this week, and while it may be hard to imagine for some, there is a winter season in Las Vegas… always a good time for a great hearty soup. I love my Mama Mia’s Original Sicilian Soup. It’s a classic Italian dish made with hearty ingredients like sausage, white beans and root vegetables all simmered together in a flavorful broth. Prepare your tastebuds when you spoon up shlurps of this soup with bright and comforting flavors. This is a complex dish with layers of creamy and tender beans and spicy Italian sausage slices to the rich broth filled with hearty winter vegetables. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 50 minutes+ Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 finely chopped leek (white and tender green parts only) 2 carrots, 1 finely chopped, 1 sliced 1/2 finely chopped fennel bulb 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 3/4 cup dried white navy beans 1/2 cup farro 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes 2 quarts low-sodium chicken stock 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 2-inch piece parmesan cheese rind 4 cups water 13 ounces Italian sausage cut into 1/2 inch rounds 4 large, chopped cabbage leaves large center ribs removed (about 2 cups) 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, for serving Directions
ChefSecret: The Parmesan rind adds a nutty, fuller flavor to the soup. What else were you going to do with it? Quip of the Day: My mother used to feed me alphabet soup when I was a kid. She insisted on me telling everyone that I loved it. I really didn't, she was just putting words in my mouth! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Soups #OriginalSicilianSoup #ItalianSausage #Farro #Fennel #ParmesanCheese #2025Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? Sheet Pan Mediterranean Crispy Chicken is a beloved Middle Eastern dish that combines a bold contrast of Mediterranean flavors thrills… bright with sumac and lemon, yet full of earthy, warming spices like cumin, cinnamon and allspice. It’s also one of those showstopping platters that, with just a little forethought, you can make on the average weeknight. It is the king of sheet-pan dinners. It works best to start the marinade process early in the morning. The marinade is a simple combination of lemon juice (fresh is better), olive oil, garlic cloves and spices. There is no chopping, mincing and dicing or fussing. Six to eight hours in the marinade gives the chicken plenty of time to soak up all that flavor. When ready to cook, just toss it in the oven and then use the roasting time to prepare all the garnishes and pour a glass of wine. The chicken comes out of the oven unbelievably juicy with a deep golden brown color and crispy skin. Serve it on a platter of warm (grilled or toasted) crusty bread to sop up all the flavorful pan juices. To fully enjoy, pull off hunks of the bread and fold them around the deeply aromatic chicken, crunchy toasted pine nuts and pungent red onions. It is perfection in every single bite. Prep time: 15 minutes Marinate time: 6 to 8 hours (overnight is great) Cook time: 40 to 45 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 2 to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on whole chicken legs and thighs 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1-1/2 tablespoons crushed sumac 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 warm loaf crust French, sourdough or rustic bread 4 tablespoons toasted pine nuts 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, for garnish 2 fresh lemons cut into 8 lemon wedges, for serving Directions
Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. ChefSecret: I like to make this dish with cubed, roasted potatoes. Just place the potatoes right next to the chicken pieces and see how they absorb all the wonderful roasted jus. Quip of the Day: Q. What do you call a chicken who’s a little different? A. Eggs-centric! Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to [email protected]. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #Chicken #SheetPanIQ #MediterraneanCrispyChicken #Potato #Lemon #SheetPanDinner #2025 #QuarantineKitchen #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025 |
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