The food is always spectacular from Confluence in Carefree Arizona. Not just great but usually detailed and very complex…..actually astonishing. I’ve been to many better restaurants in several states and I haven’t found one restaurant anywhere that does fish as well as from Confluence. This is the only restaurant where I am able to eat the skin. It’s seasoned just so and is crisp, delicious and stays crisp from first bite to last bite. The arctic char was tender, moist and cooked to perfection. If you like salmon then you will LOVE arctic char because it like a milder creamier salmon. The fish plates I tried from Confluence always “SING” with flavors that harmonize and go together like an orchestra arrangement. Here on this plate was sweetness from golden raisins. Piney, buttery flavor from pine nuts. Touches of bitter and salty from Gaeta Olives. A sort of floral saffron sauce is the glue that ties it all together and clean tasting patty pan squash and couscous complete the plate. It’s a stunning plate. Sweet, piney, buttery, touches of pleasant bitter, salty, floral…it’s delicious and interesting in the mouth.
The Arctic Char from Confluence in Carefree AZ was The Best Thing I ate out this week and was Worth a Fork!
We’ve been having the most incredible sales on corn and chicken quarters. Three cents an ear of corn from Safeway. Corn often has been eight for a dollar from Sprouts Grocery. Chicken quarters are often ninety – nine cents or less a pound from Safeway and also Walmart Grocery. This meal is delicious and even easier to make than other one pot meals I’ve posted because I skipped the step to sauté the vegetables…I also wanted to cut the sodium even more so I did and everything is still delicious and very flavorful. One thing I need to mention is that the chicken skin does not come out crisp in these one pot recipes. You also have to cook with a thermometer because you have to check for safe eating temperature. According to the government chicken is safe to eat at 165 degrees F. I prefer my dark meat chicken cooked between 180-200 degrees. I like when it falls off the bone and is very tender and flavorful. You might prefer it less cooked. I can’t tell you the exact minute your dish will be done since ovens and pans do differ but on the middle rack this will be ready around 120 minutes.
Ingredients for around 6 servings
4lbs chicken quarters (one tray of leg quarters around 4 pieces)
kosher salt – to taste (sprinkle well on both sides of chicken)
ground black pepper – to taste (sprinkle well on both sides of chicken)
granulated garlic – to taste (sprinkle well on both sides of chicken)
2 celery ribs – around one inch pieces
2 carrots – around one inch pieces
1 onion – chopped
13 garlic cloves – chopped
4 ears of corn – trimmed off the cob
4 medium sized peppers – chopped (I used Mexican Yellow peppers that are fruity but have some heat like shisitos) (Fresnos maybe 6-8 would also be good or a mix of bell peppers and a jalapeño)
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon ground annatto (also called achiote)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leans and some tender stems (to finish)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Chicken gets browned on both sides. It doesn’t matter if you do it in a fry pan or under a broiler for about 10 minutes a side. Leave the fat in the pan because you need it to flavor everything. (extra fat can be removed after chilling finished dish)
In a very large pan or oven safe pot (I used a half buffet pan) add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, corn, yellow peppers, coriander, cumin, oregano, annatto, smoked paprika, chili powder, bay leaves, water. Mix well and top this with the chicken. Cover tightly with foil. Leave in oven till the chicken is at least 165 degrees F. but I prefer the chicken between 180-200 degrees F. (around 120 minutes) You do how you like the chicken best. You might want to clean the chicken when it’s cool enough to handle. You should remove the bay leaves and give it a stir. Finish with fresh cilantro……….. (***If you make this ahead of time you can chill and easily remove the extra fat that stays on the surface and then reheat……as this is the perfect dish for that kind of cookery)
Forking EZ Delicious One Pot Southwest Chicken and Corn
Everyone will enjoy this! It’s not too spicy but it is very flavorful and it was easy to prepare.
This week corn was 3cents an ear from Safeway and also Sprouts had a secret sale that they send via email for 10 ears of corn for $2.00 so it was easy to get cheap corn this week. I came up with a few corn dishes and here is one of them that I made with no added fat and things I had in my refrigerator. You can sautés without fat when you add salt because the salt sweats the vegetables and gives off enough liquid to cook with. Next step is to add lots of flavors so you don’t miss the fat….That’s what was done here. This recipe will make around 4-6 servings depending on size of your corn. I was in a hurry to make this so I just sautéed it all real fast but you can also grill the vegetables or char them under a broiler if you have more time.
Ingredients for around 6 servings
4 ears of corn – cut off the cob
6 oz shishito peppers – stems cut off and cut in about thirds
1 red bell pepper diced
1 medium sweet onion – diced
1 hot pepper – fine chopped (jalapeno or Serrano or whatever hot pepper you like)
1 1/2 teaspoon course sea salt (or to taste)
2 garlic cloves – either ground to paste or microplane
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground annatto (also called achiote)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 lime (just the fresh squeezed juice)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro – chopped (just leaves and a few tender stems)
2 Tablespoons fresh epazote – chopped
Directions
Get a pot on medium high heat with the bell pepper, hot pepper, onions and salt in it. Cook until peppers are soft and onions are clear. Add garlic and mix well then add the corn and shishito peppers, cumin, coriander, annatto and black pepper. Cook a few minutes add the lime juice and serve with the fresh cilantro and epazote.
No Added Fat Delicious Southwest Style Corn
Delicious, very flavorful with a little heat and no added fat.
Los Andes is a small casual Peruvian Restaurant located in a strip mall that’s between north and central Phoenix Arizona. It’s not a fancy place but it seems clean.
Things started out great! We were greeted with interesting tasty samples of Peruvian Juices, crispy salted kernels and two tasty dipping sauces. Our server was younger but seemed so sweet and cheerful too!
One juice was passionfruit and the other was a more complex combination of several things that included purple rice and cloves. I enjoyed both of the juice samples but didn’t order juice today. I thought our server seemed disappointed that I didn’t order one of the juices so I explained that I was trying to save room for dessert. (juice has a lot of sugar…so I usually don’t drink juice but prefer my sugar in dessert)
The fried kernels are tasty…..They are even more tasty with the cilantro based sauce and the spicier red sauce but are difficult to dip because the kernels are small.
There were many appetizers that did sound delicious…..Many were made with potatoes and they also offered several ceviches that were interesting to me. Today I thought I’d just get my main because it seemed like a substantial plate and I was hoping to save room for a Peruvian Dessert.
I have to tell THE FORKING TRUTH so here it goes!
I ordered the Pescado Los Andes (fish in picante sauce with yucca, Peruvian corn and asparagus ($19.95 on menu).
But my heart sank when I saw the meal they made me. It wasn’t what I ordered. Actually I would never order this dish for a bunch of reasons. Looking at this dish was as painful as getting clubbed in the knees. I had a bad experience someplace else with ahi Amarillo sauce and I have weird hang ups from my childhood with shrimp and scallops……..They me Picante Los Andes (fish in ahi Amarillo (yellow pepper) shrimp, scallops, yucca, Peruvian corn and rice (on menu $17.95).
I told the server that I didn’t order this. She didn’t say anything. She just had that deer in the headlights kind of look.
I didn’t send it back for multiple reasons. I’m thinking is it possible that I ordered the wrong thing? Another reason I didn’t send it back is because I’ve worked in restaurants and I saw what not all but what some cooks do to people’s food that gets re-made…..Sending back food is maybe the worst thing that you can do to a cook in a restaurant. I also didn’t want my husband to wait to eat because his food would get old and cold if he had to wait.
I removed the shrimp and scallops and saved them for my dogs. I was slightly fearful about the sauce because from a different Peruvian Restaurant I didn’t like aji amarillo but this sauce was edible to me. It tasted almost like a pepper soup with a peppery kick but ran slightly salty. I hate to say this but I must if I tell The Forking Truth….This fish was cooked nicely but came with too much blood line on it (the dark earthy part of the fish). On salmon the blood line isn’t so strong tasting like it is on tilapia. I don’t eat tilapia often and didn’t expect that taste in my mouth and my stomach went a little wonky. The rice was fresh and fluffy. The yucca sticks were crisp and seemed free of oil.
My husband got their other signature dish the Lomo Saltado ($15.95).
The beef was tender and tasted like it was marinated in soy sauce. This plate included onions, tomatoes, fries, rice and cilantro mignonette………We are not certain if the cilantro mignonette made an appearance here.
Anywho-
I was hoping to try a Peruvian dessert……I really thought it would make me feel better from the fish. I saw Peruvian Ice Cream and Peruvian Donuts on the menu….I saw some different and interesting desserts in the local paper from here.
Our server didn’t ask us if we wanted dessert and slapped the check down on the table. I don’t know why but I didn’t feel like having dessert after that.
Andes candies come with the check.
I didn’t study the check till I got home.
I did order the right entree and was over charged too!
I did order the Pescado Los Andes but they gave me the Picante Los Andres ($17.95 on menu) When I look at the bill I know what went wrong. The waitress ordered what I asked for but the owner- cook made the wrong entree. The server could have fixed the situation if she looked at the food that she was serving me.
They over charged me by $3.00 🙁 I don’t know why I was over-charged.
That was my trip to Los Andes in Phoenix AZ
1/2 a Fork…mixed review…..could go either way……..Good Luck!
www.LosAndesPHX.com
Every FORKING Thing is subject to change and YOUR FORKING experience may or may not differ.
There’s no need to hop the Marrakech Express since we have Alzohour Market Bakery and Restaurant in Phoenix. Alzohour Market offers Halal Meats, some Indo-Euro, Moroccan-Middle Eastern Grocery, Islamic Clothing, Books, Baked Goods, A Moroccan/Middle Eastern Restaurant and MORE! This restaurant is in the bottom of the north end of Phoenix and is on the southeast corner of 27th and northern.
It looks like this when you walk in.
From my seat I look into the market.
We decide to share some falafels ($8.00 subject to change).
WOW! What a stunning presentation! WOW finally a very good falafel on this side of town.
It’s crisp, fluffy with good herby flavors and seems free of oil. The pickled cabbage, salad, pickles, lots of warm pita bread, garlic sauce and this INCREDIBLE CRAZY crazY CRazY FORKING GREAT Tzatziki sauce completes the plate. OMG it’s the FORKING BEST Tzatziki sauce in the whole FORKING world…….It’s almost cheesy. We had to ask about about it because it’s so different I thought maybe it was something that I’m unfamiliar with. The secret is that it’s made with house made yogurt. The portions are very generous so I can enjoy the rest another day.
One of the signature plates here is the B’Stilla. Here it is lovingly made with house made phyllo (also spelled filo) dough, CHICKEN, cinnamon and almonds. This is from a prior visit ($20.00 subject to change).
It’s oddly delicious but also very rich. My picture doesn’t show how large this really is. I think 1/4 of it is a serving….This serves four people pretty well.
Also from a prior visit we enjoyed the Cod Tangine ($15.00 subject to change).
The cod is in a tomato based sauce with onions, peppers, preserved lemon and spices. This dish also came with long grain rice.
Today I enjoyed the Frekeh with Chicken, fragrant exotic spices and almonds ($15.00 subject to change).
The frekeh is mixed with many surprises…..tiny noodles and other grains that are very aromatic. The chicken (leg and a thigh) is amazing…….it’s full of flavors and is so tender it just falls off the bones. The almonds are like little treats every now and then. This plate contains a few portions of the frekeh mixture so it’s more than you can eat but the whole plate was incredibly delicious. Our plates also came with salads.
The salad with made with very crisp iceberg lettuce, a little tomato, crisp pita and feta cheese.
My husband had the Traditional Moroccan dish of Couscous with Lamb ($15.00 subject to change).
It comes in mild or spicy…my husband got spicy…..He said it was FORKING AMAZING! He couldn’t tell me what it taste like but it was packed with delicious flavors. He said it was so Forking Great that he has to order it next time too. Today it was packed with many vegetables that include carrots, a red flesh squash that brought sweetness, garbanzo beans, Brussel sprouts and of course couscous. The portion here is also mighty large.
I wasn’t going to order dessert but the owner Zhor told me I had to try the dessert of the day.
Her house made pastry stuffed with cheese, pistachios, almonds and topped with honey. It was a stuffed baklava.
It was insanely good…It looks too sweet but wasn’t and was delicious. I know it was the BEST baklava I’ve ever had.
We washed it down with Tea.
OMG! This was the BEST TEA I EVER HAD in my LIFE! My husband doesn’t ever drink tea but even he said that tea was delicious. WOW!
I peeked into the store but I didn’t shop.
Then we pay.
It was so good my husband said that we can go back next week.
I do note that business hours do differ slightly than what is posted on the internet and the front window. (everyday around 11:30 and Sunday 12:00)
Alzohour Market – WORTH A FORK!
Worth a Fork!
www.www.Alzohour-Market.business.site
Everything is subject to change and your experience may differ.
These One Pot Chicken Recipes leave you with ultra tender flavorful chicken and a very flavorful side dish. The chicken gets browned on both sides and the drippings are used to flavor everything. You MUST cook with a thermometer to test the doneness of the chicken. The chicken is safe to eat at 165 degrees F but I prefer my dark meat cooked between 180 – 200 degrees F. You cook it to where you like chicken best and until the rice is done. I also can’t tell you exactly how long it will take. Ovens to differ and pans do differ in thickness. For best results place pan in middle rack. I also note than when you cook chicken this way that the skin will not come out crispy. I do note that Persian Style Rice is often more yellow than I made it. Not always but often yellow coloring is added. Other times turmeric or more saffron than I used is added…..I think I used the right amount of saffron that taste good.
Ingredients for around 6 servings
4 lbs chicken quarters (3 or 4 large leg quarters)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
1 lemon – slice off the rind and white stuff with a knife – chop uo the lemon into pea sized pieces – remove seeds
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cardamon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch saffron
1/2 c dried cherries
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 Tablespoon vegetable soup base (less sodium than salt and more flavor)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup rice (basmati is traditional)
1 1/2 cup water
Directions
Set oven to 350 degrees F.
Salt, pepper and use granulated garlic to season the chicken on both sides.
Brown the chicken on both sides. Either in a fry pan with a little oil or broil for about ten minutes on each side. The dripping go into a pot and put the chicken to the side. In the pot with the drippings add the garlic, lemon, cumin, cardamon, cinnamon, saffron, cherries, almonds soup base and black pepper on medium high heat for a couple minutes till the garlic looks cooked. Add the water and bring to a boil. Once boiling shut off and mix in the rice. Pour it in a large baking pan or a 1/2 pan and add the chicken. Cover well with foil and cook till the rice is done and the chicken is at least 165 degrees F. Check at 90 minutes. This dish may be done in around 90-120 minutes.
Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery is located in North Phoenix Arizona. This is a casual order at the counter Vietnamese Restaurant that specializes in serving about a dozen different Banh Mi baguette sandwiches. They also serve most Vietnamese favorites but DON’T SERVE PHO.
Everything I’ve tried at BMBVE is great and at this time (subject to change) EVERY FORKING THING on the menu is under $10.00 but the $4 $5 dollar menus should be mentioned because they are CRAZY GOOD for less than fast food prices.
You order at the counter, pay, grab a drink and seat yourself.
Every choice is a winner.
But this $4.00 and $5.00 Menu is not to be missed.
We tried most of the $4 and $5 dollar items.
Here are the egg rolls ($4.00)
Three crispy egg rolls with fish sauce and lettuce and vegetables to wrap around the egg rolls.
Fire cracker salmon rolls ($4.00).
My favorite on the $4.00 are the potstickers. These potstickers are better here than from most restaurants in the area. They also come in chicken or pork.
I think my husband’s favorite $4.00 are the pork belly bao buns….(he said they were better than the last bao buns he’s tried)
The $5.00 menu is so much better than any fast food I’ve tried anywhere.
One of my favorite $5.00 plates is the lotus root salad.
It light refreshing, crunchy and herby…….It comes with shrimp but I usually skip the shrimp…He’s a better look.
There is a $5.00 Papaya salad too.
The $5.00 chicken cabbage salad is CRAZZZZZZZZZzzzzy good.
This is a pretty Forking BIG salad for $5.00 and it’s DELICIOUS TOO! It’s more like a Vietnamese herbed slaw that’s lightly creamy lots of marinated slices of chicken in it. It’s light but filling and very satisfying. This might be the best deal in North Phoenix!
Everything at Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery is Worth a Fork! ….(but the $4.00 & $5.00 menus are really special!)
Worth a Fork!
www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com
Every THING is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.
This is not an authentic recipe but it is made with many of the flavors that Tikki Masala contains. I was thinking that most people would probably like a Tikki Masala Potato dish so here my variation that you might enjoy. My variation doesn’t contain any dairy. Feel free to change it up with heavy cream or half and half or yogurt instead of the coconut milk if you care too. This Vegetarian Tikki Masala Style Potato Stew is delicious and very aromatic with a little heat. Feel free to adjust to heat to your liking.
Ingredients for about 8 servings
3 lbs red skinned potatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 Tablespoons course sea salt
1 serrano pepper (or to taste) – fine chopped
1 inch fresh ginger – fine chopped
3 garlic cloves – fine chopped
1 Tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garan masala
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 red bell pepper – rough chopped
1/2 sweet onion – rough chopped
1 13.50 ounce can coconut milk
2 cups potato water (from what you boiled potatoes in)
1 teaspoon curry leaves (fine chopped) (some people treat curry leaves like bay leaves and toss them out)
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 cup frozen peas
1 carrot – peeled, sliced thin
Directions
Peel potatoes and cover well with water in a sauce pot. Try to get the potatoes about the same size so they all cook at the same time. Add cumin, red pepper flakes, black pepper, granulated ginger, granulated garlic, cinnamon and course sea salt to the water. Bring the water to boil and reduce to a slower boil. Boil the potatoes under they are fork tender. (about 15 minutes) Then drain the potatoes, set to the side and SAVE the flavorful potato water. You need about two cups of it for your sauce.
Put a pan on medium high heat with oil, serrano pepper, ginger, garlic, paprika, chili powder, garan masala, tomato paste and sugar. Heat till fragrant. Then toss in the red pepper and onion. Heat them up till they are cooked threw. Add coconut milk, 2 cups potato water. Let it reduce to half. Mash about three potatoes into the sauce to make it thicker. Add the carrots and peas they only need about a minute. Add Potatoes back and the remaining herbs. Serve.
The Phoenician Tavern is a casual pub kind of restaurant located by the golf course at the Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale Arizona.
When you get to the gate keeper’s booth and stop…then turn right to get to the Phoenician Tavern. Next walk up the steps or hop on the elevator and you’re here.
Reservation or not the hostess will ask your name and you will be address by your name from your server.
We make are way to the dining room.
There are tv’s on the walls, dark furniture, matching wood trim and neutral colors and big windows around the room.
There’s views of the golf course from most of the windows.
They offer a lot of variety on the menu….There are all kinds of snacks like chips, dips, hot chicken and wings. There is fish and chips, macaroni and cheese, prime rib, burgers, salads, soup and more.
Today I went with the warm citrus salmon sandwich on toasted dill bread. ($17.00 subject to change)
Sandwiches are held together with cute golf tee picks.
The sandwich is STUFFED with LOTS of reasonably fresh tasting salmon that cooked around medium well but is still juicy.
Also in the sandwich is peppery arugula and a sweet heirloom tomato slice. The lightly grilled dill bread is also brushed with a lemon curry mayo. Sides that come with the sandwiches are fries, sweet potato fries and the pub salad that comes with mustard vinaigrette. I picked the pub salad and it’s light, tasty and refreshing. I notice that the cucumbers sure didn’t come from Safeway because these are crisp, sweet tasting and also are de-seeded.
My husband tried the smoked wagu tri tip French dip ($16.00 subject to change).
There is caramelized onions on the sandwich. There is also Camelback IPA mustard that my husband said is especially good. The smoked wagu tri tip is flavorful, tender and also is a generous amount. Au ju for dipping completes the French dip.
Service was efficient and friendly
That was my first taste at The Phoenician Tavern in Scottsdale
www.ThePhoenicanTavern.com/Phoenican.Tavern
Every THING is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.
Hush Public House is a small but slightly upscale restaurant located in a strip mall in the north end of Scottsdale Arizona. They offer a full bar and menu of mostly many sharing plates that might be slightly globally inspired but lean slightly towards Italian. They also offer a variety of dinners. On the night of my visit pasta, chicken, seafood and beef were all on the menu.
When you walk in you see a busy and also loud bar.
The music is also kind of loud.
When you are seated you see how this is really a tiny place.
The kitchen is behind half of the bar.
Here’s the other half of the bar.
We decided to start with something salad like but more interesting. We tried the grilled treviso.
It’s covered with finely shredded manchego cheese, cured egg and chives…..I taste some. It’s very bitter…..I knew it would be bitter because treviso is a bitter kind of fancy cabbage…..but this is really bitter. The cheese is very good and gives some relief to the bitterness. This dish is unique and interesting but isn’t for everyone because you have to have a high tolerance for bitterness. ($13.00 subject to change)
For dinner I tried the roasted half chicken.
My half chicken is missing the wing and leg. The skin is notably crisp and is served over Swiss chard, wild mushrooms and is in a rich Madeira laced stock that is stunning and delicious. The Breast is kind if thin for breast and is on the dry side but the thigh is much more flavorful and moist……there just isn’t much of it ($25.00 subject to change).
My dinner might not be typical of what they usually serve…..This dinner has been featured in our local newspaper, other publications and Yelp. I took a photo from Yelp so you can see what I saw from other publications.
www.Yelp.com
Any who-
My husband tried the Italian Beef Sandwich ($28.00 subject to change)
The brioche bun sandwich is served open faced. The slightly over toasted bread is soaking in a pool of rich beefy stock. There’s melted smoked provolone cheese, and a small amount of melty succulent tender beef that is topped with finely chopped giardinara. The plate is almost amazing except for one thing. This $28.00 sandwich only has about 3 ounces of beef on it.
We tried the peach toast for dessert ($16.00 subject to change).
The palisade peaches are especially flavorful and are delicious. House made ricotta is very creamy. There’s hazelnut dukkah, fresh mint and some local honey on a very sturdy toasted grain bread. It’s all delicious here…
That was my trip to Hush Public House in Scottsdale AZ.
www.HushPublicHouse.com
Every Forking THING is subject to change and your experience may or may NOT differ.
