Sweet, savory ideas with raspberries

I stumbled across some raspberries at the Farmer’s market the other day. Naturally, I started thinking of different ways to serve them. Dessert was the first thing to pop into my mind. There are many ways that you can use them to end your meal. I also wanted to find a way to use them in a savory dish.

With that in mind, I present to you two different dishes using raspberries. The first is a dessert, Chocolate Raspberry Napoleons. The second one is for your main course, Jalapeño Raspberry Chicken. So gather your raspberries from the market, and Let’s head to the kitchen!

Chocolate Raspberry Napoleons

9 sheets phyllo dough

Vegetable cooking spray

3 tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling

1 1/2 cups cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons Cointreau (sub orange extract for non-alcoholic version)

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, chopped fine

1/4 cup milk

3 cups raspberries

Preheat oven to 350℉.

Lay one phyllo sheet on a clean working surface. Spray half the sheet with cooking spray and lightly sprinkle with sugar. Fold the clean half over the sugared half. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with sugar. Lay another sheet down. Repeat the layering until  three sheets have been layered on top of each other to create a complete Napoleon layer of six half sheets. Cut into six squares and place on a sheet pan. Repeat the process twice with remaining phyllo dough and place on sheet pan. You will have a total of 18 squares. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

In a mixer, whip cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and Cointreau until light and creamy. Lay a baked phyllo layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of cream mixture on top. Cover with raspberries. Lay another baked phyllo layer on top. Spread with cream mixture and cover with raspberries. Lay the final phyllo layer on top and refrigerate. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate with milk on low heat. To serve, pour chocolate sauce over napoleons and top with any remaining raspberries.

Jalapeño Raspberry Chicken

Raspberry Glaze

½ cup raspberry preserves

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon garlic, minced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon black pepper

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Chicken

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

½ teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup fresh raspberries

To make the glaze

In a medium bowl, combine the raspberry preserves, olive oil, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix until well incorporated. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the Creole seasoning and chili powder.

Apply the seasoning mixture evenly to the chicken thighs.

To a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add oil. Once hot, add the seasoned chicken thighs. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to work in batches.Cook the chicken for 5 minutes on one side. Flip the chicken, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and transfer it to a plate. Tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

To the skillet, add jalapeño peppers and raspberry glaze. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits in the pan. Add the fresh raspberries to the skillet, gently stirring to coat the raspberries in the glaze without breaking them up too much.Return the chicken to the skillet. Spoon the glaze over the top of the chicken and cook until the chicken is heated through again, about a minute.Serve warm.

Fruits like raspberries and blueberries are a great ingredient for everyday cooking. They add freshness to any dish. They make excellent garnishments to brighten up your dishes. They are well worth the trip to the Farmer’s market.