Gang, I have a test tonight, so my chicken mole poblano post will go up tomorrow.  Thanks for your patience!

Please, do not be deterred by the alarming color.  This food is safe for human consumption, and delicious!

I’m getting this up a bit late – just got back from a two week long, out-of-town trip.  Thanks for your patience with me these past few months, folks.  I was hoping it would turn out to be a quiet year, but the universe had other plans for me.

This month, Temperance of High on the Hog chose Coq au Vin from Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook: Strategies, Recipes, and Techniques of Classic Bistro Cooking.  You can find the recipe here (my minor adaptations will be below the jump), as well as the R2R blogroll.  I followed the recipe pretty much to a “T,” with a couple exceptions.  First, I eliminated the pearl onions.  Master Chow, my honorable husband, will not eat them, so it would have been a waste of grocery money.  Second,  I made the dish with chicken legs and thighs.  Why?  Because I’ve made coq au vin before, and despite my best efforts, the breast meat turned out dry as a bone.

Temperance chose a great recipe – it’s easier than others that I have tried or looked at, and Bourdain broke it down to very manageable steps, although some of his instructions were a bit vague and required me to adapt a bit.  Reducing some of the red wine amped up the flavor, and adding a bit of flour to thicken the sauce really did wonders for the texture.

Another fun recipe from the R2R gang, and another lesson learned for me – just because you’ve made a dish before, go ahead and try it with a different recipe – the results just may be worth it!

Cooking Notes:  My husband really, really liked this dish – he said it was so much better than my previous attempt at coq au vin.  I used Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw brand Cabernet Sauvignon, and I marinated the chicken for . . . 3 days.  Yup.  You read that correctly.  I was so busy I couldn’t get to it, and I was afraid it had turned to mush.  Didn’t happen, and I think that was because I used thighs and legs.  Served it over brown rice.  This is definitely on the repeat list!
continue reading "Recipes to Rival – Coq au Vin"

Will be up later today!  Have to upload some photos when the computer is available.

So, what do you do when you just got off the red-eye, you’ve been gone for almost two weeks, and you’re jet-lagged, with a husband to feed?

You pull out and thaw the turkey breast that you bought in December.  Pat it dry, then drizzle it with olive oil.  Then you sprinkle kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper on the outside and in the cavity.  You sprinkle it with garlic powder and . . . oh, back there, waaaaaay in the back of my cupboard is some spice blend by Emeril.  You sprinkle that on, too.  You quarter an onion and stick it in the cavity, then roast the whole thing at 375 F until done (use a roasting thermometer to be sure – I roast mine to 165 F, and let it rest for about 20 minutes.  The internal temperature rises to 180 F).

This will feed one hungry husband for several days, while you reset your internal clock.

Another book that has made it onto my bookshelf recently is The Healthy Hedonist: More Than 200 Delectable Flexitarian Recipes for Relaxed Daily Feasts. Kornfeld teaches cooking classes all over the United States for Sur La Table, and is the author of a number of vegetarian/vegan/ cookbooks. The Healthy Hedonist is what I would call a “flexitarian” cookbook – the focus is vegetarian, but she has a good selection of fish and poultry recipes, as well. The recipes are creative, use healthy ingredients, and a lot of them have a definite Asian or Latino bent.

After reading some reviews on Amazon, I decided that I had to make the maple glazed chicken for Master Chow, a chicken lover if ever there was one. Anyone who reads my blog can see that I tend to bake a LOT, and I realized that my cooking was getting into a rut. I wasn’t challenging myself enough, or adding new recipes to my repertoire.

The chicken was a hit – Master Chow has asked me to put it on the “repeat list.” That is always a thrill! I love it when he likes something enough to have it again. I have a lot of recipes bookmarked in The Healthy Hedonist, so hopefully I’ll be sharing a few more with you on this blog.  Recipe after the jump . . . .
continue reading "Maple Glazed Chicken"

As I’ve said before, I am on a mission to purge my pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. It’s so easy to buy this or that, and the next thing you know, it’s five years later.

Recently, I was cleaning out my cupboards, and replacing some spices. Lo and behold, I found a stash of garlic that I’d forgotten about, and some of the bulbs were starting to sprout. What is one to do when faced with a huge amount of garlic that must be used, and quickly?

I turned to Ina Garten, and made her Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic. Much to my surprise, Master Chow liked this dish (I thought it might be a bit too fancy for him). I think the loads of garlic won him over.

I didn’t have any cream, which the recipe calls for, but I did have some creme fraiche that I needed to use up. Yahoo! Another item that needed to be used, crossed off my list! And I didn’t have two whole chickens, but I did have a package each of chicken breasts, thighs, and legs, sitting in my freezer. I felt very efficient and frugal after making this dish. Peeling the garlic wasn’t too bad either, after briefly boiling the garlic cloves – the skins slipped right off. If the bulbs are sprouting, just cut out the green shoot before you use the garlic.

Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten, from Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home

3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves

2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into eighths, or 6-7 pounds of chicken parts

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons Cognac, divided

1 1/2 cups dry white wine (I used the remnants of a bottle of rose, and it worked just fine)

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons creme fraiche (or heavy cream, but do not use sour cream because it will curdle)

Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.

Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat (you don’t want the oil and butter to burn, so keep an eye on it). In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Use tongs to turn the chicken, as you don’t want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down.

When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute the rest of the chicken.

Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 40 minutes, until all the chicken is done. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot (do NOT just add the flour to the pot, or you will end up with a lot of lumps). Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the creme fraiche, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.

Hhhm. I know this picture doesn’t look like much but, trust me, it is chicken braised with hard cider and parsnips. Another Molly Stevens winner from All About Braising; I was tempted to try it because of the Amateur Gourmet’s tantalizing post (he kindly posted the entire recipe, so check out his blog!).

I used the hard cider pictured below. Steven’s notes that different brands will change the flavor of the dish. The recipe calls for bacon: My choice was Niman Ranch unsmoked bacon, which I picked up at the local Whole Foods.

Folks, this is a book that I can recommend without reservation. A five star addition for any cook’s library.

Mmmm. Those crispy potatoes you see in the picture above never made it to a plate, much less a serving dish. Boy, were they good.

What inspired me to try this was an episode of America’s Test Kitchen on public television. I’ve butterflied and roasted a chicken before, but what intrigued me about this recipe was the placing of potatoes under the chicken while it roasted. The test kitchen crew raved about the results, claiming that the potatoes were so popular that the chicken almost became the side dish.

Well, I had to try this. I had about two-and-a-half pounds of red skinned potatoes that I wanted to use up. And I had just purchased an organic chicken (on sale!) at Whole Foods. Chicken is Master Chow’s soul food, so I’m always keeping my eyes peeled for good deals.

So, I brined the chicken (using 1 cup of kosher salt to 8 cups of water) first. This helps retain moisture and adds flavor. Do not brine a chicken for more than two to three hours; if you do so, it can lead to chalky meat. Not always, but better safe than sorry. I butterflied it by removing the backbone, then I pushed down on the chicken until it was flat. I prepared an herb butter to put under the skin, lined the bottom of the grill pan with heavy duty foil, and layered in the potatoes with salt, pepper, and left over herbs. Into a 500 F oven, and an hour later . . . voila!

Those potatoes were good. Egads. They were crispy and golden on the outside, but the insides were moist and creamy. As I said, they never made it off the cutting board. I ate about half the potatoes before I begged Master Chow to get in the kitchen and finish them off. I felt like an anaconda that had just eaten its winter food supply. I had to go lie on the couch, belly distended, to recover. And I kept thinking about those potatoes . . . .

Roasted Chicken with Crispy Potatoes

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

• 1 3.5 pound to 4 pound chicken, preferably organic

• 3 Tablespoons softened butter

• 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 2 quarts (8 cups) water

• 1 cup kosher salt

• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 – 2 1/2 pounds of potatoes

Line the bottom of a grill pan with heavy duty foil. Place oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 500 F. Please make sure your oven is immaculately clean before you cook at this high a heat, or you will fill your kitchen with smoke!

The Brine

Dissolve 1 cup kosher salt in 2 quarts water. Soak chicken (unless it’s a kosher bird, then it already has been brined) for 2-3 hours. Remove chicken, rinse off salt, and thoroughly pat dry. Wet skin will not brown well in the oven. In fact, the Test Kitchen crew advises leaving the bird uncovered in the refrigerator for a few hours after brining to assure that the skin is thoroughly dried out.

Preparing the chicken

In a small bowl, smash together the butter, parsely, thyme, garlic, mustard, and lemon juice. Set aside. Remove the backbone from the chicken. Press down on it to flatten it as much as possible. Salt and pepper the bird. Place the chicken on the top part of the grill pan. Gently work the butter mixture under the breast and leg skin.

Prepping the potatoes

Scrub the potatoes clean and pat dry (I used red skinned and one russet). Using the #1 slicing disk (the thinnest one) on a Cuisinart, slice the potatoes. Spread them out in the lined grill pan, add salt and pepper, and any left over herbs.

Roasting

Place the slotted grill pan with the chicken on top of the potatoes. Place in oven and cook for 45-60 minutes until done (it will depend on your chicken size and your oven). Remove from oven and let chicken rest for about 10 minutes, while you devour the potatoes and burn your fingers. Alternatively, turn the potatoes out onto a plate and peel back the foil to expose the crispy undersides.

Oh, I will have to make these again!

Master Chow declares that this is his favorite chicken dish. No contest. Another Ina Garten winner! And it is so easy to do. It will, of course, leave the entire house smelling of garlic and ginger for hours. Really.

I have altered the cooking time from the original recipe to what works best for me.

Indonesian Ginger Chicken

Adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten

• 4-5 pounds of chicken (I usually make this with all breasts)
• 1 cup soy sauce (preferably naturally brewed)
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh garlic

Combine ingredients in a sauce pan, over low heat, until well mixed. Do not boil or overheat. Place chicken, breast (or skin) side down, in oven safe baking dish. Pour the cooled marinade over the chicken. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. I usually rotate the pieces after about four hours, but before it goes in the oven, I make sure the pieces are breast (or skin) side down again.

Remove chicken from refrigerator about 30 minutes before you plan to cook it. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place chicken in the oven, still covered with the foil, for 45 minutes.

Remove chicken from oven and flip the pieces over. Return the chicken to the oven, uncovered, for another 15-30 minutes. The additional cooking time will vary depending on the size of the chicken pieces.

Enjoy! Definitely to be served with rice!

Coming from a multi-ethnic family, I grew up eating a lot of Italian food. Specifically, since my father was an immigrant of mixed Italian-Spanish-Basque (with a wee bit of French) heritage, my mother cooked the northern Italian dishes familiar to him. Italian-American food was a mystery to me.

My mom was a wonderful cook, and I have been trying to duplicate and improve her chicken cacciatore. I finally found a recipe that I love more than any others that I’ve tried, and after tweaking it a bit, share it with you.

Chicken Cacciatore

Adapted from Eleanora’s Kitchen, by Eleanora Scarpetta

1/4 c olive oil
3 (or to taste) garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped
1 large onion, diced
2 t dried oregano
2 t dried parsley
1/4 t dried rosemary, minced
1/4 t red pepper flakes, dried (or to taste)
1/4 c tomato paste
4 chicken thighs and drumsticks, about 3 pounds
2 whole split chicken breasts, about 2 pounds
1/2 c red wine vinegar

32 ounces crushed whole plum tomatoes
1/4 c dry white wine
1/2 c pitted good quality olives – Kalamata or Gaeta
2 or more red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch strips
4 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and quartered
1/4 roughly chopped fresh basic leaves
2-3 T fresh chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet (or dutch oven) over medium heat, until you see ripples in the oil. Salt and pepper the chicken. Lightly brown the chicken on both sides. Remove to plate. Leave about 2-3 tablespoon of oil in the pan, and pour off the rest.

2. Reduce heat. And the onion, 1 t oregano, basil, rosemary, dried red pepper, parsley, and tomato paste. Stir often, until the onion is translucent but not browned. Deglaze the pan with the 1/4 c of vinegar. Cook, stirring, for about one minute. Sometimes I add a little bit of white wine, if I seem to need a bit more liquid to deglaze.

3. Take the pan off the heat while you proceed to step four.

4. Add the garlic to the pan. Then, skin the chicken. That’s right – get rid of the skin. If you do not like the flabby, wet, nasty texture you end up with after braising chicken, just get rid of it. If you do, then leave it on.

5. Add the chicken, juices from the plate, the remaining 1 t of oregano, and the tomatoes to the pan. Place back on low heat and cook until the tomatoes have reduced and slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. If the sauce is too thick for your tastes, add water until you reach the texture that you prefer.

6. Add the basil, wine, olives, sweet red peppers, and mushrooms. Cook until the peppers have softened and the chicken is very tender, about 15- 20 minutes.

7. Serve over rice or pasta.

Notes:

• This is a very forgiving dish. You can use all thighs or drumsticks, and it will turn out well. No mushrooms? Leave them out, or substitute another type. Missing one of the herbs? The dish has such bold flavors, other herbs will pick up the slack.
• Add more or less of garlic or herbs, to your taste. I am not a big fan of dried red hot pepper, so I use very little of it.
• Be careful with the salt. Most canned tomatoes are salted, and the olives can be very salty. Be cautious, taste as you go, and adjust seasoning accordingly.
• Remember to pit the olives!
• If you deglaze the pan with the white wine, remove the pan from the heat, first.