Recipe: Creamy Pan Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms over Fettucini

Creamy Pan Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms over Fettucini

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

• One 4-6 pound whole chicken cut into 6-8 pieces
• 4 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 red, orange or yellow pepper, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms sliced thickly
• 3-5 cloves minced black garlic
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound fettucini noodles
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream or creme fraiche 
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan, divided
• Black Crack, salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

Preheat oven to 375F. Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a large oven proof pan over medium high heat and add the olive oil.  Brown the chicken a few pieces at a time; about 3-5 minutes per side. Set the pieces aside in a large bowl to collect any juices as you finish the remainder of the chicken pieces.

Turn heat down to medium. Add the onion, pepper and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until quite tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the black garlic and the white wine. Bring to a boil and let the liquid reduce by 1/2. Stir in chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaves. Scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Return chicken pieces to the pan skin side up, pour in any juices which have accumulated at the bottom of the bowl.

Place the pan into the hot oven and roast until completely cooked; about 30-40 minutes. A knife should easily penetrate the chicken thighs. 

While the chicken cooks, bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. When the water boils add a hand full of sea salt. When the chicken has been in the oven for over 25 minutes, add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente.  Drain the pasta and return it to the pan, off the heat. 

Remove the pan from the oven. Take the chicken pieces from the sauce and put on a serving platter.  Stir in the cream cheese, creme fraiche and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. 

Pour the sauce into the pan with the fettucini and combine gently. 

Serve the pasta with chicken pieces on top.  Shave black crack over each plate and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. 

Enjoy!

Get Well Chicken Soup

The weather is beautiful here in Southern California.  But we still have the cold & flu season to battle even in the sunshiny weather. When I heard a friend had been down with pneumonia since before Christmas, I felt compelled to make some soup to share. Once I started I couldn't stop and I've made three batches this week, handing it out to the not so well as they each raised their hands as willing acceptors of the healing liquid.  A longtime friend requested the recipe so she could share with her family and friends & here it is, my Get Well Chicken Soup.

Get Well Chicken Soup

(Feeds 6-10 depending on sickness) 

 

Get Well Broth Ingredients
1 whole chicken
1 onion
2 carrots
2 celery ribs
4 garlic cloves
4 slices of ginger
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 sprig of flat leaf parsley
10 peppercorns

Soup Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery ribs, diced
Salt to taste
8 oz wide egg noodles

Special Equipment
Cheese cloth for straining

Method
Rinse the chicken in cold water and place it in a big soup pot. Trim the onion, carrots and celery & cut into large chunks. Put them in the pot with the chicken.  Add the other broth ingredients to the pot (ginger, garlic, bay, thyme, parsley & peppercorns). Fill the pot within 1" of the top with water and bring to a boil. Once it boils, reduce heat and keep at a very low simmer for 2 hours.  Remove the chicken from the broth and let it cool.  Turn off the heat on the broth. Remove the meat from the chicken and pull apart into bite sized pieces.

In another large pot, heat 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil over medium heat. Saute the diced onion, carrot and celery until they begin to soften. Turn the heat to low.

Drape cheesecloth over a strainer and place over the onion, carrots & celery.  Ladle the broth into the strainer and keep adding broth until you have 3" of liquid over your vegetables. Remove the strainer. Add the chicken meat and stir gently. Bring to a boil.  Simmer until vegetables are tender. Add salt to taste.

Add noodles in last 10 minutes of cooking - OR cook noodles separately and serve the soup poured over the noodles. 

Add more strained broth as necessary and to your taste.

Don't waste any extra broth. Strain and reserve for other use or drink it!

Enjoy!

My Chile Verde Recipe

I've been making green chile stew or chile verde for quite a few years. Originally I'd use a recipe I found at the old rec.food.recipes newsgroup, which was quite simple, but never really had enough punch for my taste. So, I've modified it over the years and it's become better and better.

I usually make the dish using pork. I dice up a picnic roast or pork butt roast (it's really pork shoulder, don't ask me why they call it butt!). Recently I made it with chicken and it turned out wonderful. If you are using chicken, I suggest boiling a whole chicken with some onion, carrot, celery, parsley and peppercorns and then pulling the meat from the chicken. Now you've made the chicken stock for the recipe and you don't need to brown the chicken, just add it after sauteing the onion and spices.

I think either way, this is a fabulous recipe and worth the effort.

Vickie's Chile Verde

Serves 6

Ingredients:
8 fresh Anaheim green chiles
8 fresh Pasilla dark green chiles
1 lb. fresh Tomatillos
1 large white onion
4 garlic cloves
2 lb. lean pork, cut into large dice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
salt and pepper
1 12-oz. bottle of Mexican beer
1-2 Cups Chicken Stock
1 lime

Method:
Roast, peel and de-seed the chiles. Cut them into small dice. If you have never done this, please, look online and read up on how to do it right. You really want to get rid of all the skin off the chiles and blackening them is the best way.
Preheat your oven to 375F. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and rinse them well. Put them on a baking sheet. Cut the onion into quarters and put them on the baking sheet as well. Roast the tomatillos and onions until the tomatillos have brown spots and are soft (20-30 minutes).

Roated onion, tomatillos, garlic & zucchini - did them all in the oven for this batch.

While the tomatillos are roasting, smash the garlic cloves. Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Salt and pepper the diced pork. Brown the pork a few handfuls at a time. Don't crowd the pan, you want the pork to get some nice brown carmelization. Set asside the cooked pork.

Browning the cubed and seasoned pork in small batches to get some good carmelization going.

Pulverize the tomatillos in a blender until smooth. Dice the now softened onion. Saute the onion in the pot, add the garlic, cumin, oregano and a little salt and pepper. Now add back the pork and stir well. Pour in the tomatillo mix. Stir again. Add the beer and enough chicken stock to just cover the meat. Bring to a boil and then lower heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the roasted green chiles, mix well. Add the lime juice and mix again. Taste. Adjust for salt.

The final stew.  This batch had multicolored chiles and added zuccini.

Variations:

• Add a minced serrano to make it more spicy.
• Add some corn (cut from the cob and fried up a bit OR a small can).
• Add a can of hominy.

Accompaniment ideas:

• Tortillas hot off the griddle
• Corn tortilla chips
• Mexican Crema or sour cream
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Sliced Green Onions
• Xenepek (google it!)

Enjoy!

Preserved Lemons - Recipes from Xmas

My son Miles and I made jars of Moroccan Preserved Lemons for family Christmas gifts this year. They are so easy and tasty I wanted to share this exotic treat with everyone.

Salt preserved lemons are a special ingredient used in Mediterranean cooking. The flesh of the fruit is not used, only the peel, which becomes very tender after sitting in salt and lemon juice for a few weeks.

We handed out these recipes with the lemons:

Preserved Lemons

Ingredients:

2 dozen medium size fresh lemons

Sea salt

1 quart glass jar with lid
Method:

Slice each lemon in half. In a mixing bowl, toss the lemons generously with salt. Place half of the lemons in the quart jar. Juice the remaining lemons and pour into the jar. Fill the jar to the top. Secure the lid and let sit in a cool dry place for at least 3 days. The lemons, can set longer and will keep in the refrigerator.
Yield: 1 quart

Grilled chicken
with preserved lemon dressing and couscous salad

Ingredients:

½ cup (125ml) chicken or vegetable stock

20g butter

½ cup (100g) couscous

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons olive oil salt and pepper

zest and juice of 1-2 lemons

4 small chicken breasts

2 quarters of preserved lemon, finely chopped

1 bunch mint, roughly chopped

1 bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

130g bag mixed lettuce leaves

½ cup olives, roughly chopped
Method:

Place stock and butter in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in couscous. Cover and stand for 5 minutes.
Pre-heat char-grill, grill plate or large flat pan.
Combine garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and half of the lemon zest and juice in a large bowl. Lay chicken on a large plate and pour over a third of garlic and lemon oil; turn to coat in mixture.
Cook chicken for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through, turning halfway.
Meanwhile, add fluffed up couscous to remaining lemon oil mixture; toss to combine. Add preserved lemon, herbs, lettuce leaves and olives and toss gently.
Slice chicken thickly and serve on the couscous salad; drizzle with extra olive oil if desired.
Serving size: Serves 4

Preserved Lemon Dip

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley

2 tablespoons minced anchovies

2 tablespoons minced cornichons

2 tablespoons harissa paste

Peel from 1 preserved lemon, rinsed, minced (about 1/4 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

1 cup olive oil
Method:

Whisk first 8 ingredients in large bowl. Gradually whisk in both oils. Chill at least 2 hours or up to 2 weeks. Rewhisk before serving.

Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 quarter preserved lemon peel freed of pulp and chopped fine
1 shallot or small mild onion chopped fine

4 - 5 Tablespoons of good olive oil
Method:

Put everything in a small jar with a tight lid and shake it well.

Moroccan Lamb Stew with Preserved Lemons

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless lamb stew meat, from the shoulder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch saffron threads

1 orange, zested and juiced

1/2 bunch cilantro, stems removed

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 yellow onions, finely chopped

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 cup water

1 cup pitted green Moroccan (or other) olives, chopped

Minced peel of 1 preserved lemon
Method:

Trim excess fat and gristle from meat and cut lamb into 1-inch cubes. Place meat in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and saffron; sprinkle over the meat and set aside.
On a cutting board, mince together the orange zest, cilantro leaves, garlic, and salt until you have a paste. Add to the meat along with the orange juice and stir well to coat. Cover the bowl and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
Transfer the mixture to a heavy pot, add the onions, tomatoes, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer (or bake in a preheated 350 degree oven) until the meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add olives preserved lemon to the pot. Cook about 10 minutes more, then serve.

Easy Chicken Mole

This year I offered to host the Tin Va lunch. This is a gathering of ladies I dance with every week at the Spectrum clubs around the South Bay of Los Angeles. I've been taking these classes for over two years and have made quite a few friends. Last year another classmate graciously invited us into her home for lunch with the dancing ladies. This year was my turn.

I wanted to make Mole of some sort. I love Mexican Mole sauce, but I have done it from scratch a few times and it takes at least two days to do it right and not go insane. I didn't have two days to give to this dish.

Luckily I hosted another party over the weekend and they became my Guinea Pigs. I made it on Saturday night and it was a hit. My husband said it was good and that was good enough for me.

It WAS good, and a great easy crowd pleaser. I can't help but feeling guilty, it is SO easy!

Here is the recipe I used: http://www.mex-recipes.com/chicken-mole-recipe.html

Of course nothing compares to the real deal and now I'm inspired to to spend a few days making something only half my family will touch. I'm thankful the sauce freezes well... I can make it last!

Enjoy.

Menu for a Country BBQ (or Cole's Bday Lunch)

For those who are interested, and I believe there actually are a few, here is the menu and a few links to recipes from the Country BBQ lunch we had last weekend for our little boy - Cole.

• Homemade Lemonade
  WOW - was that tart. Next time, taste and add more sugar!
• Watermelon Wedges
  Make sure they are cold, best on ice.
• Quick Pickles - assorted vegetables
  No recipe, looked online at a few recipes and winged it. Good stuff!
• Pat's Cole Slaw
  Best basic and addictive slaw - ever! 1/3 each, sugar, mayo and vinegar
• Corn on the Cob
  Basic, boiled and buttered.
• Creamy Tarragon Potato Salad
  No recipes, only a craving for creamy tarragon dressing.
  It could have used more salt.
  New potatoes, celery, mayonnaise, tarragon, sour cream
• Baked Maple Beans
  These were cooked over 12 hours. I used navy beans.
  I'd do these again anytime. I trust Bobby Flay's American fare recipes, always hearty, always tasty.
• Grilled Lemon Chicken
  This was the best grilled chicken I've ever had.
  We used two techniques, brining and basting.
  We found this Chez Panisse brine and decided to try it.
  I wanted an award winning grilled chicken and I found this
  garlicy basting recipe from Oregon. Fabulous, but a bit salty.
  I need to weigh or measure somehow the amount of ice I add to the brine
  in the cooler to make sure the amount is correct according to the recipe.
• Pat's 4 Bean Salad
  I don't have her recipe - this and the cake were the only things I didn't cook!

There you have it, a feast fit for a crowd of four or forty year olds!

My Adobo Wings

Every once in a while, I crave Adobo. If you haven't had pork or chicken Adobo you've missed out on a fabulous Filipino treat. It's a simple preparation that melds a few great flavors into one new taste sensation.
Basically Adobo is soy sauce, vinegar and garlic. There are many variations, but they all have at least these three ingredients. I always look around online and find a few recipes and then just make up my own.
Yesterday I had the craving for salty vinegar flavor and decided to whip up a batch of my Adobo Chicken wings. Bruce prefers his Adobo with a bit of sugar in it, leaning more towards a Teriyaki flavor, so I added 1/2C sugar and 1/2C water to the mix. I also used spicy chile vinegar instead of just white vinegar. Bay leaves are another often added ingredient and I used those too. Here's the recipe if you too have the salty/sour craving:

Vickie's Adobo Chicken Wings

Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as an entree

Ingredients

8 chicken wings

1 C soy sauce

1 C white vinegar

1/2 C water

1/2 C sugar

10 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

3 bay leaves

pinch of red chile flakes (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 400F.

Rinse the chicken wings well under cold water and then put them in a saute pan that can hold them all without much overlapping.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and keep the pan simmering. Cook for about 15 minutes until they are cooked through, turning them over in the sauce a few times.

Lightly oil a shallow baking dish. Remove the wings from the sauce and put on the baking dish.

Place the baking dish in the upper third of the oven and bake until they begin to crisp up (about 10-15 minutes).

Serve!

Yum.

Roasting a Whole Chicken

I'm convinced that a roasted chicken is the perfect Sunday dinner.

• I love the ritual of rinsing off the chicken and then slathering it in some concoction of spice, citrus, fat and flavorings before putting the thing in the hot oven.
• I love the smell that wafts through the house as it begins to brown and the fat drips into the roasting pan.
• I love tucking root vegetables around the chicken in the pan. The easiest side dish ever!
• I love crispy chicken skin and being the chef means I get first dibs.

So, this Sunday I did a Greek rub on my bird. I'd do it again, except I'd leave my bay leaves whole as I had to scrape them off the chicken before slicing - they are just too tough to eat. I wish bay leaaves were tender and edible, I love their flavor!

Greek Rub for Roasted Whole Chicken

Ingredients
2 lemons, skin and pith cut off, leaving only the supremes
3 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled, roughly chopped
2 whole Bay Leaves
1 Tablespoon Greek Oregano*
1 Tablespoon fresh Thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
5-7 long pepper corns (or 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper)
1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Method
Combine the above ingredients in a bowl and smash with the back of a spoon to release the lemon juice into the mix. Slather inside, outside and under the skin of a chicken before roasting.

*A note on Greek Oregano: I used an herb called Threebe. It's a rare Greek herb that my husband bought for me at Le Sanctuaire (great spice and kitchen stuff store in Santa Monica, that you should have heard of if you consider yourself a foodie). I like Threebe but I actually prefer Greek Oregano, which is a more fragrant and bright sister to the Mexican Oregano that is readily available. I'm out of Greek Oregano, hence, Threebe.