Simple cooking in a complicated world

Posts from the ‘Chicken’ category

Citrus Marinated Chicken

Fresh, zesty and full of flavour.  This roast chicken uses citrus fruits at their peak of freshness and brings a little sunshine to these cold winter days. 

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This weekend my husband began the preliminary stages of our kitchen reno. I can hardly contain my excitement!  There wasn’t much that was done, and if I didn’t tell you what he did you wouldn’t even realize the change. That said, it is one item that has been checked off of our to-do list and another step closer to my new and improved kitchen!

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Anyone who spends the majority of their time in the kitchen can imagine what I am feeling right now.  It’s something like the anticipation that the Christmas season brings, combined with the relief of spring after a long, cold winter. I cannot wait until all the work, mess, stress and inconveniences are a forgotten memory (kind of like my orangey coloured cabinets). When I get to revel in the beauty of cooking with everything at my fingertips – a luxury only a functional kitchen can bring. The sense of relief of never having to go down to the basement for a bag of pasta or can of tuna (because whoever designed my cookie cutter house forgot to put a pantry in my kitchen) is so overwhelming that I am giddy just thinking about it. And the prospect of extra cabinet space, a backsplash that will cover the permanent grease splatter on my walls, improved organization and a space that will just look so much better than it does now, is bringing on a sense of calm and liberation; liberation from a kitchen that no longer works.

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Chicken Paprikash

Chicken Paprikash is a traditional Hungarian dish, as simple as it is delicious.  Bone-in chicken pieces are braised slowly in a sauce of caramelized onions and paprika and served with a generous serving of cold weather comfort.

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I don’t know what to make of the weather in Southern Ontario lately.  It’s been on quite the roller coaster over the last few days.  This past week, the so-called “Great White North” experienced spring like weather.  We’re talking mid teens (celsius) my friends.  That’s practically unheard of where I’m from for January.  Blistering winds, half a meter of snow and bone chilling temperatures is the norm.  But on this unusual Sunday, people were outdoors in full force to take advantage of the balmy weather.  I saw people in shorts and tees out for a run, others enjoying their daily dose of Starbucks on the patio.  I felt like I should have been grilling a steak on the barbecue, not braising a hearty stew.  Then today, boom!  The temperature drops 16 degrees overnight.  I know this will sound a little insane, but I have to admit that I didn’t mind waking up to the reappearance of frost on my windows and the prospect of bundling up against the cold.  I mean it is winter.  I will take negative digits in January any day over negative digits in April.

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I welcome the cool temps for another reason, I have only just begun cooking up some of my favourite stews, soups and casseroles.  If the summer months are marked with meals on the grill, winter days are warmed with dishes from the dutch oven.  Some of my favourites come out of this pot.  Think bouef bourguignon, osso bucco or coq au vin.  These are the kind of meals that make me weak in the knees and all warm and fuzzy inside just thinking of it.  Imagine cuts of meat and plump vegetables simmered for hours in a concoction of wine, stock and herbs, that renders meat so tender you can hardly spoon it onto your plate without it falling it pieces. Sauces so flavourful that you can’t help but lick your plate for every last drop.  This is what I am talking about; this is why I want winter to stick around just a tad longer.  Can you really blame me?

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Chicken Stroganoff

When I began this blog back in January – wow, I can’t believe it’s been almost a year already – my husband wasn’t too keen on the idea.  He’s not a social media type of guy.  He has Facebook but logs on once a month to see if some long-lost friend inboxed him, and then logs right off again.  He doesn’t use Twitter, doesn’t have the slightest interest in Pinterest and even resisted text messaging at first.  His rationale, “If someone wants to talk to me they can call me.”  He’s right in a way, especially with how impersonal social media has made communication, but I find it a necessary evil.  So my husband, the antisocial media butterfly he is, thought of all the downsides that blogging can bring; namely a lack of privacy, wasted time and a lack of privacy, and came to the conclusion that blogging is a bad idea.

His prejudice against blogging increased twofold when I told him about what I wanted to blog about.  My initial idea for this blog was a weekly dinner menu.  I am one of those anal people who sits down every Saturday morning before heading off to the grocery store, and not only writes up the standard grocery list, but I also make up a menu for the entire week.  After figuring out what I am going to cook Sunday through Friday (Saturday is always up in the air) I then make a list of what I need for those meals, lunches, snacks, etc.  I find this a huge help throughout the week.  Nothing is worse than sitting at work and worrying about what you’re going to make for dinner, worrying if you have enough eggs in the fridge to make that recipe,or cursing yourself when you realize you forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer to thaw.  I thought I had a great idea, not only could I share great recipes but I can help people plan their meals and maybe even make their lives a little bit easier!  When I told my husband my grand idea he shot me down with, “I don’t want all of my friends to know what I am eating everyday!”  You’re probably thinking, really Ana?  Is this really why you gave up on that idea?  Well, yes and no.  Yes, because he made me reconsider my idea and no because I found out some weaknesses in it; like the fact that it would be a lot of work to post a recipe for each meal I prepared for almost every day of the year!

Another skeptic of my blogging is my dad, and I say is, not was because he still is pretty suspicious of the whole thing.  To my dad my blogging is on par with American traitors sharing top-secret documents with the Soviets – yes that serious!  I should add a clause to that statement:  He only feels that way about Croatian recipes.  He could care less about the “English” recipes I post – that’s what he calls the non-Croatian dishes I share.  My dad thinks I am doing a total disservice to my family and Croatian cooking by sharing “our” secrets.  That’s what he says, “Ana, you sharing our secrets!”  It’s like my mom has a copyright on Croatian recipes and by me posting them I am infringing on her ingenuity.  My rationale, these are recipes that everyone knows, but people of my generation who don’t have someone to show them, who may not have the time to learn, or who cannot read Croatian just don’t have the access to.  He, on the other hand thinks I am a family recipe traitor.

As a result, there have been a few blog worthy occasions I could not capture for you because my dad said it was a “family secret” that I couldn’t share.  One, was my husband and dad making sausages – I think he thought my “high-tech” lens could focus in on all of the spices he flavours his sausages with and in turn, spill the beans on his secret blend.  The second time was during family pig roast my parents hosted a couple of months ago, where he flipped his lid when I tried to take a picture of our lunch turning on the spit.  He told me I couldn’t take a picture in case he burned the house down while roasting the pig and could not collect house insurance with pictures of a pig turning on a make-shift rotisserie on the internet!  If my dad’s thinking holds any truth, then all you avid grillers out there better be careful when firing up your next steak because you never know when the thing will catch on fire and set your house aflame!  Really, Tata?

But let me tell you something, even the most cynical of cynics can eventually change their ways.  My husband jumped on the blogging band wagon a while ago when he realized how much I enjoy it and how much others enjoy it too.  I am happy to say he is quite proud of me; sharing my blog with his buddies and encouraging me to pursue a new endeavour to coincide with blogging – catering.  My dad still thinks I am a traitor but there are promising signs that are leading me to believe that a thaw is on the horizon in our Cold War.  Last week, when my family was visiting and we came together for dinner with my in-laws and birthday cake for Nick’s mom.  My dad, impressed with my baking abilities, told me I should put up a picture of my cake on the blog!  That came as a big shock to me.  My dad condoning my blogging – who would’ve thought!

This recipe came with my husband’s endorsement.  When he first tried this dish he instantly said, “You gotta put this on the blog!”  If Nick says something like that, then you know it’s got to be good!  Another promising comment was, “It’s like chicken goulash!”  And you know what?  It is!  It’s so tasty, satisfying and comforting, like a goulash.  It also has great flavour from the mushrooms and roasted red peppers and a lovely tangy finish from the sour cream.  This recipe is a crowd pleaser and one that can be whipped up in a jiffy.

Chicken Stroganoff

When browning the mushrooms, don’t stir them for a few minutes.  Let them develop some colour by leaving them alone.  After 3 or 4 minutes, give them a stir and you’ll notice how nicely golden they’ve become.  Another good tip for helping to brown mushrooms is keep the heat up on medium-high and don’t salt until after they have browned.  Cooking over higher heat (especially if your pan is full) and not salting until the end, prevents the mushrooms from releasing all that moisture and stewing, rather than browning.

Recipe from Fine Cooking, Chicken Stroganoff with Mushrooms, Sherry and Sage

Serves 4

4 tablespoons butter, divided

Olive Oil

1 8-oz. (250 g) package sliced cremini mushrooms

Salt

2 shallots, finely chopped and divided

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage, divided

Freshly ground black pepper

4 or 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-1/2- to 2-inch pieces

2 large cloves finely chopped garlic

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 whole jarred roasted red pepper, drained and cut into thin strips (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 plum tomato, cut into medium dice

Generously season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, set aside.  In a 10-inch straight-sided sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and a glug of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and cook undisturbed until well browned on one side, 1 to 3 minutes. Add one of the shallots and 1/2 tablespoon of the sage to the pan and continue to cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are well browned all over, another 3 to 5 minutes. Season generously with black pepper and transfer to a bowl.

Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and another glug of olive oil, and swirl to coat the pan. Add the chicken and cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Add clove of the minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of the sage, and the remaining shallot and continue to cook, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, wine, and red pepper and cook to reduce the wine slightly, about 2 minutes.

Lower the heat to medium and stir in the sour cream, tomato, and the remaining garlic. Partially cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. If the sauce seems overly thick, thin it with a little water. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the remaining sage.

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Roasted Chicken Thighs with New Potatoes and Cherry Tomatoes

The other day I realized that it’s almost September and I still haven’t supplied you with a tomato recipe!  We’ve had almost a month of solid tomato growing time and I have been keeping all of my tomatoes and clever tips, tricks and recipes all to myself!  Could I be anymore selfish?  What’s worse is that we’ve come upon the time when you’ve had enough of tomato salads and toasted tomatoes sandwiches and you’re looking for anything, just anything other than the two aforementioned common practices when consuming this luscious fruit.  Don’t get me wrong, eating tomatoes in their purest form, in the height of their season can be completely soul satisfying especially when after 10 months of rubbery, tasteless, mealy, pinkish tomato impostors seem to be the only thing available.  But, if you have a garden you know that there is just no physical way possible to eat 20 pounds of tomatoes a week in salad and sandwiches alone.  Thus, the need for more creative and a little more labour intensive, but still relatively easy techniques, are needed to be employed to transform these jewels into something truly special.

So far I have made “Sweet Cherry Tomato and Sausage Bake,” (Jamie at Home) which is similar to this the dish that I am showcasing today, but sans potatoes and the tomatoes are roasted than reduced to a sweet and chunky sauce to accompany the sausages.  ”Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup,” (Barefoot  Contessa: Back to Basics) a beautiful rustic soup that falls somewhere in between smooth and chunky, is packed with fresh basil and finished with a little cream – delish!  Countless bowls of Panzanella, an Italian bread and tomato salad, where chunks of dried bread are tossed with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, basil and garlic and soak up all of the delicious juice and flavour.  I also made a huge pot of sauce that I simmered for over six hours and canned for my husband so he can make dinner for me once in while – heating up a jar of sauce and boiling some pasta is about as far as he goes in the kitchen.  But my favourite tomato dish by far and one that I’ve made at least three times in the past month is the one I am sharing with you today:  Roasted Chicken Thighs with New Potatoes and Cherry Tomatoes.

This is such a fantastic recipe for many, many reasons.  First and foremost, it’s a one pan meal.  Yes, you have to boil the potatoes and sear the chicken thighs beforehand, so that accounts for three pots and or pans – big deal!.  I don’t know about you, but the reason why I love one pan meals is not because you only have to use one pot to make your meat, starch and veg, but the fact that all three components cook together; each one releasing their individual flavours, mixing with the other and making a whole new and utterly delicious finale.  Reason number two why I love this recipe so much is that you can use any kind of tomato you have on hand.  While the recipe does call for cherry tomatoes, chunks of beefsteak, plum, yellow zebra or a mixture of all three or any kind for that matter, work just as well; therefore, it’s a great way to use up all of those tomatoes that have been sitting around.  Third reason:  potatoes plus meat drippings and flavourings makes for the tastiest potatoes you will ever eat.  Just think of the potatoes as little sponges soaking up all of the surrounding flavours of the chicken, tomatoes, oregano and garlic.  I’m salivating just thinking of it.  Finally, this dish employs my favourite part of the chicken, the thighs!  Forget breasts, the thighs are where it’s at!  The tender and succulent thigh meat is simply more flavourful than the high and mighty breast and is why this cut reigns supreme in my kitchen!

So I hope this dish will redeem me for being a bad food blogger and neglecting to share a recipe that glorifies the humble, but ever so abundant tomato.  And I hope that it’ll inspire all of you tomato sandwich and salad eating people out there to step outside of your box and see just how great it is to cook with fresh tomatoes.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with New Potatoes and Cherry Tomatoes

When making this recipe don’t feel like you need to follow the measurements closely.  If you only have 1/2 pound of tomatoes and 6 chicken breasts, don’t feel like you have to run to the store to buy more, fearing the dish may not turn out because you didn’t have the appropriate quantities.  Use whatever you have at home; more or less is completely fine.  It’s the ingredients, not the amount that makes this meal shine.  

A note on the olive oil.  You will notice that I have “olive oil” and “extra virgin olive oil” listed below.  Don’t use your best and most expensive extra virgin olive oil to sear your thighs; save that for the dressing and the finishing drizzle at the end.  Simply use a less expensive olive oil when pan frying the chicken, as the high heat will ruin the good stuff. 

Adapted from “Crispy and Sticky Chicken Thighs with Squashed New Potatoes and Tomatoes,” Jamie at Home, by Jamie Oliver

Serves 4 to 6

1 3/4 new potatoes, scrubbed

12 boned, skinless chicken thighs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

olive oil

1 1/4 pounds cherry tomatoes, or assorted tomatoes

3 to 4 stems of fresh oregano, leaves picked

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

extra virgin olive oil

red wine vinegar

Boil the potatoes in a large saucepan of salted water until cooked.

While the potatoes are cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees farenheit.  Prick the tomatoes with a sharp knife, place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water for a minute or two.  Drain and when cooled slightly, remove the skins by simply pinching the tomatoes.  If the tomatoes are not fully ripe the skin may not come off as easily; don’t fuss, a little tomato skin is not a big deal.  Toss the tomatoes with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper, begin the roasting process while you prepare the chicken and potatoes.

In a bowl, drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a large frying pan, big enough to hold all of the chicken in a single layer.  If you do not have a pan that will accommodate all of the chicken at once, than you can sear it off in batches.  Cook the chicken on both sides until golden and remove to a plate.

Using a mortar and pestle, bash the oregano leaves and garlic with some coarse sea salt until it makes a paste.  Drizzle in about a 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and combine.  Set aside.

When the potatoes are tender, drain them and lightly squish them by using the flat end of a mallet, just until the potato cracks.  The next thing you want to do is deglaze the pan you cooked the chicken in.  Reheat the pan and pour in a couple of glugs of red wine vinegar.  Scrape up any of the bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Remove the tomatoes from the oven.  By now, they should have begun to release their juices.  Pour in some of the tomato juice from the roasting dish into the frying pan and stir.  Add the potatoes and toss gently to coat the potatoes in the pan sauce.  Put the potatoes and chicken thighs in the roasting pan, along with the tomatoes and drizzle everything in the oregano and garlic dressing.  Toss to combine and spread out in an even layer.  Roast for 40 minutes until the chicken and potatoes are golden and the tomatoes have begun to break down.  Serve immediately.

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Chicken with Smoked Paprika and Roasted Red Peppers

I’ve been on a Spanish food kick lately.  Not tacos and burritos, which is not Spanish food whatsoever, but in most situations a bastardized version of Mexican cuisine.  No, I have become infatuated with authentic, robust and the in-your-face flavour of Spanish food.  Think chorizo, smoked paprika, romesco, saffron, Serrano ham and manchego cheese.  The home of tapas, Rioja, paella and the masters of the pig.  Spanish cuisine is as simple as it is rich, complex as it is comforting and sophisticated as it is satisfying.

There are a few Spanish inspired dishes that I circulate in my repertoire.  For a quick, yet hearty meal I like to make Spanish tortillas, which are nothing like the Mexican corn or flour tortillas.  These are made with potatoes and eggs and are more omelette or fritatta than flatbread.  Romesco sauce is another fantastic Spanish creation.  This flavour-packed condiment is served with grilled fish and meats, as well as vegetables, but I like it on just about anything!  It’s one of those sauces that makes a lame sandwich soar to new heights or a perfect go to for last minutes munchies when guests arrive.

The recipe that I’m sharing with you today is probably one of my favourite Spanish inspired dishes.  It has the flavours of Spain that I love so much, hot pimentón (smoked paprika), charred red peppers, tangy sherry and lots of earthy garlic.  It’s a meal that, at least to me, exudes Spanish culture – simple yet sophisticated.  Simple because there really is no fuss when it comes to the preparation or ingredients.  The recipe highlights the flavours of a culture in a tradition that remains dedicated to its culinary history.  It’s also sophisticated because of the multiple layers of flavours that impart a unique complexity to this cuisine.

An important component of this recipe are the roasted red peppers, to which I again look to my freezer.  This is another staple I keep on hand and one that I go to over and over again.  In early September, when peppers are at their peak, I buy a bushel and roast it on the barbecue.  When the skins are beautifully charred, I toss them in a bowl, cover it with some plastic wrap and allow them to cool.  The steam created from covering the bowl, gets in between the flesh of the pepper and the skin, making it easier to peel.  Once the peppers are peeled and cored, you can package them up in portions and freeze to use at any time.  Taking into account how often I use roasted red peppers and how expensive it can be to buy them I find roasting my own peppers is totally worth it.

Give Spanish a try some time and why not start with this recipe?  I can assure you , you’ll be glad you did!

Chicken with Smoked Paprika and Roasted Red Pepper

When it comes to buying chicken breasts, I always buy them bone-in and do the work of deboning it myself.  It’s very difficult to find boneless, skin-on breasts.  You can read more about that here where I go into a bit more detail about why I choose to do the extra work and how to prepare the best pan roasted chicken in the preamble to that recipe.

Smoked paprika or pimentón can be difficult to find.  If you can’t find it you can use regular Hungarian paprika.  It won’t have the smokiness that the Spanish version imparts, but it does the trick.

Sherry vinegar is vinegar made from sherry – duh; a wine that is fortified by adding brandy after the fermentation process.  It has wonderful flavour and adds a lot of punch and brightness to dishes. If you can’t find sherry vinegar feel free to sue a good red wine vinegar instead.

Finally, if your stainless steel pan, or any pot for that matter, has a handle that is not stainless steel, you can still use it in the oven by covering the handle in aluminum foil.  This insulates the handle and prevents it from melting in the oven.  I have used it under temperatures as high as 425 degrees farenheit without any problems. 

Adapted from “Garlicky Chicken Thighs in Red Pepper Sauce,” Fine Cooking Magazine

Serves 3 to 4

3 to 4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts

2 teaspoons salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika hot or mild (I used hot)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 to 4 medium-sized potatoes, cubed

3 roasted red peppers, sliced in strips

6 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1 tablespoon sherry

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

Parboil the potatoes by placing them in a pot of cold, salted water and bringing it to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes then drain and cover until you are ready to add it to the braising pan.

In an oven proof pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  When oil is hot, sear the chicken, skin side down and lower the heat to medium.  Cook chicken without touching it until the skin browns and easily releases from the pan, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Turn chicken over and cook for another 2 minutes.  Remove chicken to a plate while you prepare the potatoes and braising liquid.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees farenheit.  In the same pan you browned the chicken in, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.  Follow the garlic with the potatoes and thyme.  Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes.  Pour in the chicken stock and sherry and bring to a boil.  Fold in the roasted red peppers and nestle the chicken breasts on top of the potato and red pepper mixture.  Roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.

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