A recipe is only one piece of the puzzle.
Chicken, the centre of the never answered philosophical question of which came first, the egg or you know. A feathered little creature that pecks at the ground, lays those beautiful breakfast packages and can have its bones boiled to make the all encompassing cure, chicken soup. As meat, chicken has more ways to be prepared than the famed chef's toque with its hundred pleats. It is fabled that those hundred pleats atop a chef's head symbolize a hundred different ways to prepare an egg. I know that as a chef or cook, whatever you prefer, I can cook chicken each day for a month and still have more recipes left over.
In
today's society with so many struggling to put decent food on the
table, the chicken is versatile and still relatively inexpensive. It
is also a meat that is not frowned on in any faith, as pork and beef
may be. So as an Aussie may say, “c'mon mate the chooks on the
barby.”
At
my chef's station I have travelled the culinary worlds from Southern
– Style Baked Chicken, Moroccan, Indian Tandoori Chicken Meatballs
through to Chicken Tagine with Olives & Lemon, ending for now
with Chicken Chop Suey. Even with such a diverse scope of how to
cook the versatile chook, I haven't even come close to scratching the
vault of chicken recipes.
So
when you're asked what's for dinner and you reply chicken to a chorus
of frowns, smile and add, you've never had it like this before, and
go for it.
Caribbean
Chicken
2
large tomatoes, sliced into big chunks
2
large onions, cut into large chunks
4-6
garlic cloves, chopped
1/2
cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3
cup balsamic vinegar
1/2
cup fresh parsley, chopped
1
tsp salt
1
tsp black pepper
2
tsp thyme
3
tbsp olive oil
4
tbsp sugar
1/2
cup ketchup
Place first 12 ingredients into a large
bowl and mix well.
Let chicken stand in seasonings for at
least 30 minutes, cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to an
hour.
In a large heavy pot heat oil over high
flame.
Add sugar and distribute it evenly
throughout the bottom of pan.
When the sugar begins to bubble and the
colour is getting brown take pieces of chicken and drop them into the
pot.
Make sure the sugar does not burn.
Do a few pieces at a time and brown well
on both sides.
When all pieces are browned return all
the chicken pieces to the pot, add ketchup and the marinade.
Add 1 to 2 cups of water and stir until
blended.
Bring chicken to a rapid boil, then lower
the flame, cover pot partially and let cook for 1 hour.
You may need to stir it occasionally.
Serve over brown rice.
Southern-Style
Baked Chicken
16
thighs and or drumsticks
2
cups buttermilk
2
bay leaves
1
tbsp sweet paprika
2
tsp dry mustard
1
tsp celery seeds
2
tsp hot pepper sauce
1
tbsp butter softened
1
cup all purpose flour
1
cup cornmeal
1
tsp salt
1/2
tsp pepper
Combine
buttermilk, bay leaves, paprika, mustard & hot pepper sauce.
Add
chicken and coat evenly.
Cover
and refrigerate for 6 hours or up to 24 hours stirring occasionally.
Combine
flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper.
Lift
chicken from marinade letting excess drip off.
Dip
into flour mixture coating evenly, pressing to get coating to stick.
Place
meaty side down on buttered baking sheet.
Bake
20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
Turn
chicken and bake another 15-20 minutes until coating is crispy.
(Serves
6 to 8)
Moroccan
Chicken
1
tbsp olive oil
1
tbsp buttermilk
chicken
thighs or breast, your choice
1
medium onion diced
4-6
garlic cloves minced
1
tbsp ginger minced
1
tbsp ground cinnamon
1
tbsp ground tumeric
1/2
tsp red chili flakes
1/2
tsp salt & pepper
1/2
cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
1/2
cup pitted prunes, roughly chopped
1/4
cup Kalamata or green olives, sliced
2
cup chicken broth
1/4
cup fresh Italian parsley
1
tsp lemon zest
Heat
oil and cook chicken both sides until brown, then remove.
Reduce
heat, saute onions until soft, add garlic & ginger, stirring
constantly.
Add
cinnamon, turmeric, chili pepper flakes, salt & pepper, stir to
combine.
Return
chicken, add apricots, prunes, olives, chicken broth, 1/4 cup
parsley.
Bring
mixture to boil, reduce and simmer for 30 minutes.
(Serves
4 to 6)
Tandoori
Chicken & Pineapple Meatballs
2
tbsp Tandoori paste
2
tbsp lemon juice
1/2
cup yogurt
1
tbsp vegetable oil
1/4
cup water
1
lb ground chicken
1/2
cup finely chopped chives
2
cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1
inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/4
cup finely chopped pineapple
1
tsp salt
1/4
tsp pepper
1/2
cup bread crumbs
Heat oven to 425° F
Combine
tandoori paste, lemon juice, yogurt, vegetable oil
and
1/4 cup water in baking dish and set aside.
Add
chicken, chives, garlic, ginger, pineapple, salt, pepper & bread
crumbs in large bowl,
mix
to combine.
Using
wet hands roll into meatballs,
add
onto baking dish & gently roll in Tandoori mixture to coat.
Bake
for 25 minutes, or until cooked through & lightly brown.
(Serves
4 to 6)
Chicken
Tagine with Olives & Lemon
8
garlic cloves, peeled
3/4
cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4
cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2
cups chopped onions
1/2
cup fresh lemon juice
1/2
cup olive oil
2
tbsp paprika
4
tbsp grated lemon peel
2
tsp ground cumin
1
1/2 tsp salt
1/2
tsp black pepper
1/2
tsp cayenne pepper
1/4
tsp saffron
2
1/2 pounds of chicken quarters, chopped to bite size pieces
1
1/2 lemons, thinly sliced
Finely
chop garlic, cilantro & parsley, transfer to bowl.
Add
onions and next nine ingredients – mix well.
Add
chicken with olives and lemons, and toss.
Chill
covered for 2 hours.
Preheat
oven at 400° F, cook in ovenproof
pot.
Add
1/2 cups water and bake chicken until cooked.
(Serves
4 to 6)
Orange
& Mint Rubbed Chicken
1/2
cup packed fresh mint leaves
2
tbsp ground almonds
2
tsp grated orange zest
2
tbsp fresh orange juice
1
small clove garlic
2
tbsp olive oil
1/2
tsp salt
1/4
tsp freshly ground pepper
6
skin-on-bone-in chicken breasts or 12 thighs (or a mixture)
For
the chicken, preheat oven to 375°
F.
Combine
mint, almonds, orange zest, orange juice and garlic in a small good
processor or a blender.
Process until mint is finely chopped.
Process until mint is finely chopped.
Add
1 tbsp of the oil, salt & pepper and process until fairly smooth.
Heat
remaining 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
Brown
chicken pieces, in batches to avoid crowding pan, for 3 to 4 minutes
per side.
Transfer
to a large roasting pan with the skin-side up.
Spread
mint pesto evenly over chicken pieces.
Roast
for about 35 minutes or until a meat thermometer in the thickest part
of meat reads 175° F.
Tent
with foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
(Serves
4 to 6)
Chicken
Chop Suey – Chinese Style
2
1/2 lbs chicken
1
bunch green onion
2
medium sweet onions
4
medium carrots
2
yellow peppers
1
pack stir fry noodles
1
pack SHAN seasoning mix
3
eggs, whites only
Slice
the yellow peppers, onions and carrots into thin pieces.
Dissolve
1 tbsp SHAN Chinese Chop Suey seasoning mix with egg whites,
1
tbsp oil, add meat and set aside for 15 minutes.
Dissolve
remaining seasoning mix with 1 1/4 cups of water and set aside.
Heat
oil and cook chicken pieces, then add the vegetables, cooking till
tender and chicken is done.
You
will need to stir regularly.
Add
the remaining dissolved seasoning and cook till seasoning thickens,
stirring regularly.
Serve
over stir fry noodles or rice.
(Serves
6)
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