HAPPY EASTER!

nogg hen house via design*sponge

Here's to you!  Have a happy Easter!  Thought this hen house would inspire!

Chickens!

My neighbor has 15 beautiful, sexy chickens.  All different varieties. All different personalities.  They are surprisingly affectionate and kind of a riot to observe.  I have spent hours with my neighbor in her chicken yard just observing and laughing.  Now I want chickens.  Not 15, but maybe 5.  The eggs that these wonderful birds lay every day are truly amazing,  the yolks are bright yellow and when you crack them open, they glide out of their shells effortlessly.  They are the most flavorful and gorgeous eggs you've even seen or tasted.  I'm lucky enough to get as many eggs as I need, (most if the time), and I since I am so spoiled, I can't even consider buying eggs from the market any more.  Even free-range, organic eggs in the market pale in comparison to a freshly laid egg, still warm.  
I live in the mountains of LA,  it's a little bit country up here, and having chickens is not uncommon in these parts.  (Although, they do have to be protected by the various creatures of the night, mainly coyote, bob cats, and the ever-reclusive mountain lion... think Fort Knox, but with chickens).  If you live in the city, you can get by with a fairly minimal coop. It's an undertaking, but becoming so much more common place these days.  There are thousands of websites devoted to building coops, and raising chickens.  Here's a great start.
 
Check out these great modern coops and get in the spirit of the chicken!

Thomas Keller's AMAZING Roasted Chicken

The plan was to have an excellent picture of my perfectly golden chicken, in all it's crispy-skinned glory.  But with the daylight being what it is these days, I can't get my act together in time to cook and have any light available for a decent photo.  So, here's all that's left as any evidence that a spectacular meal was had here last night.
In my past chicken - roasting life, before I discovered this life-changing recipe, I would shove various complex compound butters under the skin, stuff the cavity with onions or lemons and garlic, or all 3.  Then I'd season the bird lightly and place on a roasting pan, carefully lined with tin foil.  In the end, I did have a delicious chicken, no doubt.  I mean, it was really good.  But now, after roasting the bird Thomas Keller's way, (hello, it's Thomas Keller!), I can not believe I got away with the old way.  It's unbelievable how. much. better. this is and it's SO MUCH EASIER.  Do I have your attention?

Salsa Verde Chicken with Roasted Corn and Poblanos

We went to our friends' annual Cinco De Mayo pot-luck last night and the food was terrific! There's nothing better than a big table full of people's yummy hard work.  Pot-lucks are the best way to get people together with tons of food (and booze!), saving the hostessing heroine hours of work, along with fist-fulls of money. It's so interesting to see what other people like to create.  If every guest puts forth just a wee bit of effort, great things will happen. Last night, it was enchiladas, chile rellenos, roasted salsas, fresh guac, carnitas, and on and on... Muy delicioso!!!

Chicken Wrapped in Pancetta with Leeks and Thyme

I love Jamie Oliver - everything about him makes me happy. I've been following him since he was "The Naked Chef" years ago. I love his cool, hip, reckless style of cooking. To me, he takes away any hint of chef-snobbery, and makes cooking appear un-intimidating and fun, (which is the way it should be!) If you don't have a cookbook of his, I suggest you grab one, any one is well worth the money. His recipes are loosely written, and in way that it feels like he's talking, guiding you through each page, so it's great for any cooking level. This recipe comes from Cook with Jamie, and it is my husband's absolute favorite. The chicken is moist, flavorful, and the leeks are buttery soft and pretty amazing. I like to serve it with a simple arugula salad and rice or cous-cous, to sop up the yummy pan juices.

Chicken Wrapped in Pancetta with Leeks and Thyme

From Cooking with Jamie

Serves 2-4

2 Organic chicken breasts, bone in, skin removed

2 leeks, trimmed and washed

a few sprigs of thyme

about 1 TBLS butter

pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

2 TBLS dry white wine

About 1/4 lb sliced pancetta (I buy hormone, cruelty free)

Preheat oven to 400

In a bowl add chicken, leeks, thyme, salt, pepper, butter and wine.

Toss around and place in a roasting pan. (I lined my pan with tin-foil, per Jamie's suggestion, for easy cleanup).

Wrap chicken breasts with pancetta, place on top of leeks.

Fold the tin foil inwards, to protect leeks from burning.

Drizzle top of chicken with olive oil and place a few sprigs of thyme on top.

Bake for about 45 minutes.

Chicken, Spinach and Lemon Pie

Probably the best tip for hosting a successful dinner party is to make sure you are comfortable with the dish you are planning to serve. There is no greater stress, than to have everyone waiting for food and you not knowing if the food is going to come out well, (if, at all). Knowing this, and also knowing that on Saturday, we will be hosting a few guests, I did a test run of this chicken pie that I saw in one of my favorite cook books, Living and Eating. Normally, I'm not sure that I would go through the trouble to make something specifically to try out for a dinner party, (I would usually make something I have done before), but this looked so good to me and I wanted something that will take care of itself once our guests arrive. So, yesterday I ran to the market and got to cookin' and it was a great success.

This chicken pie is delicious with garlic, thyme and lemon infused into the cream sauce and it's golden crust is fine sight to see! I'll serve it with a simple mixed herb salad and some roasted acorn squash. It's the perfect meal for a Fall night, with a fire crackling in the background, either by yourself or surrounded by friends.

Chicken, Spinach and Lemon Pie

Adapted from Living and Eating, by John Pawson and Annie Bell

Serves 4

1 head of garlic

10 chicken thighs (organic, preferably)

Sea salt and black pepper

1 TBLS extra virgin olive oil

2 heaping spoons of flour

2/3 cup dry white wine

4 thyme sprigs

1 lemon

1 TBLS butter

1 LB bag spinach

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed

1 egg yolk

1 TBLS milk, to glaze

Break garlic up and peel skins off of all the cloves. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pot, or saute pan, add half the chicken thighs and fry, turning until colored on all sides. Transfer to a dish and fry the remaining thighs, adding the garlic towards the end, so they soften without coloring.

Return all the chicken to the pot and sprinkle with the flour, turning the chicken to coat. Add the wine, which will thicken as it blends - let this seethe for one minute. Pour in 1 cup of water and stir until sauce is smooth. Add thyme and 2 long strip of lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes.

While the chicken cooks, melt butter in a deep skillet and add spinach, toss until fully wilted. Drain into a sieve, pressing out as much liquid as you can using the back of a spoon.

Transfer cooked chicken to a bowl and allow to cool. Once cooled, discard skin and remove chicken from the bone, then cut into shreds. Discard thyme and lemon peel from the sauce and add cream and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Add spinach and chicken to the sauce and cool to room temp. Taste for seasoning.

Preheat oven to 375. Roll out 2/3 of the pastry thinly on a lightly floured surface. Line a deep dish skillet or pie pan. Spoon out chicken mixture into dish. Roll out remaining pastry and place on top. Trim pastry lid allowing about 1/2 inch for shrinkage. Brush the top with egg yolk and milk egg wash. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve right away.

Note: For my dish in photos, I cut this recipe in half and used an 8" cast iron skillet. This allowed me to only use one sheet of pastry which I could simply fold over the top of the chicken filling. This served 2 people heartily.

To buy Living and Eating, click here.

$1.98

I have never bought chicken wings, breasts and thighs, yes. But, wings? Ick, Never! All of this changed the other day, when at the market, I noticed a pack of Organic chicken wings, (2 lbs), for $1.98... Stunned at the low price, and thinking, "is that even possible??", I grabbed them, brought them home and began my recipe research. I honed in on this outright amazing recipe from Bon Appetit, it appealed to me because it's not the typical hot and spicy song and dance. These wings marinate in yogurt and curry spices over night and then bake for an hour. And although I was still skeptical of these underrated chicken parts, I was extremely determined. After-all, I'm only in for 2 bucks!

The end result is superb, tender, juicy, infused meat. Absolutely delicious. And very messy. Not recommended for a romantic, first-date kind of scenario. In fact, my husband and I ate them over the kitchen sink, without talking, completely immersed in our own chicken-winged world. It was great!

Chicken Wings with Yogurt Curry Glaze

Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2000.

1 1/2 cups plain full fat yogurt

1 cup finely diced onion

4 tsp cumin

4 tsp curry powder

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

4 large garlic cloves, crushed

4 TBLS finely chopped fresh ginger

2 lbs Organic chicken wings

In a large bowl, mix first 7 ingredients. Set aside about 1/2 of marinade for dipping sauce. Add chicken and thoroughly combine. Allow to marinate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with tin foil, season wings with salt and bake for about an hour, turning once. Serve with reserved yogurt curry sauce.

Chop Chop

Making a chopped salad requires little more than imagination and a good ole knife.  There are no rules, no expectations, other than having everything chopped just so - to justify the name.  I like to always include avocado and hard boiled eggs - the rest varies depending on what's in the fridge or new at the market.  Consider a vegetarian version by using baked tofu or tempeh. Please, use this as inspiration for a summer time salad and get to choppin!

Chopped Salad

serves  4

2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup Persian cucumbers, peeled and chopped in 1/2" dice

2 hard boiled eggs, quartered

1 cup grilled or steamed corn

2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/2" dice

2 cups cooked Organic, free range chicken

1/2 cup cooked nitrate free bacon pieces ( I like Niman Ranch)

scallions, thinly sliced for garnish

In a large bowl, add romaine.  Place each component into a s

ection of the bowl.  Top with chicken and then bacon bits - garnish with scallions.  Toss with Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing.

Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup Organic plain yogurt

3 TBLS white wine vinegar

2 TBLS Dijon mustard

pinch salt and pepper

1/2 thinly sliced scallions

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (Roquefort is the best).

Combine first 5 ingredients.  Add scallions and cheese.

Thai Chicken Soup

I am always happy to discover new twists on chicken soup and came across a recipe in a December '08 Sunset Magazine while at the car dealership, (long story!).  This, I tell you, is so good, so easy and so full of flavor.  To prove, not only how easy it is, but also how delicious, I made it last night for the family I work for and made it again today so I could have a big pot for the weekend.

If you have 45 minutes, I suggest making this soup with chicken breasts (or thighs) with bone in, skin removed.  If, however, you are short on time, go ahead with boneless skinless chicken breasts and a few cups of chicken broth.  I am going to give you the long version.  To skip this method and cut cooking time in half, just bring broth (2 cups), coconut milk (2 cans), garlic, ginger and lemongrass to a boil, add mushrooms.  Simmer for about 5 minutes.  Add raw, cubed chicken, cook covered for about 15 minutes, add sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, salt and pepper and garnish with cilantro and lime wedge. (Toss lemongrass).  For an extended and deeper flavor version, see below:

Thai Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

Adapted from Sunset Magazine, Dec. 2008.

Serves 4-6

1 drizzle canola 0r extra virgin sesame oil

4 Organic chicken breasts, or 8 thighs - bone in, skin removed

2 1/2 cups water, approx.

3 Tbls chopped fresh ginger, divided in half

2 Tbls chopped fresh garlic, divided in half

1 stick fresh lemon grass*, cut into a few pieces

salt and pepper

2 cans coconut milk

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

8 oz. shitake mushrooms, sliced

1 Tbls sugar

1 Tbls Thai fish sauce

1 Tbls rice wine vinegar

cilantro for garnish

lime for garnish

*Lemongrass may be difficult to find, if you can't find it, no problem, just be sure to have lime wedges.

In a large pot, heat oil to med heat and add ginger and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Allow to sweat, but not burn, about 5 minutes, stir occasionally.  Add chicken and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cover for about 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Remove chicken and place in bowl to allow to cool.  Once cooled, remove all meat from bones, discard bones and shred chicken, set aside.

Reserve broth, remove any excess fat.  Discard ginger and garlic.

Wipe pot out and reheat, add another drizzle of oil and add the second half of ginger and garlic, once again, allow to sweat, not burn.  Add coconut milk and broth.  (You should have about 2 cups of broth).  If you have to, add water or store bought broth.  Bring to a boil and add mushrooms, simmer and add sugar, vinegar and Thai fish sauce.  Add chicken and heat gently. Serve with cilantro sprigs and lime wedge.

For the Soul...

I've been hearing more people around me with the sniffles lately, summoning that flu season is here. And what better for that than a hot bowl of home made chicken soup? Here is a very easy and quick recipe which has depth and rich flavor. I always buy organic chicken thighs with bone in and skin removed, (ask your butcher to do this for you), to enhance to flavor of the broth. This should take about 40 minutes start to finish.

Chicken Soup
serves 4 - 6

1 - 2 TBLS olive oil
6 Organic chicken thighs (bone in, skin removed)
1 cup sliced onion
3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1 -2 cups washed, and cut green beans
approx 6 cups filtered water
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

In a large pot, heat olive oil and add sliced onions. Saute for a few minutes, until soft. Add chicken thighs and carrots, celery and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Allow carrot and celery to sweat for about 5 minutes on med- low heat. Add water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Reduce heat and skim fat off the top of soup. Add green beans, season again with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, remove chicken from bone and pull into nice pieces. Discard any fat or inedible pieces. Return chicken to pot and reheat gently.

SPRING!

I am a few days early, but the weather today has gotten me excited about the upcoming seasonal change, (April 20th). This is my favorite time of year, and I can't help but anticipate the new offerings. So, hide that crock - pot and Dutch Oven and break out the salad bowls and simple plates, because this is the season for impromptu cooking and ice cream making! Just have fun with it!


Chicken Sausage with Peppers and Polenta

Here's a recipes that takes no time at all. I used already prepared polenta, (the kind in a clear plastic tube, usually in the grains section). Making polenta from scratch is always an option, but it's time consuming and, frankly, this tastes really good. This whole meal can come together in under half an hour.


4 julienned bell peppers, any colors - mix it up!
1 onion, julienned
2 pkgs Organic chicken sausage, I like Italian style, sliced in 1/2" coins
3 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
1 pkg cooked polenta, sliced into 1/2 " inch cuts
extra virgin olive oil

You need two large saute pans, one for the sausage and peppers and the other for the polenta. Fire these up at the same time, on med high heat. Add olive oil to each pan in equal amounts, (maybe a touch more for the polenta).

For the peppers, onions and sausage:
Throw in onions, peppers and garlic to hot pan, season with salt and pepper. Cook on med heat for about 5 minutes, or until everything looks wilted. Add sausage and continue to cook on medium heat. The sausage will begin to take on a lovely golden hue - you are pretty good here. Turn down to low and just let all this hang out until polenta is ready.

For Polenta:
Make sure oil is hot when you carefully add polenta coins to the pan. Lower heat to medium. Let them cook for about 10 minutes on each side, don't try to flip too soon. You will know when to flip becuase they will seperate from the pan easily.

To serve:
Place polenta coins on a platter and top with sausage and peppers.

NOTE:
Have any leftovers? Try this with scambled eggs in the morning!

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

Seriously, 40 cloves! (Make it easier on yourself and buy peeled cloves.) I served this with a mixed herb and green salad.

1 3-4 lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces. At room temp, seasoned with salt and pepper.
2 TBLS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBLS butter
About 40 garlic cloves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 chicken broth

In a deep skillet or dutch oven heat oil and butter. When fats are hot, but not smoking, add chicken skin side down and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn over and repeat. Work in batches if necessary.
Reduce heat to medium and bury cloves under chicken to settle on bottom of skillet. Saute, shaking pan frequently, about 10 minutes. Allow garlic to brown, but not burn. Add wine and broth, scraping bottom of pan.
Cover and continue to cook until juices run clear. About 15-20 minutes. Serve chicken with garlic and pan juices.
Serves 4
Adapted from Alex Witchel, New York Times

Chicken with olives, fennel, tomatoes and pearl onions. Along with sauteed brussel sprouts and pureed celeriac root.

This meal is quite elegant! I served this for the family when they had 2 VIP guests over. Everything is simple, the chicken is moist and the colors are great! I served this with a salad of arugula, endive and radicchio with shaved (high quality) parmesan and a light vinaigrette. This recipe serves 2-4 easily.

CHICKEN:
2 chicken breasts, skin and bone on
1 cup all purpose flour
1 TBLS butter
1 TBLS extra virgin o.o.
1 cup dry white wine
1 fennel bulb, julienne 1/2 inch
1/4 cup whole cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup whole, fresh pearl onions
2 cloves garlic, whole
1 1/2 cups chicken broth - hot

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and dust off excess. Heat butter and oil in a large saute pan until butter begins to brown. Place chicken skin side down and sear for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn over and sear another 3 minutes. Add wine, cook down for 2 minutes. Add fennel, tomaotes, onions and garlic. Cook on med. heat until wine almost evaporated. Add hot chicken broth and bring to a slow simmer. Partially cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. If broth begins to evaporate, add more.

CELERIAC puree:
2 heads celeriac (celery root), peeled, large dice
1 yellow potato, peeled, large dice
1 TBLS butter
salt and pepper

In pot, place celeriac, potato and cover with salted water. Bring to boil until cooked through. About 10 mins. Drain. In food processor, blend with butter, season with salt and pepper.
Keep warm in 200* oven until service.

BRUSSEL SPROUTS:
1 lb brussel sprouts, julienned
1TBLS butter or olive oil. (Butter has better flavor here)

In a large saute pan, heat butter or oil on med heat. Add brussel sprouts and salt and pepper. Sauted for about 5-7 minutes, or until al dente.
Keep warm in 200* oven until service.