Simple Chicken and Rice, but it's Not Average.

For about a 24 hour period, our little town didn't have any natural gas; human error had caused the lines to depressurize which meant no heat or hot water for many residents. It also meant no using the gas stove which meant no cooking up anything fresh for meals, except via the microwave. Yeah, that wasn't happening. Luckily the gas was back on before I went to work, and as soon as I came home I went to work on a very simple, comforting and delicious chicken dinner.  I call it "Simply Seared Chicken" due to that being the main method of cooking, searing; the side dish is "Risi e Bisi" or "Rice and Peas".  The side dish is a risotto which originated in Venice and goes very well with poultry or the other white meat, pork.

Now when picking out your chicken, I like using plump, boneless, skinless chicken breasts; however, they take a little longer to cook because of the thickness and usually need to be finished off in the oven.  Keeping them searing in the skillet is not a good idea for while they will finish cooking completely, the seasonings will end up burning.  A thinner cutlet can be used, or pound out the chicken breasts if you do not want to use the oven to complete the cooking.  Personally, once I cut into that thick section of chicken breast, the juices begin flowing out, mixing with the seasonings and olive oil; there is no need for any sauces or gravies!

 

Simply Seared Chicken

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 tsp each of medium sea salt, paprika and garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 Tbsp olive oil

 

Preparation:

 

 

 

 

 

Mix together the seasonings and sprinkle on both sides of chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch skillet on medium-high heat; as it just begins to sizzle, add the chicken (skin side down) into the pan.  All four pieces will fit with a slight space in between each.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sear the chicken for five minutes, turn over and sear the other side for another five minutes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Test the doneness by slicing open the thickest part of the breast.  If it is still undercooked, place the chicken into a baking pan and finish off cooking in a 350F oven for three to five minutes.

 

 

 

The Risi e Bisi can be cooking at the same time you are preparing the chicken; a main and side dish done at the same time!

 

Risi e Bisi (rice and peas)

 

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 cup Arborio rice

4 cups warmed chicken stock

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted and warmed

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

 

Preparation:

 

In a deep, large skillet, medium-heat, melt the butter with the olive oil; add the rice and toast it for two minutes; add the garlic and mix thoroughly.  Add 1 and 1/2 cups of stock, bring to a low boil (just beginning to bubble); stir until the liquid is fully absorbed into the rice.  Continue adding in half cups of stock, letting it be fully absorbed by the rice before adding more; stir constantly.  The rice should be al dente within 20 minutes at which time the peas and cheese can be added and mixed in.

 

Both the chicken and side dish recipes are for four servings.  Simple, easy, comforting and very delicious; how can you go wrong!?!

 

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Paella, the Party in the Pot.

Originating in Valencia, on the eastern coast of Spain, Paella can indeed be considered a party in a pot; everything and anything can be invited into this dish. Recipes from olden times list rabbit, chicken, snails and beans; it was the Arabic influence which introduced rice and spices, like saffron, into the party mix. As more and more outside influences entered Spain, the recipes for Paella became varied.

When making Paella, the most important element is the rice; Spanish rice is perfect, but not available everywhere. A short grain rice is the best substitute, like Arborio rice which is used in Risotto making. The Spanish or short grain rice absorb large amounts of liquid, but does not become mushy; on the contrary, it becomes plump and tender. The liquid used is also an important factor as it, not only cooks the rice, but adds flavor to the entire dish. Fish stock is the number one liquid used and usually freshly made; chicken stock is second, especially in regions where seafood is not plentiful or readily available. Depending on the recipe used, sometimes the pan is left on the burner long enough for the bottom layer of rice to toast before serving.

Adding some heat to the dish can be achieved two ways, using chile peppers or, as a meat component, a spicy sausage such as Chorizo. If using sausage, be careful of the seasonings that might be in the meat mixture to make sure it doesn't clash with the overall dish. Saffron, the stigmas of the Saffron Crocus flower, gives food a yellow-orange coloring; the taste is similar to a grassy honey. Just a pinch goes a long way and good thing too as this spice is expensive due to limited availability.

When using seafood in your Paella, stick to species that will cook well together time wise, and hold up well in structure, not fall apart. Shrimp, scallop, squid, octopus and firm white flesh fish such as cod or halibut are examples. Clams, mussels and oysters are also perfect for a seafood or varied Paella. How many of these elements you incorporate into your recipe is up to you. I wanted a simplified version, so used only three proteins; shrimp, scallops and chicken. I only used 12 ounces of each; always try to use equal amounts of the proteins and adjust accordingly to accommodate the size of your pan. While I used a short grained rice, I made the mistake of not checking the rice to liquid ratio on the package; some have a one to two ratio, some have a one to three ratio.  It was slightly soupy, but still delicious; the extra liquid did absorb well when leftovers were reheated the next day.

A Paella pan looks similar to a giant Wok, but with lower sides and a larger, flat base to sit on the fire. Like the Wok, it distributes the heat evenly to ensure proper cooking of all ingredients without having to worry about overcooking or burning. I used my Calphalon Everyday Pan to make my Paella. With all the ingredients I managed to put into the pan, it did not boil over.

Basically, this type of dish is great for a get-together and ensures that everyone will get a little something of everything that's put into it.  The simplicity or difficulty is entirely up to the recipe that you follow.  Try it and enjoy!

 

Paella

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
2 cups Spanish or short grain rice
Fish or chicken stock (check rice package listing for correct amount, plus one cup to accommodate other ingredients)
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
pinch of saffron
12 ounces extra large shrimp
12 ounces sea scallops
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup thinly sliced colored bell peppers (do not use green bell peppers)
1 cup diced tomatoes

Preparation:

On medium-high heat, saute' together oil, onion, mushrooms and chicken until chicken begins to brown; mix in rice.  Add stock, garlic, paprika, black pepper, red pepper flakes and saffron; mix together.  Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes; adjust heat if necessary to keep at a simmer, not a boil; stir occasionally.

Mix and immerse the shrimp and scallops into the rice mixture; sprinkle peas and bell peppers evenly over top and press down slightly into rice mixture.  Cook for 10 minutes; add the tomatoes, mix and cook another 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and let pan rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Al Dente Rice? Risotto!

A classic Italian rice dish served in many a fine dining establishment is called Risotto. The rice is cooked to an al dente consistency which means it is "firm to the tooth", but not hard nor crunchy; and certainly not mushy. The type of rice used for risotto is called Arborio; a short grained, starchy rice which was exclusively grown in Italy, but now comes from Texas and California as well.

Cooking this type of rice is much different than the typical white or long grained rices; for one cup of rice it takes up to 4 cups of hot liquid to achieve the right consistency. Normally rice is cooked in a 2 to 1 ratio; two cups of liquid to one cup rice where the rice and liquid are brought up to a boil together, left to simmer and then settle.  Another difference is that the dry arborio rice is sauteed in a pan with ingredients before the liquid begins to be added in.  With other types of rice, the seasonings or other ingredients are added in after the rice has fully, or almost fully, cooked.  So this makes it important to plan your risotto dish ahead, since adding ingredients after it is completed sort of defeats the purpose of the dish itself.

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter, divided in half
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into pieces
½ cup diced onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
½ cup white wine
5 ½ cups hot chicken stock
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp minced parsley

Preparation:

In a large skillet, medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter; saute mushrooms and chicken together until there is no more pink in the chicken. Remove to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap to keep warm and moist.

Reduce heat to medium; in the same skillet, melt 2 remaining tablespoons of butter; saute onion until translucent; add in garlic and rice; stir and let cook until rice turns opaque. Stir in black pepper and wine; let cook until wine is absorbed.

Begin adding chicken stock one half cup at a time; do not add next half cup until previous one has been absorbed into the rice. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula gently to keep rice from breaking apart.

When the last half cup of stock has been reached, add back the mushrooms and chicken; add in the grated cheese and parsley. Stir thoroughly; remove from heat once stock has been fully absorbed and the rice is creamy; stir and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Mary Cokenour