A Chicken In Every Pot

After a very stressful week we were happy to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at T and J's with six friends.

First we had Manhattans along with smoked salmon.

Then, of course, there was corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread--all washed down with a wee bit of Guiness stout and Harp lager or a mixture thereof.

All of this was followed by a Bailey's Irish Cream Cheese Cake and Irish Coffee

A good time was had by all. So you can imagine why, while anticipating another stressful week ahead,it was the comfort and simplicity of chicken that I wanted for dinner on Sunday. I decided on a dish from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, Braised Chicken with Red Onions and Carrots. I tried to link to Martha's recipe, but it was not yet available.  This link, although not credited to her, is her recipe. This one is my adaptation.

Braised Chicken With Red Onions and Carrots
Adapted by a Recipe by Martha Stewart from Everyday Food
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1whole chicken, 3 1/2- to 4 pounds, cut into eight pieces and patted dry
Salt and pepper
1 large red onion, cut into 8 wedges, root end left intact
1 pound carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch oven heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pot, skin side down.  Cook until skin is browned, about 8 minutes. Turn and cook another 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside.

Add onion and carrots to pot, season with salt and pepper and cook until onion and carrots are slightly golden, about 5 minutes.  Add wine, scraping up browned bits. Return chicken to pot, skin side up, and add 1 cup water. Bring to boil, cover and transfer to oven.  Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 35 minutes.

Radishes with sweet butter and sea salt before dinner

I like to cut my chicken into 8 pieces, but because this chicken was just over 3 pounds, I left the legs and thighs attached. I leave a little bit of breast meat attached to each wing, and cut each breast half in two. 

 The chicken has been sauteed and vegetables added.  It is now ready for the oven.  Of course, you may finish cooking this on top of the stove. But once in the oven, it gave me time to clean the cooktop, thus making after-dinner clean up a breeze.

As I said the chicken was small, so it really would not have served four for dinner, and there was too much water added. If I make this dish again, I would remove the cooked chicken pieces and reduce the liquid to a thicker sauce or use less liquid.  Any way, it was a tasty dish.


Have a good week.

 

Spicy, Dirty and Hot

It was Friday night, and we were in the mood for something spicy, a little bit dirty, and definitely very hot.

So, it was lucky for us that we came across this post by Elizabeth Minchelli in Rome to inspire us. We were going to mix up some Spicy Dirty Martinis.

You know by now that John and I are big fans of dry vodka Martinis.  Really, what's not to like?  But sometimes you just have to change it up a bit. Variety is the spice of life, right?

We started with the vodka and a little more vermouth than we were accustomed to.  Then a teaspoon of olive brine and a splash of sriracha sauce. The rest of the ritual was the same--shake vigorously over ice and strain into the waiting cocktail glasses.  A nicely balanced drink that proved to be a good match with food.

Of course, we needed something to eat with the drink. Something crisp and salty.  I had bought the tiniest new potatoes at the market.

 I boiled them until tender, and when cool enough to handle, I placed them between a folded tea towel and smashed them with my palm.

Lined up on a baking sheet, they went into the fridge to await John's arrival, upon which they were doused with olive oil and put to bake in a hot oven until brown and crisp.

When they came out of the oven, I sprinkled them with sea salt, and I hardly could contain myself until they were cool enough to eat.