Recipes
Disclaimer/Note:
Please forgive my candor: I mean well and can’t help it! If you hate butter or garlic, distrust salt, want specific seasoning amounts or times, or like chicken breast I hope you’re not offended too badly, and I'll send you good vibes as you clearly need some healing. This is a safe space!
I only use kosher or sea salt in cooking (fine sea salt specifically- bailene brand blue). Do not try and use iodized table salt or (heaven forbid!) boxed ground pepper in any of these recipes (or in any food for that matter) then complain that it tastes salty or anything but delicious: it’s your own fault. Those ingredients belong in the middle of the 20th century where we found them. I generally do not provide salt or pepper amounts in recipes except for baked goods, but I will tell you to season as you go and will utilize general amounts such as “a pinch.” A pinch is 3 fingers, not 3 grains. Along those same lines: If I had a nickel for how many times my mother (a very good cook in her own right when she trusts herself) has rolled her eyes as I respond “until it’s done” to questions of timing I’d be a moderately comfortable woman. I will try to be more specific here, but please understand that animals (that’s what proteins are and they will be referred to thusly), vegetables, grains, cooking equipment, etc. vary greatly and you must trust in yourself and use your experience to make the final call on questions such as “is it done?” and “does this taste good?” That being said, please feel free to email me with any questions. I promise I will endeavor to answer your queries to the best of my ability, and with limited dryness. (In answer: if it isn’t done, keep cooking it, and if it doesn’t taste good the answer is likely more salt)
Braised Chicken with Chickpeas and Curry
This recipe is pure comfort. It’s a classic dish with the addition of curry powder for a little warmth and a little something different. It can easily be adapted: for a vegetarian version (highly recommend!) simply leave out the chicken and substitute vegetable stock, vegetable broth, or water for the chicken stock. If you don’t have an ingredient, simply substitute for something similar or leave it out. The greens can be interchanged: I add whatever I have on hand (kale, spinach, arugula, watercress, Swiss chard, etc.- just keep cook times in mind). You can also substitute the chickpeas for any other legume for an equally delicious and nutritious meal (the cook time may differ though).
Yield: 4 portions
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 90 minutes
active cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
2 Tb olive oil
2 lb chicken legs/thighs, bone in and skin on ( I suppose you could go skinless, but it must be bone in, and must be legs, unless you like stringy flavorless meat, in which case by all means use breasts)
1 onion, small diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, small diced
2 stalks celery, small diced
1 Tb thyme, minced
3 Tb Madras Curry powder
1/2 t fennel seed (optional)
1 lb dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in lukewarm water
2 qts chicken stock (or water, or veg stock), preferably homemade
1/4-1/2 lb hearty greens, chopped roughly (kale/spinach/chard/turnip greens/etc.
kosher or fine sea salt, to taste
freshly cracked pepper, to taste
squeeze of lemon
yogurt for serving (optional)
Instructions:
Season your chicken well with salt. Let it sit while you prepare your other ingredients. Then, once everything is prepared/chopped/etc., DRY your chicken! This is very important for browning of any protein. By seasoning it ahead of time and letting it sit, we are utilizing osmosis to pull the salt into the chicken. This is why it becomes wet. Ideally your chicken sits for at least 15 minutes, but any time is good.
Brown the chicken. Heat a heavy bottomed pot (stainless steel or cast iron or cast enamel are all great) over medium high heat until you can feel the heat coming up through the pan when you place your hand about 2 inches above the bottom. Add the olive oil ONCE THE PAN IS HOT. Then, carefully, lay the chicken pieces in skin side down. You will likely have to do this in batches: do not overcrowd the pan or they will steam and render and not brown, which is the opposite of what we want (science yay!). You’ll know the pan is too hot if the chicken is violently popping at you: turn it down a bit if this happens, as we don’t want to scorch the skin nor the bits that will collect on the bottom of the pot. Once the first batch of chicken is nicely browned on the skin side, remove it to a plate, skin side up, and continue browning until all chicken is browned on one side.
Make the base. Lower the heat to medium. Add your onion and garlic to the pot, and season with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper. Stirring occasionally, allow the alliums (onion and garlic are alliums) to cook down, or “sweat” for about 5- 7 minutes, or until translucent. Add the celery and carrot, season with salt and pepper (yes again, we added more food), and stir. Continue to cook the vegetables gently for about 2 minutes or until they, too, start to sweat (release liquid). Add the thyme, curry powder, and fennel seed (if using) and stir well, coating all of the vegetables. Continue to stir for another minute (we are toasting and blooming the curry powder- a step not to be skipped!).
Add the chickpeas and chicken stock, give everything a good stir, and turn the heat to high. Add another pinch or two of salt. Make sure to scrape up any of the bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken pieces back in, skin side up, keeping in a single layer if you can. Once the liquid comes to a boil, turn the heat to low (simmer) and cover the pot.
Simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (pierce the bottom with a knife near the bone to check). Remove the chicken pieces to a plate, cover and set aside. Leave the lid off and simmer the chickpeas another 15-30 minutes or until cooked through.
Add the greens to the pot, along with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper, and give it all a good stir. Let the greens cook 2-8 minutes, or until tender.
Preheat the broiler. Add the chicken back to the pot (skin side up, on top) and place whole pot in oven under broiler for 2-5 minutes until chicken skin is nice and crispy again.
TASTE THE BROTH AND CHICKPEAS. Does it need more flavor?- add salt. More warmth? add pepper. In any case, adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Serve on its own or with yogurt, rice, and fresh herbs. Just make sure you add a squeeze of lemon!
