CHICKEN, SAUCES, TOPPINGS

1. Chicken Andouille Gumbo

1 (2 1/2) lb. Chicken, cut into bite size pieces, (saving necks and backs for stock)
1/2 cup oil, vegetable, corn, canola or whatever
1 1/2 lbs. Sliced okra, fresh or frozen
1/2 bunch of celery
1 lb. Andouille sausage (Italian sausage works fine also)
1 can of tomatoes
2 large onions, chopped
7 cloves garlic, minced
2 qts. chicken stock
5 bay leaves
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 oz gumbo file (pronounce fil-lay, not fi-uhl) ;-)
salt & black pepper
cayenne pepper (and as much of any other pepper, according to individual taste)

Heat oil to 355 degrees in a heavy pot or deep fryer. Dredge chicken in flour and fry until golden brown. Set aside. In another pot, simmer chicken necks and backs in 2 quarts water to make stock. Chicken bovril works just as well.

Have okra, celery, onions, garlic, sausage(s) chopped up previous. Then, in a heavy 12-quart pot, cook 1/4-cup flour over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning and make a dark roux - not a black roux. Add next 7 ingredients & saute over medium heat until vegetables are tender & all the slime is cooked out of the okra. Add stock, bay leaves, Worcestershire, salt and pepper to taste. Add as much or little pepper as desired to increase the heat of the gumbo according to your individual taste.

Cook slowly, stirring occasionally for approximately 3 hours. Add fried chicken & cook for an additional 20 minutes. Turn off fire & stir in file. Serve over steamed rice.

2. Chicken Tandoori

This recipe exported from MasterCook. It only calls for cayenne pepper but you can use any type of chile you like, and any amount. You can add more on at the table. I served it with rice pilaf and homemade pita bread. Great meal.
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
4 chicken breast halves (with bones) -- washed & dried
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
3/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt
4 cloves garlic-minced
3 scallions (green part ONLY) -- chopped
2" pc fresh ginger -- peeled & chopped
1/4 tsp cumin seed
1 tbsp coriander seed
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
2 tbsp vegetable oil
parsley -- for garnish

24 hours before serving, lay the chicken on a cutting board and cut gashes on each side. Combine the cayenne, salt, pepper and lime juice in a small bowl. Mix well. Rub on each piece of chicken, making sure to get into each gash. Place in a shallow dish and let stand 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the yogurt, garlic, ginger, scallions, cumin, coriander, red hot pepper flakes and mustard seeds. Puree until smooth. Spread over the chicken on all sides, especially in the gashes. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours, turning once or twice.

The next day, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place some tin foil all over the bottom of the pan and place a rack in the pan. Spray the pan with nonstick spray and the rack. Lay the chicken pieces on top. Scrape the marinade off the dish and spread it all over the chicken. Drizzle the vegetable oil over the chicken. Bake for 45 minutes until the meat is tender and cooked through. Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer to a platter. Spoon any drippings from the pan over chicken. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve.

NOTES:
Served with rice pilaf and pita bread
45 minutes should be enough. If not, another 5-10 minutes is all it needs.
Can also be done on the grill outdoors. I would pre-cook it a bit so it doesn't burn on the outside and stay raw in the middle.

3. Coronado Grilled Chicken Tacos

One whole Chicken about 2 lb (I kg)
Salt & Pepper
½ Bunch Fresh Thyme
½ Bunch Fresh Dill
1 Bay Leaf
4 Cloves Garlic
Olive Oil to Brush Chicken and rack
Salsa
8-10 Flour or Corn Tortillas
2 Cups shredded Iceberg Lettuce
1 Cup Chopped Plum Tomatoes
1 Cup Chopped Fresh Coriander

4. Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons & Olives

2 tbsp olive oil
3 lb (1½ kg) chicken, cut into pieces
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp freshly roasted or ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp saffron (preferrably toasted)
1 cup hot water or chicken stock
8 pieces of preserved lemon
½ cup cracked green olives
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large, deep skillet with lid, or in dutch oven; add chicken and cook until browned. Transfer to plate; reserve. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of oil from skillet. Add onions and garlic; cook over medium heat until tender. Add cumin, paprika, ginger and pepper. Cook about 30 seconds. In small bowl, dissolve saffron in hot water; add to onion mixture. Bring to a boil. Add browned chicken pieces, coating well with onion mixture. Cover and cook chicken over low heat about 20 minutes. In meantime, rinse preserved lemons under cold running water and pull pulp away from peel. Slice peel into thin strips. Add to chicken mixture. Cover; cook 15 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken pieces, lemons and olives to serving platter. Add lemon juice to sauce. If sauce isn't thick enough cook, uncovered, a few minutes longer. Taste and add salt only if necessary. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle coriander and parsley. Makes 4 servings.

5. Indonesian Ginger Chicken

A superb party dish or meal.
1 cup liquid honey
3/4 cup soy or tamari sauce
1/4 cup minced garlic (12-15 cloves)
1/2 cup peeled, grated fresh ginger root
Two 3 1/2 lb (1/14 kg) chickens, quartered, backs removed

In a small saucepan, cook honey, soy or tamari sauce, garlic and ginger root over low heat until honey is melted. Arrange chicken in a large, shallow baking dish, skin side down; pour honey mixture over. Cover with foil or lid. Marinate overnight in fridge. Place baking dish in preheated 350 degrees F oven; bake, covered, 30 minutes. Uncover, turn chicken skin side up, and increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake 30 minutes more or until skin is crisp, juices run clear between leg and thigh and sauce is a rich dark brown. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

6. Jerk Chicken

Jerk seasoning is Caribbean style... very hot! often contains citrus juice and lots of Scotch bonnet peppers. It can be in paste, dry rub, or liquid sauce. Check out some of the sauce sites such as http://www.chillychiles.com/. Jerk Chicken has to be one of the finest dishes in the world. Here is one recipe using Busha Browne's jerk seasoning:
6 lb Roasting Chicken
1 tbsp. Salt
2 tsp. Garlic powder
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Soya Sauce
1 small onion
3 tbsp. Busha Browne's Jerk Seasoning

First thing, rub the whole chicken with salt. Grater the onion and rub it into the chicken. Add the Paprika and Garlic powder to the chicken. Rub the Jerk Seasoning all over the whole chicken and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours. Roast in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Pasilla de Oaxaca Pasta

This recipe is a low fat version but you can adapt your favorite cream sauce recipe if desired.
1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 lb. mushrooms sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut in julienne
1 tsp. dried dill
1 Pasilla de Oaxaca, stem removed and diced finely (Use 1 1/2 chiles if you REALLY like it hot!)
Fresh ground pepper
3 tbsp. tequila (optional)
1 cup low fat yogurt
3/4 tsp cornstarch
Fresh parmesan
1 - 350 gm pkg. fresh pasta or your choice of high quality dried pasta, cooked al dente.

In large frying pan heat olive oil. Saute the mushrooms and red bell pepper for 4 to 5 minutes until tender. Add the dill, pasilla, fresh ground pepper and tequila and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. (Get your pasta cooking now - this next step only takes a few minutes and then you're ready!) Stir the cornstarch into the low fat yogurt (it helps to prevent it from curdling!). Add the yogurt mixture to the mushroom mixture and heat gently over low heat until just warmed through. Toss the sauce with the pasta and serve with additional fresh ground pepper and parmesan cheese. Serves 3-4.
Note: There is really no substitute for the Pasilla de Oaxaca chile but if necessary, you can substitute Chipotle Chiles (the dish will not have the same deep smoky flavour).

Hot Tips:

Handling very hot chiles can be a challenge at the best of times and if you happen to use your bare hands and then inadvertently touch a sensitive part of the body....well, say no more! If a recipe doesn't require that the chile be whole, it is often easier to puree the chile rather than tryng to mince or chop it. For dried chiles, first soak them in hot water for about 20 minutes. Then add the reconstituted chile (or fresh chile) and a little water to a food processor and puree it (we actually use a small, very inexpensive Black and Decker chopper). If the puree gets too thick, just add a little water. The finished puree can then be added to sauces, stews, con carne etc. or can be stored in the refrigerator for weeks.
Featured Chile - Pasilla de Oaxaca
Experimenting with chiles is a great way to learn about new flavours and types of heat and this Monthly Feature has a bit of information about the featured chile and a recipe that uses the chile. The Pasilla de Oaxaca chile is rare and is grown only in the Oaxaca region of Mexico. It is fairly hot with a unique, intense, smoky flavour. When we try to describe the taste, we usually try to relate it to the experience of smoking a fine cigar - the flavours change from an initial burst to a complex blend of lingering overtones. There is nothing quite like it and once you use them, there is no substitute!

7. Pineapple Chile Chicken

This is a reduced fat pesto with fettuccine and chicken sautéed with chiles and pineapple. Serves 2, but double the chicken and pasta for 4. There's enough pesto for about 5-6. Spices are approximate. Hopefully I haven't forgotten anything! We estimate about 24 gm fat for the entire dish (for 2), so about 12 gm each. The pesto sauce really makes it. A slight variation on a recipe by Sam Gugino, who has an excellent mailing list on food, wine and cooking. The subscription info is below.
1/2 package Spinosi fettuccine
1/2 c Sam's Oil-less pesto sauce (see below)
Pineapple Chile Chicken (see below)
Cook the fettuccine al dente, drain and add to warm serving dish. Add the pesto sauce and mix. Serve with Pineapple Chile Chicken either over or on the side. Garnish with grated Pecorino Romano. We found a mix, chopped salad (Mary's specialty) went great with this, and ended up mixing everything together for the second helping!

Pineapple Chile Chicken

Salt to taste
1+ tsp fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp cumin seed, crushed
Pam spray oil
2 tsp coriander, crushed
1 tsp dry Mexican oregano
Calvin's Chile Powder if you have it!
1 c dry white table wine
2 Portobello mushrooms, small stuffing size (about 3" diameter), halved 1/4" slices
1/2 - 2/3 c fresh pineapple, bite size chunks
1 pasilla chile, cleaned and diced, roasted, skin removed
2 yellow chile, cleaned and diced
1 manzano, cleaned and diced
2 jalapeños, cleaned and diced
1 habenero, cleaned and diced
1 chicken breast, boned, skinless, trim most of the fat, cut into 1/4" thick strips

Toast the coriander, and cumin in a non-stick frying pan, add the oregano a bit later, until aromatic. Sprinkle lightly with Calvin's chile powder if you have it. Over medium heat add the chicken strips, ground pepper, and spray lightly with Pam. Add some salt. Stir, cover and simmer until chicken is opaque. Stir occasionally. Add the chiles. Stir, add about 3/4 c wine and simmer. Add more wine so there's always some liquid. Adjust spices if necessary. Now, I ran out of time here and put everything in the refrigerator...So, the next day, add the mushrooms to a skillet on medium heat, spray lightly with Pam and sauté until soft. Add the pineapple and cook until it starts to clear. Add the chile chicken mix, stir occasionally until hot. Cook the pasta at this time and grate some Romano.

Sam's OIL-LESS PESTO

[modifications are in brackets]
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts [can use 1/3 c]
[Not quite oil-less, with about 1+ tsp extra virgin olive oil]
3 cups basil leaves
2 cups spinach leaves or cilantro
8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese [substitute 1/3 c Pecorino Romano instead]
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons mineral water
Salt to taste

Put nuts, basil, spinach, garlic, cheese, lemon juice and pepper in a food processor. Puree. [Add the olive oil.] Gradually add mineral water until desired consistency is achieved. Salt to taste. Serve with pasta, grilled fish or chicken. Makes about 1 cup. Per serving (about 1/4 cup); 99 calories, 7 grams fat. [This is for the original, but made as above it's about 1 1/2 c pesto, so the cal & fat should be about the same.)

8. Yassa-A West African Chicken Dish

For chile-heads here is a very simple recipe for chicken, which is wonderfully tasty, at least from a chile-heads perspective:

Take about 3 lbs of chicken (ad lib) and marinate it for about 3 hours in 1 cup of either lime or lemon juice (those of you lucky enough to have a passion fruit vine, use the same amount of passion fruit juice, instead.) When it has finished marinating, remove the chicken from the marinade and sautee in about 3/4 inch of peanut oil (gives it a wonderfully distinctive taste), until it turns a light golden brown. While the chicken is sauteeing, sautee about 2-3 cups of sliced onions (I use red onions), until they are translucent, about 10 minutes. When the onions are translucent, put the sauteed chicken in with the onions, the reserved marinade, 2 teaspoons of salt, a pinch of sage, a cup of water, and chiles ad lib. (I use, generally 2-3 fire engine red fresh serranos, but not more in deference to my dear wife; but fire it up as hot as you please, by all means!) Bring the pan to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the chicken is done to your liking. You may wish to correct for salt, before finishing the dish. Sprinkle with fresh Italian parsley from your garden. Serve this with plenty of white rice, steamed yam and greens of your choosing (I used steamed cabbage last night). Serve with a fruity wine that can stand up to chiles. We drank a nice white zinfandel. (Or, if you prefer something nonalcoholic, a nice hot cup of tea of your choice goes equally well.) This makes a marvelous meal on a gray, rainy day.

9. Chicken Karahi

Recipe courtesy of Aliyah Imam
2 pounds of boneless chicken cut into medium size cubes (can use chicken with bones, but cut into very small pieces, about 3 inches in length)
Salt to taste
4 green chilies, coarsely chopped (any kind, preferably the thin long ones)
10 whole black peppercorns
1/4 cup water
2-3 tablespoons olive oil or any vegetable oil
2 pounds of fresh red tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Red chili powder to taste
2-inch piece of fresh ginger julienned
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Wash and dry chicken pieces properly. Put the chicken pieces in a medium sized saucepan. Add salt to taste, green chilies, peppercorns, and water and place on stove on high heat. Once the water starts to boil, reduce heat to low and cook chicken until tender and the liquid has evaporated. If the chicken sticks and is not cooked add a little more water.
While the above is being done, in a separate "karahi", which is an Indian/ Pakistani Wok, (or you can use a Chinese wok also) add the olive oil, tomatoes, some salt and red chili powder (around one teaspoon for medium hot or two teaspoons for hot). Cook on medium heat until the tomatoes are tender and reduced to a sauce like consistency. Add the cooked chicken pieces to the sauce. Reduce heat to very low so that the sauce absorbs and coats the chicken pieces. Add the julienned ginger and green chilies to the chicken. Simmer for around five minutes.
Before serving sprinkle on chopped cilantro and serve in the Karahi, with hot pita bread or any available Indian bread from the market. The dish is best eaten fresh off the stove with "Dal" as an accompaniment.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

10. Spring Chicken Fricasee

Copyright, Michael Lomonaco 1997
4 poussin, about 12 to 14 ounces each, butterflied through the back bone
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp whole, unsalted butter
1/2 cup purple pearl onions, blanched and peeled
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 1/2 cups hot chicken stock
2 bay leaves
3 star anise
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp coriander seed
1 tbsp cardamom seed
1/4 lb. fresh morels, cleaned well, quartered
1/2 cup fresh new peas
1/2 pound pencil asparagus, woody stem removed
4 ounces creme fraiche
1/4 cup chopped chives

Season the poussin with a generous sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat the olive oil together with the butter in a saute pan with straight sides (sauteuse) over medium heat. Add the poussin, without crowding, to the saute pan skin side down and cook slowly to brown the chickens to a golden brown color. Turn the chickens to brown the other side, add the pearl onions to caramelize with the chicken, and place a lid on the pan. Allow the chicken and onions to simmer together for 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the dry sherry to the saute pan and cook down to reduce the liquid until almost evaporated.
Add the hot stock together with the spices tied in cheesecloth into an herb bouquet garni.
Let this simmer slowly over low heat for 30 to 35 minutes. After 20 minutes has gone by add the morels to the pan and continue to simmer all together for the remaining 15 minutes cooking time.
Remove the chicken carefully from the pan, add the peas and asparagus to the stock and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the creme fraiche and cook together for 2 more minutes before spooning the vegetables around the chicken and pouring the excess sauce into a sauceboat. Sprinkle chopped chives over everything and serve.
Yield: 4 servings