Simple Roast Chicken

There is nothing better then a good, simple, beautiful, whole roast chicken. Just something about it I cant explain...

Sundays is usually the day I choose to make it, this way I have leftovers during the week for a good chicken salad or chicken sandwich...but its a perfect family meal to end the week with.

I prefer roasting my chicken standing or propped up using a beer can chicken holder, which can be purchased at your local hardware or kitchen store. I feel using the holder gives the bird a good golden roast all the way around.  I also recommend roasting the bird with whatever root veggies you like, they hold up a lot better with long roasting periods. And on this recipe, I used dry herbs but fresh herbs are just as good!

I made it last with my Kale and Cannellini Bean Ragout. It was the perfect combination. Enjoy! =)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 5-6 lb whole chicken for roasting
5 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
A good amount of kosher salt and pepper
1 lemon cut in 4 wedges
1 red onion cut in wedges leaving some of the root ( this way, the wedge stays together)
1 yellow onion cut in wedges leaving some of the root
1 1/2 lb of fingerling potatoes


Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Have a large roasting pan and beer can chicken holder ready. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse and scrape the chicken with a knife to clean it inside and out. Pat dry and set aside on the roasting dish.

In a separate bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and whisk together well. Use 3/4 of the olive oil mix to rub on the chicken. Make sure to cover all areas of the chicken inside and out. Stuff the chicken with the lemon wedges and place on the beer can chicken holder in the middle of the roasting pan. In a separate bowl, toss the rest of the olive oil mix with the onions and potatoes and place in the roasting pan around the standing chicken. Salt and pepper chicken and vegetables more if you feel its necessary.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until your meat thermometer has indicated it is done or juices have run clear. Remove the chicken and cut it into pieces. Place the chicken pieces on a platter with the vegetables and serve right away.

Kale and Cannellini Bean Ragout

My last recipe of 2012! Time flies when your having fun! And of course, we will end it with another perfect comfort food. Lets just call this a Ragout!

A ragout is usually a stew of meat and veggies or if you want,  just veggies. It can be served alone or as a side dish. Either way, it is a complete comfort food that will make you feel warm inside and out...perfect for this time of year.

This Ragout is vegetarian, but you can most definitely add sausage, chicken or ground turkey to it. If you do add meat, add it after sauteing the onions and garlic..Hope you enjoy!


Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp red chili flakes (optional)
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
1 10oz bag of chopped kale
2 15oz cans of white cannellini beans
1 15oz can of small-diced tomatoes and juices
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Directions

In a large saute pan or small pot over medium-high heat, heat Olive oil. Add onions, garlic, chili flakes, bay leaves salt and pepper and heat until onions start to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Add kale, salt and pepper and cook for another 3 minutes. Finally add the cannellini beans, can of tomatoes and stock. Stir well, then cover and cook until the kale is wilted and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Make sure to taste for salt.

Serve alone or as a side dish.

Crimini Mushroom Risotto with Peas and Bacon

Eating Risotto, is like going to your happy place. If you have never tried it or made it, you will love it and your guests will love it.  It's a creamy, comforting, Italian rice dish that can be eaten alone or accompanied by any meat. It's also a dish that requires you to baby sit it and stir constantly so be ready.

There are several versions of it. This version is the favorite from the ones I will be sharing with you. Hope you enjoy! And remember, just keep stirring, just keep stirring, just keep stirring...


Ingredients

5 strips thick cut bacon, finely chopped
6 cups chicken broth
10 oz Crimini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
2/3 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp, set on paper towel to absorb the oil and set aside. It will continue to crisp as it sits.

In a large dry pan over medium heat, toast the rice evenly for about 6 minutes, shaking the pan and mixing the rice constantly so it doesn't burn then set aside.

In a medium deep sauce pan, bring the broth to a simmer then turn the heat to a very low heat to keep it warm.

In a large sauce pan over medium heat, add tbsp of olive oil then add 3 tbsp of the butter then melt it. Add the onions salt and pepper and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Saute until the mushrooms are tender about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the rice then add the wine. Cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Now start with the broth. Add 1 cup of hot broth and stir until liquid absorbs, about 3 minutes. Repeat this step until all the broth has been used. Cook until the rice is just tender (aldente) and the mixture is creamy, about 28 minutes. Stir in the last tbsp of butter and the peas then mix in the Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and sprinkle a little more Parmesan on top.

La Dama Cooks Fresh with Tyler Florence!

Got the pleasure to meet the "Ultimate" Chef last night with one of my BFs, Amiebob in San Francisco. We attended his book signing for his new cookbook, Fresh. Lets just say I was completely starstruck! He was such a nice guy, really personable and such a hottie! It was nice to know that his personality on TV is the same in person. He sat down and took the time to speak with everyone who came. Definitely made me appreciate him more.

Smart guy to partner up with Williams-Sonoma and huge props to their flagship store on Post St! Everyone was excited, friendly, accommodating...serving up goodies from the store and pouring Tyler Florences wine...made the whole experience that much nicer, so thank you!

Now time to dig into Fresh! The books recipes look easy and the photographs of the food are absolutely beautiful like artwork...looking forward to working with it!

Truly the "Ultimate" Roasted Tomato Soup

This recipe is perfect like Tyler Florence himself. It comes from his cookbook Tylers Ultimate and it is the best tomato soup recipe I have ever made. I of course accompanied it with a double decker grilled cheese sandwich...Perfect for this weather.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (mix of fresh heirlooms, cherry, vine and plum tomatoes)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 small yellow onions, sliced
Vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, optional
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart chicken stock
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, optional
3/4 cup heavy cream, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. If using vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, add them as well, leaving them whole and on the vine. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot (set aside the roasted vine tomatoes for later). Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.
Wash and dry basil leaves, if using, and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Garnish in bowl with 3 or 4 roasted vine cherry tomatoes and a splash of heavy cream.

Porter Braised Chicken with Root Vegetables

Tried this recipe last year, it was so good I made it again...

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 carrots
2 red potatoes
1 celery root, about 14 oz.
1 large yellow onion
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 3 1/4 lb. total
2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
2 Tbs. canola oil
7 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 bottles porter, each 12 fl. oz.
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/3 cup all-purpose flour


Directions

Peel the carrots and then cut the carrots and unpeeled potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Peel the celery root, cut it in half lengthwise, and then cut away any spongy or gnarly parts. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Peel and chop the onion.

Season the chicken thighs with the 2 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper. In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat, warm the oil until very hot but not smoking. Working in batches, add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook, turning once or twice, until lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter. Pour off the fat in the pot.
Reduce the heat to medium, add 2 Tbs. of the butter to the pot and let it melt. Add the onion and sauté until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes and celery root, then stir in the porter, broth, brown sugar, mustard, tomato paste and thyme. Return the chicken thighs to the pot, submerging them in the liquid, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

In a heatproof bowl, mash together the remaining 5 Tbs. butter and the flour to form a thick paste. Gradually whisk about 2 cups of the hot cooking liquid into the flour-butter mixture and then stir this mixture into the pot. Cover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken shows no sign of pink when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife near the bone, about 10 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Divide the chicken, vegetables and sauce among warmed deep bowls. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma New Flavors for Chicken, by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2008).