Curry Roast Chicken with Tomato Leek Gravy: Fire Up Those Ovens!

In previous years, rainy days found me scrounging around the pantry for things to bake.  This year, however, it appears that I roast a chicken.  I go back and forth in my thoughts on a roast chicken.  To many cooks (and their eating public), a perfect roast chicken is the ultimate dish.  In its simplicity there is actually quite a lot if room for error and certainly there seem to be as many recipes for that perfect roast chicken as there are chickens.

Having tried a few standards (a few blog-worthy ones coming soon), I wanted to go in a new direction. As delicious as that perfect simple roast chicken is, I must admit that I can find roast chicken a little boring.  And so, I found a recipe for Curry Roast Chicken and then played around with it using the bounty of late summer local produce that I found myself with yesterday. 

Tomato Leek Gravy featuring Vermont and Brooklyn produceRather than your typical roast onions, I used leeks from Satur Farms.  The chicken, garlic and tomatoes were both from Vermont.  The winner for most local item, however, was my dried chili peppers from down the hall.  We didn't get our garden in gear this summer before the floods and the cool weather, but our neighbor graciously gifted us with dried habaneros from his crop. 

The result was a welcome change from otherwise delicious roast chicken. Please keep in mind that we love spice in this house.  The original recipe called for 1 tsp curry powder and left it at that.  I wanted to create something a little more complex.  The spices I used were not hot and gave the chicken a lovely full flavor.  Feel free to play with it as you wish.  Or, for that matter, to go complete rogue.  I'm tempted to try this again using chili powder and cumin or Chinese five spice powder.  The sky is the limit.  If you play around with this, let me know! 

Curry Roast Chicken Curry Roast Chicken with Tomato Leek Gravy

Adapted from Grace Parisi at Food & Wine Magazine

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 6 garlic cloves, 2 minced
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground ginger (try substituting fresh minced)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 whole 4 pound chicken
• 1 large leek, white parts only, quartered, well rinsed and chopped
• 2 cups diced seeded fresh tomatoes
• 1 1/2 dried habaneros (or 2 fresh), sliced (seeded if you want less heat)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt

A Chicken Before Roasting

1. Preheat oven to 425F with rack in bottom third of oven.
2. Mix minced garlic cloves and spices into softened butter.  Season with salt and pepper. 
3. Pat chicken dry. Rub half of butter mixture under the skin of the chicken.  Rub remainder around on top of the chicken skin. 
4. Spread leeks, tomatoes, chilis and remaining garlic cloves evenly in the bottom of a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Pour 1/2 cup water into the rack. Place chicken breast-side up in rack. 
5. Roast chicken for 30 minutes, until skin begins to turn golden brown.  Flip the chicken breast-side down and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
6. Flip the chicken over one more time.  Add another 1/2 cup water and cook for 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 180F when stuck in the fleshy part near the thigh. 
7. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and place the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium. Add the chicken broth or wine and stir, scraping up all the browned bits. Add yogurt just before serving the gravy. 
8. Enjoy! 

Walnut and Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken

I have a rosemary addict in my house.  Just as I'm always asked to amp up the spice or add Asian flavors, if a dish calls for rosemary, I somehow can never add enough.  When I found this recipe for Walnut and Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken, I figured that I couldn't go wrong.  

To top it all off, despite the rough-going in our little terrace garden, the rosemary is flourishing.  We planted rosemary and thyme in the same pot and they are both heartily reaching up and climbing over the pot to try and gain even more territory.  

I modified the original recipe because the mustard was a bit heavy when we first tried this and overwhelmed the other flavors.  I also upped the breadcrumbs because I used chicken tenders instead of full chicken cutlets and needed to cover more surface area.  The crust really is the star here, so it pays to throw in a little extra, but of course you can dial it back if that seems better for your dinner table. 

Another reason these shone - they are just about the right size for the old convection toaster oven and keep the kitchen cool.  Give it a shot if you have one at your disposal. 

Walnut and Rosemary Oven Fried Chicken (Adapted from Cooking Light)

• 1/4  cup  low-fat buttermilk
• 1  tbsp  Dijon mustard
• about 1 lb chicken tenders (local and organic if possible!)
• 2/3  cup  panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/3  cup  finely chopped walnuts
• 2  tbsp  grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 3/4  tsp minced fresh rosemary
• 1/4  tsp  kosher salt
• 1/4  tsp  freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil cooking spray
• Rosemary leaves (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Combine buttermilk and mustard in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Add chicken to buttermilk mixture, turning to coat.

3. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko to pan; cook 3 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Combine panko, nuts, and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture; discard buttermilk mixture. Dredge chicken in panko mixture.

4. Arrange a wire rack on a large baking sheet; coat rack with cooking spray. Arrange chicken on rack; coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 13 minutes or until chicken is done. Garnish with rosemary leaves, if desired.

Bento Lunch Special: Sesame Balsamic Chicken, Pineapple Fried Rice and Roasted Broccoli

I largely focus on dinners here, although I do occasionally throw something in about leftovers or re-purposing a big batch of something.  On the rare occasion I do focus on a lunch or a lighter meal, it's usually something I threw together on the fly. 

These days, in an effort to mix things up a bit and stretch the local food budget, I've been planning dinners more specifically for the effect they will have on our lunch boxes.  My husband has often asked me to just make up a big batch of rice, a stir fried meat (like Kung Pao Chicken) and a vegetable.  A very simple formula to a healthful, filling and more-frugal-than-midtown-Manhattan lunch, but I knew I could do better. 

I've been fascinated with homemade bento lunches for some time, but never really got into trying since I was focusing on elaborate dinners.  I picked up some organic chicken from the old standby Trader Joe's and decided I would set to work on a specifically bento-intended set of meals for the week.  Turning to a fabulous blog on the subject, Just Bento provided all of the inspiration and many of the recipes that I will use going forward.  

For this bento, I used Balsamic Sesame Chicken, rice, snow peas and my Vietnamese Carrot and Daikon Pickle.  It kept really well and actually was reasonably delicious cold.  My favorite part (I'm a kitchen toy freak) was using little silicone cupcake liners for the pickle so it could be removed and the rest of the box heated up if we decided to go that route.  Fun and useful! 

Balsamic Sesame Chicken (adapted from Just Bento)

• 1 lb organic chicken breast, cut into roughly 1 ounce pieces (about 16 chunks)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 4-6 tbsp sesame seeds (or sesame oil if you don't have)
• cooking oil

1. Combine soy sauce, vinegar and chicken chunks in a bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes (more if you have time).  If you don't have sesame seeds (as I didn't), add about 1 tbsp sesame oil to this mixture before you set it aside.   
2. Drain chicken and press into sesame seeds, trying to get chicken as covered as possible. 
3. Cook in one of two ways: 

• BAKE - preheat toaster/convection oven to 400F and bake for 6-8 minutes until cooked through.
• STIR FRY - heat small amount of cooking oil over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until cooked through. 

Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Rosemary Vinaigrette

Earlier this year, we were gifted with beautiful Misty Knolls organic chickens from Vermont.  I believe I have expressed my general ennui when it comes to chicken in the past.  Friends, it is because I so often am thinking of boring old chickens.  These are not those sort of chickens. 

When presented with a beautiful chicken, too tasty to fail, I do get excited.  My plan has long been to attempt to feed us for a week on one such roast chicken and figure out all of the exciting things I can do with one bird.  That challenge will still come, but this time, I marinated the chicken in a lovely balsamic, rosemary (and ramp oil!) and garlic vinaigrette a la Giada DeLaurentiis. 

I abandoned the one chicken, many meals idea because I thought this marinade was too flavorful and distinct to lend itself to a number of different meals.  I was essentially proved wrong daily.  Below I've listed the variety of meals that I pulled together over the course of the week. 

Possibilities aside, as a stand-alone dish, this chicken does not disappoint.  I marinated a whole chicken, cut into pieces (thanks to my mother-in-law for her chicken selection as well as her chicken butchering skills), in a savory mix of ramp oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic cloves, dried rosemary, sea salt and pepper. The chicken marinated for about 15 hours, although you could get away with a couple of hours. 

The resultant chicken is juicy and flavorful.  Not boring at all.  As the rosemary was my own addition, feel free to omit or adjust as you see fit.  My hefty handful made rosemary the shining star of the marinade.  In my opinion, this makes the chicken slightly less versatile than a lemon, garlic chicken or something more simple, but no less delicious. 

Our uses for the roast chicken (and pl.ease leave notes in the comments if you come up with more uses): 

• Cold chicken breast with pan drippings, fresh rustic bread and green salad (with scallions! )
• Roast chicken quesadilla with  Vermont-grown baby spinach, smoked gouda and caramelized onions
• Pasta with shredded chicken, marinated mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and homegrown basil
• Chicken Sandwich with Vermont-grown baby spinach and homemade Spicy Stout Mustard 

Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Rosemary Vinaigrette (adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis)

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• a good handful of fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or ramp-infused oil)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (giblets, neck and backbone reserved for another use)
• 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, olive or ramp oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine the vinaigrette and chicken pieces in a large resealable plastic bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour. If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. 
3. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk the chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken. Sprinkle the lemon zest and parsley over the chicken, and serve.

May Daring Cooks Challenge: Stacked Green Chile & Grilled Chicken Enchiladas

Our hosts this month, Barbara of Barbara Bakes and Bunnee of Anna+Foodhave chosen a delicious Stacked Green Chile & Grilled Chicken Enchilada recipe in celebration of Cinco de Mayo! The recipe, featuring a homemade enchilada sauce was found on www.finecooking.com and written by Robb Walsh.

The idea was to work them into Cinco de Mayo or some other festive occasion, and I can see why.  The recipe is great and  will definitely go on my showstopper recipe list, but it takes some effort, although not so much time. 

The first step was to roast the Anaheim chiles to develop flavor for the green chile sauce.  The roasting and even the peeling were fairly simple, but I found I had a rough time getting rid of those seeds.  Everywhere I turned, there were more of them! I meant to do a little research to see if the seeds add heat as with hotter chiles or if they would have a negative effect on the sauce.....but alas, I just fought the battle trying to remove every last one. 

After preparing the Anaheim chiles, I turned to the tomatillos.  These were much easier to prepare since I just had to boil and peel off those papery skins.  My one lesson learned here - boiled tomatillos are HOT.  Even once you give them a chance to cool down.  I removed the core by hand which may not have been my best move. 

It was at this point, with all my green items prepared, that I departed from the recipe instructions, though not by much.  Not wanting to drag out my blender (and my food processor has a bit of an injury from creative storage), I attacked the tomatillos with my immersion blender.  It took a little bit of effort to really get the tomatillos pureed, but it did the trick with less mess (except the bit of splatter that got on me). 

Once the sauce was put together to simmer on the stove, I got to work on the chicken and the tortillas (there really is a constant flow of work in this recipe).  I will definitely take the effort to warm my corn tortillas in oil for future recipes.  It added a nice texture and flavor. 

With everything ready, I began to stack.  My additional recommendation here is to go with as much cheese as you can handle! I used about 8 ounces for the four stacks, rather than 6 ounces and while the inside stacks had a good amount of cheese, I could have stood a little more on the tops.  

While the stacks baked, I decided to give my immersion blender another trip through the extra sauce (I had a LOT of extra sauce for some reason).  The chopped Anaheims pureed nicely and I really liked the smooth sauce better than the chunkier one.  Full disclosure - I'm like that with salsa and marinara too, so consider more pureeing if you're like me.  I also decided it needed a lot more heat to be successful in our house, so I added a good amount of hot sauce.  We poured this over the top once the stacks were done - a nice touch to kick up the heat. 

A note on leftovers - we ate two fresh out of the oven (yum!) and the remaining stacks two nights later.  I reheated the stacks in the toaster oven at 350F for about 15 minutes, maybe a bit less.  The tortillas were a bit soft, but the chicken was great and the flavor was still there.  Two nights of dinner definitely made the work worth it! 

And a final note on wine - what to serve with green chile enchiladas? I thought about getting a recommendation from my new favorite wine store, but I trusted my gut and went with a Gruner Veltliner.  An Austrian white wine that is crisp and bright and a little effervescent at times held up nicely with the flavors.  I tried the 2008 Windspiel Gruner Veltliner and found it a very pleasant pairing.  Enjoy!