baby rambutan

sometimes i just get obsessive. okay, often i get obsessive. i saw this recipe from the New York Times Dining Section, an interpretation by a famous chef (Suzanne Goin) as an expression of her admiration for another (Julia Child) and one that she remembers from childhood and her mother…a recipe for chicken that beckoned to me because it was different: breaded, baked not fried, smothered in a mustard mix and flavored fresh bread crumbs. this is really tasty but start early in the day…it takes a long time. bad idea on a busy school night (that’s a hint of what happened to us last night).
an unfamiliar vegetable, very fragrant and tasty

the recipe called for a total of 1 & 1/2 cups of finely cut shallots…i didn’t want to cry so i lit a candle, just like tita martha told me to….


recipe follows! they have already put the article away, for purchase! hmph.

read the recipe over several times and make the braised leeks first.

deviled chicken thighs
12 chicken thighs, trimmed of excess skin and fat
1 cup thinly sliced onions
3 tbsps. plus 1 tsp thyme leaves
2 chiles de arbol or other small dried red chilies, thinly sliced
2 fresh bay leaves, thinly sliced or 2 dried, crumbled
3/4 cup dry vermouth
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
5 tbsps. unsalted butter
2 tbsps. chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 extra large egg
2 tsps. chopped tarragon
2 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
Braised leeks
3/4 cup chicken stock

place chicken in bowl with onion, 2 tbsps. thyme, chilies, bay leaves and 1/4 cup vermouth. toss to coat well. cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
preheat oven to 375F. remove chicken from refrigerator. discard seasonings, pat dry with paper towels. after 15 minutes season well on both sides with salt and pepper.

meanwhile place bread crumbs in bowl. heat pan over medium heat for 1 minute. add 3 tbps. butter and cook until brown and nutty. scrape butter over bread crumbs with spatula. toss with parsley and tablespoon thyme.

return pan to medium heat for 1 minute. swirl in remaining butter. when it foams, add shallots and remaining thyme. saute about 2 minutes, until shallots are translucent. add remaining vermouth, reduce by half. transfer to bowl, let cool a few minutes, and whisk in mustard, egg, tarragon and a pinch of black pepper.

return pan to high heat for about 2 minutes. swirl in oil. after 1 minute, place chicken in pan, skin side down, and cook 8 to 10 minutes until a deep golden brown. turn over and cook a minute or two on the other side. place chicken on leeks. turn off heat and discard fat. add stock to pan, scrape to release crispy bits on bottom, pour over leeks.

toss thighs in bowl in bowl with mustard mixture, slathering them, then place over leeks. spoon any remaining mixture over thighs. top each with bread crumbs, patting to coat nicely. (use lots of mustard mixture and lots of bread crumbs.)

bake about 40 minutes until juices run clear when meat near bone is pierced with a knife.

turn oven to 475F and cook 10 minutes more, until the bread crumbs are golden brown. serve in baking dish or large platter.

braised leeks
6 large leeks
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
about 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sliced shallots
1 tbsp. thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 & 1/2 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

preheat oven to 400 degrees

peel any bruised outer layers from leeks.
trim roots, leaving root end intact. trim off tops on diagonal, leaving two inches of green. cut in half lengthwise. clean very well in water to remove internal grit. pat dry with towel.

with cut sides up, season with 2 tsps. salt and a few grindings of black pepper.

heat pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. pour in 1/4 cup oil and wait 1 minute. place cut side down in pan without crowding them. sear them 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown. season with salt and pepper and turn over to cook 3 to4 minutes. transfer them, cut side up, to a gratin dish that will fit leeks and chicken, or use two dishes.

pour 1/4 cup oil into pan and heat over medium. add shallots, theym, 1/4 tsp. slat and a pinch of pepper. cook about 5 minutes until just beginning to color. add wine and reduce by half. add 1 & 1/2 cups stock, and bring to a boil over high heat.

pour over leeks, without quite covering them.

braise in oven 30 minutes, until tender.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 23rd, 2005 at 7:26 am and is filed under vegetables, fruits, sides, winged creatures. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.