Chicken and Egg - Janice Cole [75]
Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pot and whisk in the tomato paste. If the sauce is thin, bring the sauce to a boil over high heat and boil for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pot.
Serve the vegetables and sauce over the polenta and top each serving with a piece of chicken.
SERVES 4
4 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 1 ¼ pounds)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large carrots, sliced
8-ounces cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, halved
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
PARMESAN POLENTA
3 cups water
1 cup finely ground polenta, yellow cornmeal, or corn grits
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon tomato paste
CHILL OUT
You have your own hens and their eggs are gorgeous. You’re tempted to show off the chicks’ handiwork by displaying the eggs on your counter. As beautiful as the eggs look, and as proud as you feel, it’s not a smart move. Eggs are best kept chilled in the refrigerator, not set out as objets d’art to blend with your decorating scheme. It’s a matter of quality and food safety; they’ll stay fresher and keep seven times longer in the refrigerator—for up to five weeks. Store them in an egg carton to preserve the moisture in the egg and prevent odors from entering the porous shell. Place the eggs in the carton with the pointed side down. It keeps the yolk centered and protects the air sac at the wide end of the egg.
Freshly laid eggs have a protective coating on the outside called the cuticle, or bloom. This seals the pores, keeping in moisture and keeping out bacteria. To protect the bloom, avoid washing the eggs. If you must wash some of the eggs, use those first, as they will not last as long. The commercial egg industry washes the eggs and coats them with a light spray of mineral oil to reseal the eggshell pores. Provide a clean nesting area each day and collect the eggs often and your eggs should remain clean and blemish free.
Tagliatelle with Saffron Chicken
This is a special-occasion pasta dish that is creamy, luscious, and full of flavor. The tagliatelle, a thin egg pasta, mimics the golden color of the saffron. Saffron is an exquisite spice, but a little goes a long way in flavoring the chicken and pasta.
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Cook the tagliatelle in a large pot of boiling salted water for 4 to 6 minutes, or according to the package directions, and drain.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and heat the olive oil. Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove to a plate. Stir in the celery and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Increase the heat to high. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottomof the pan. Boil until the wine is reduced by about half. Pour in the tomatoes and stir in the rosemary, saffron, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 1 minute.
Add the cream and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Return the chicken to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the pasta to the sauce and heat until hot. Stir in the parsley.
Serve immediately.
SERVES 4
8 ounces tagliatelle or fettuccine
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 12 ounces), cut into ¾-inch pieces
1 celery rib,