Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders - Emeril Lagasse [27]
8. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
9. Pat each chile dry and then, working carefully, stuff each chile with about 1 cup of the picadillo. Lay the stuffed chiles in a 9 × 13-inch casserole dish.
10. Return the tomato sauce to a boil (if necessary) and check the consistency. It should be similar to a thick tomato soup. If too thick, thin with a little water or broth; if too thin, boil rapidly until thickened slightly. Remove the seasoning sachet and discard. Season the sauce with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Ladle about ½ cup of the tomato sauce over each of the stuffed chiles and sprinkle the chiles with the queso fresco. Bake until the chiles are heated through and the cheese has melted, about 30 minutes.
11. Serve the stuffed chiles with a dollop of the crema or sour cream and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.
4 to 6 servings
CHICKEN AND BLACK BEANS WITH CHORIZO
Oh, baby, the beans in this dish taste as if they’ve been slow-cooking with the chorizo all day long, but the truth is that although the chicken does marinate for quite a while, it cooks in just over an hour! The flavors are smoky, reminding me of days spent in Spain, and trust me, this will leave you coming back for more.
½ cup dry sherry
1/3 cup plus 1½ tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika (hot or sweet)
1 teaspoon sweet pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika)
½ cup thinly sliced yellow onion
1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic plus ¼ cup minced (about 15 cloves)
5 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
One 3-to 4-pound whole chicken, halved, with the wishbone, breastbone, backbone, and first 2 digits (tips) of the wings removed
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces firm Spanish chorizo, cut into ¼-inch-thick half-moons
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon dried Mexican or regular oregano, crumbled between your fingers
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups seeded and small-diced ripe tomatoes
Three 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1¼ cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1. To make the marinade, place the sherry in a small mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in 1/3 cup of the olive oil, then stir in the paprika, pimentón, sliced onion, sliced garlic, and 3 tablespoons of the fresh oregano.
2. Place the chicken in a resealable 1-gallon plastic food storage bag. Pour the sherry marinade over the chicken and squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the bag. Gently move the chicken around in the marinade to make sure it is well coated. Place the plastic bag with the chicken on a small baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for about 4 hours, turning once midway.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the marinade. Season the chicken on both sides with the white pepper and 1 tablespoon of the salt. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Heat the remaining 1½ tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken, skin side down, until the skin is nicely browned and develops a crust, about 3 minutes. Cook the other side until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside, loosely covered with foil.
5. Reduce the heat to medium and add the chorizo. Cook until crisped and brown, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, minced garlic, dried oregano, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt and cook until caramelized, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes release their juices. Stir in the reserved chorizo, the beans, stock, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
6. Carefully transfer the mixture to a 2-to 3-inch deep 3½-to 4-quart dish. Place the chicken halves skin side up on top of the beans and transfer to the oven. Bake,