Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders - Emeril Lagasse [37]
3. Return the chicken and sausage to the pan. Add the stock and tomatoes and bring to a brisk simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is nearly tender and the broth has absorbed the flavor of the sausage and the seasonings.
4. Increase the heat to high and add the rice, chopped green parts of the green onions, and remaining 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir well and return to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is cooked and has absorbed all the liquid, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, remove the bay leaf, gently stir in the parsley, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
6 to 8 servings
CREAMY WHITE BEANS WITH SMOKED TURKEY
I love using smoked turkey to flavor all sorts of soups and stews; it’s a nice alternative to the more commonplace ham hock (though it’s no secret that I love those too!). We used spinach here, but substitute what ever type of green you prefer or whichever happens to be in season.
2 pounds smoked turkey legs
8 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
3 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ cups small-diced onion
¾ cup small-diced celery
2½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound dried white beans (great Northern or navy is fine), rinsed, picked over, and soaked overnight
8 ounces butternut squash, diced (2 generous cups)
6 ounces fresh spinach, cleaned and any tough ribs removed (see Note)
1. Place the turkey legs, 4 cups of the stock, the water, 2 of the bay leaves, and the cayenne in a 6-quart Dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat so that the liquid just simmers, cover, and cook until the meat is falling from the bones, 2½ to 3 hours. Remove the turkey legs from the broth and, when cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bones and skin. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and discard any solids. Set the broth and turkey meat aside.
2. Clean the Dutch oven and dry well. Add the oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and ½ teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring, until the vegetables have softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain the beans and add them to the pot, along with the reserved turkey broth and the remaining 4 cups chicken stock and 1 bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Partially uncover the pot and continue to cook until the beans are nearly tender, about 30 minutes longer. Add the squash and continue to cook until the beans and squash are tender, about 30 minutes longer.
3. Remove the lid and smash some of the beans against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until reduced and slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the reserved turkey and the spinach and heat through. Serve hot, in shallow bowls.
4 to 6 servings
Note: You can substitute kale or chard, but these tougher greens should be coarsely chopped and added a bit earlier than the spinach so that they're tender by the time the stew is done.
CARIBBEAN-STYLE OXTAILS
Oxtails’ great flavor and texture make them perfect for slow braising in a Dutch oven. We spiced these up with Caribbean influences … and after a long, slow cooking they just melt in your mouth, leaving your taste buds dancing with the flavors of ginger, garlic, and allspice.
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1½ tablespoons salt
4 pounds beef oxtails (the meatiest ones you can find)
2 cups small-diced onion
1 cup small-diced carrot
1 cup small-diced celery
¼ cup minced garlic (about 12 cloves)
¼ cup minced green onion, white part only
¼ cup peeled and minced