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Quick & EasyBy Beverly Barbour
Most men are leg men
Women seem to love white meat while, as a rule, men prefer legs and thighs. No accounting for taste is there? However there is a price factor to be considered. Breasts are more expensive than the thighs and once they are cooked most people cannot tell light from dark.
The old story is that dark meat is more moist and has more flavor. Once upon a time, long, long ago when we all dined on free-range chickens left to peck for themselves in the farmyard that may have been true. On the other hand those old birds had to work hard for their food which made them a tad tougher than today's scientifically bred and fed fowl.
Here are some deliciously deceitful, but not tricky, recipes for your collection.
Retraction for WD-40 column published Feb. 12 in the High Plains Journal.
Dear Readers,
I understand that some of our readers are concerned about the Feb. 12 column regarding multiple uses for the product called WD-40. As I indicated in the column the information came to me, and to others, via the Internet. I found it interesting and useful and thought that many of you might feel the same way. Since all of our readers can read but not all of our readers use computers, I re-organized some of the information to make it more reader-friendly and added a few words of caution.
Just trying to make your household chores "quicker and easier," so very sorry to have caused concern of any kind to any one. From now on will confine myself to the kitchen. Sincerely, Bev.
Paprika Chicken
If you crave comforting, old-fashioned food, this is it. Lots of paprika here so perhaps it traveled to this country with some hungry Hungarian. Chicken fat creates the rich flavor. This can be prepared several days ahead or frozen but do not add the sour cream until dish is heated to serve.
8 chicken thighs with skin and bones
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons paprika
1 can (14 oz) can tomatoes, or use fresh
1/2 cup chicken broth or water
1 1/2 teaspoons flour
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
Wash and dry the chicken. Remove skin and reserve. Heat oil in heavy pan over moderate heat until hot, then cook skin until it renders about 1/4 cup fat. Discard skin. Cook onion with salt in the rendered fat, covered. Stir occasionally, until onion is very tender but not browned. Add paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and broth, stirring vigorously to break up tomatoes. Add chicken and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Simmer, uncovered until chicken is just cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Stir together the flour and 1 tablespoon water to make a smooth mixture. Gradually stir this into the sauce and simmer, stirring until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in sour cream. Serve over noodles or rice with additional sour cream on the side. Makes 4 servings.
Morrocan Chicken Smothered in Olives
The brining, should you choose to bother, takes 2 hours. Cooking time is 45 minutes.
Brining, optional:
1/4 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
Recipe:
8 chicken thighs with bone, discard skin
2 onions, peeled, halved and sliced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
2 cups chicken broth
11 ounces pitted green olives in bring, drained
1 lemon, juice of
Brining: In large bowl combine salt, sugar and 1 cup hot water; stir until sugar dissolves. Add 3 cups cold water and chicken pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours; drain, rinse and drain again. Cooking: In bottom of large heavy pan arrange onions and top with chicken pieces. Sprinkle with ginger, turmeric, cumin, paprika, garlic and cilantro. Pour chicken broth over all. Place over high heat to bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, turning once. In a small saucepan combine olives with several cups of water and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes; drain well. Add olives and lemon juice to chicken and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. You may want to simmer longer to reduce and thicken sauce. Serve hot over rice or polenta. Makes 4 servings.
Italian Chicken & Artichokes
Dick Sturza of Camamo Island, Wash., serves this over rice, pasta or polenta and passes the parmesan cheese.
8 boiling onions (1 to 2 inches wide), ends trimmed
8 chicken thighs, boned and skinned
2 sausages, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, rinsed, stem ends trimmed, quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 can (15 oz) tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 package (8 oz) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed (or use canned)
Salt and pepper
Bring 2 quarts water to boil. Add onions and cook 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and let onions stand until cool enough to handle. Slip off peels. Cut chicken meat into 1-inch chunks. In large frying pan, stir chicken and sausage with olive oil about 5 minutes, until both are starting to brown. Add mushrooms and garlic and stir until mushrooms are limp. Add wine, tomatoes and tomato sauce with oregano. Cover and cook about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onions and artichoke hearts (fresh, frozen or canned) and cook until heated through. Makes 4 servings.
Spicy Chinese Chicken
This is a quickie dish. If you don't have fresh ginger, use a bit of powdered, to taste. No sesame oil? Use vegetable oil heated with sesame seeds. No rice vinegar? Substitute white vinegar. You have now invented a new recipe.
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
8 chicken thighs with skin and bones
Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 500 F. Whisk together all ingredients except chicken, then coat chicken all over with sauce. Arrange thighs, skin sides up in 1 layer without crowding, in shallow foil-lined baking or broiling pan. Roast until chicken in cooked through and glaze is brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
Your guys will sigh for good thighs!
PAST RECIPES
