Arroz con Pollo

Arroz con Pollo

The fact that bone-in skin-on chicken thighs appeal to me is no secret. So one day a couple of weeks ago, I had some defrosting in the refrigerator and was looking for a different way to prepare them.

The Source

I adapted this dish from the recipe I found on Food & Wine.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken thighs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces smoked ham, sliced into 1/4-inch dice
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced

Method

1. Sear the chicken: In a large skillet, heat the oil until smoking. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then place in the hot oil over medium-high, in batches if necessary, until browned on both sides, adjusting heat if necessary to prevent burning, approximately 8 minutes per batch. Once browned, remove from pan and set aside, then discard all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.

2. Season the dish: Reduce heat to medium-low. Sweat the ham, onion, and garlic to the pan until the onion starts to soften, approximately 2 minutes. Add both bell peppers and sweat, stirring occasionally until they soften, approximately an additional 3 minutes.

3: Cook the rice, blend the flavors and finish the dish: To the mirepoix, add the tomatoes, tomato paste and stock, then season with salt and pepper. Stir in the rice, add the chicken back to the pan (skin side up), and cover. Simmer it until the chicken and rice are cooked through, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with chives and serve.

Successful?

As I looked around, I noticed it is common for this dish to be photographed while still in the pan, but I wanted to take a shot of an individual plate. In retrospect, I regret the decision. While not my most aesthetically pleasing dish, the flavors definitely were and I'll be preparing this dish again.

In other news, I must ask for your pardon for my short absence. I was pretty busy, partially because Mrs. Stuntman celebrated a birthday last week. She wanted to go to Chef Michael Mina's Arcadia in San Jose. I don't do restaurant reviews but I did want to share the dishes we ordered.

Appetizer: Duck Spring Rolls, Ginger Dipping Sauce, Butter Lettuce, Mint

My Entreé: Buzzards Bay Scallops, Pork Belly, Meyer Lemon, Onion Soubise

Mrs. Stuntman's Entreé: Phyllo-Dusted Sole, Dungeness Crab Brandade, Hericot Verts, Dijon

Light Stunt: Cheddar Ham Soup

Cheddar Ham Soup

Before I proceed, I have a confession. If you're a regular reader here, you know that one theme consistent throughout this website is me taking myself out of my comfort zone in an effort to learn something. Well, when I announced that I'd dedicate September to desserts, I never felt so out of place. A contributing factor in the number of dishes I produced is insufficient planning on my part, so I must apologize. Now that I have an ice cream machine, I'll publish one as I see fit.

Last week Mrs. Stuntman purchased a ham for our family that was rather large so I have been looking at recipes for leftovers, which is how this dish came about. I might equate this to a challenge on Chopped in trying to piece together a dish from odd ingredients. I like this dish from a conceptual standpoint because it's a creative way to use a Mornay sauce which is a derivative of a béchamel sauce. You might recognize a Mornay because it's a component of a Hot Brown sandwich and a macaroni and cheese.

The Challenge

Re-purpose leftover food

The Source

I used a recipe from Taste of Home's website.

Ingredients

2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups water
1/2 cup carrots, sliced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% low-fat milk
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups (approximately 8 ounces) cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups cooked ham, cubed
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
1 tablespoon saltine crackers (for garnish)

Method

1. Prepare the base: combine potatoes, water, onions, and carrots in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Prepare the Mornay and finish the dish: While the vegetables are simmering, melt butter in a second saucepan. Create a roux by stirring in the flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add the milk then season with salt and pepper. Bring the béchamel to a boil and stir until thickened, approximately 2 minutes. Add the cheese and stir to melt. Add the Mornay to the undrained vegetables and then add the ham and peas. Serve immediately in warmed bowls, garnished with crackers and parsley.

Successful?

This dish would be perfect for a cold winter evening because it was a little rich, but the sweetness of the carrots balanced the saltiness of the ham well. I classified this dish a Light Stunt (appropriate for a weeknight) because I was able to finish cooking the dish in about 20 minutes, but please keep in mind that the mise en place is a little labor intensive.