Pollo al Chilindron

Pollo al Chilindron is based on a stew from the Aragon region of Spain.  It is a slow cooking dish of chicken, peppers, onions and paprika.  The flavors were phenomenal.  We just had it with the fabada asturiana when we first made it.  But, we had the leftovers on top of mashed potatoes and, while I am sure this is far from traditional, it was delicious.  The creaminess of the mashed potatoes and the wonderful smoky flavors of the chicken and peppers blended together beautifully.  I loved this dish and I can't wait to make it again.  I also want to play around with it to work on a quicker, weeknight version that will deliver the same awesome flavors.  I'll definitely use boneless skinless chicken breasts and the same vegetables and spices, but probably in a separate sauce to be combined with the chicken at the end instead of stewing together the whole time as this did.  I'll let you know as soon as I have something worked out!

Pollo al Chilindron

Chicken with Peppers, Tomatoes, Onions and Spanish Ham

From Made in Spain

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup spanish extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 Tablespoon

4 chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks separated

salt to taste

2 cups diced spanish onions

1/2 cup diced green bell peppers

1/2 cup diced red bell peppers

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup diced jamon serrano

1/2 teaspoon sweet pimenton (spanish smoked paprika)

2 cups plain canned tomato sauce

1 fresh rosemary sprig

1 bay leaf

2 cups water

Directions:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12 quart pot over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken pieces with salt.  Working in batches brown them on all sides.  Transfer the chicken to a platter and set aside.
• Add 1/4 cup olive oil to the same pot and, when the oil is hot, add the onions and peppers.  Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until the vegetables are dark golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Add 1 tablespoon water if the onions start to burn.
• Add the garlic and cook for 5 more minutes.  Add the wine and cook until it evaporates, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the jamon and browned chicken pieces, as well as any juices that have collected, and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Stir in the pimenton, tomato sauce, rosemary, bay leaf and the water and simmer over low heat for 1 hour or until the meat starts to fall off the bone.  Season to taste with salt before serving.

Fabada Asturiana

This was the side dish we chose to make from our Spanish cooking extravaganza.  Okay, so I just called it a Spanish cooking extravaganza in my head, we didn't actually refer to it that way, but that's definitely what it was.  :-)  This was very delicious, the beans cook up buttery and creamy and the accent of the pimenton is rich and flavorful.  We did have to use butter beans however, as fabes are not widely available in the US, and if they can be found (LaTienda.com) they are fairly expensive ($16/pound).  After much googling about a suitable replacement, I decided on butter beans.  

The second change I made was not to use slab bacon, but to just slice up bacon and use that instead.  While it turned out okay, I think I would make one more change to this next time.  I'd probably pan fry the bacon to get it started, and then cook the onion, garlic and spices in a mixture of bacon fat and olive oil.  The bacon was delicious (as all bacon is) but, did not have the greatest texture after being boiled in the soup.  I think this would help it be even better.  

Fabada Asturiana

Asturian Bean Stew

From Made in Spain

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1/2 pound dried butter beans

1/4 pound bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces

4 cups chicken stock

1 head garlic, papery outer skin removed

2 medium Spanish onions, 1 halved and 1 minced

1/4 cup Spanish extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sweet pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)

pinch of saffron, crushed

Directions:

• The day before you plan to cook the stew, place the beans in a bowl and cover with cold water.  Soak the beans overnight at room temperature.  The next day, drain and rinse the beans.
• Combine the drained beans and chicken stock in a large pot.  Remove 1 garlic clove from the head and set aside.  Add the bacon, the head of garlic and the halved onion.  Bring to a slow boil, skimming and foam that rises to the top.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  
• Meanwhile in a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the minced onion and cook until it is translucent and begins to caramelize, about 15 minutes.  Peel and mince the reserved garlic clove and add it to the onion.  Cook for 2 more minutes, then stir in the pimenton and saffron.  Spoon the onion mixture into the large pot and stir well until combined.
• Continue to cook the beans, uncovered, at a very low simmer for 2 hours.  Occasionally add a little cold water to slow the simmering and to keep the beans covered with liquid.  Do not stir the beans while they cook, this could cause them to break apart.  
• Remove the pot from the heat, cover and set aside to cool for one hour.  Remove and discard the onion halves and head of garlic.  
• Ladle the beans into soup bowls and serve.

Red Wine Sangria

This is the first of three recipes I will post from my April Cookbook of the Month - Made in Spain by Jose Andres.  Zach and I took a Saturday in April and made a day of recreating some of the fabulous dishes we've seen him make on the PBS Series.  It was a lot of fun for us both to cook together all day, and we can't wait to do it again.  Of course, the fun was amplified by the fact that we prepared this sangria the night before and drank it while we were cooking.  It was phenomenal.  We've eaten at Jaleo several times and this recipe lived up to the restaurant version.  I love the bits of apple, they add a nice crunch.  It's a great summer drink and we're looking forward to making it again!

Red Wine Sangria

from Made in Spain

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 bottle of fruity red wine, such as a Garnacha

5 Tablespoons Brandy

1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur

1/4 cup vodka

1 splash ruby port

1 orange, peeled and sliced

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced

1 cinnamon stick

1 strip of lemon zest

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 splash of soda water

Directions:

• Combine the wine, brandy, orange liqueur, vodka, port, orange, apples, cinnamon stick and lemon zest in a bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Pour the mixture into a pitcher filled halfway with ice.  Add the orange juice and soda water.
• Give a quick stir and serve, making sure each glass gets some ice and fruit.  

Cookbook of the Month: April 2010

For April I'm choosing a cookbook I've been very excited about since we got it in December.  Even before we moved down to the Washington DC area and got to live near his fabulous restaurants we've been fans of Jose Andres.  We started watching his show Made in Spain on PBS, and love his enthusiasm for his Spanish culture, traditions and cooking.  We wanted to learn more about him as a chef so we googled him and we were surprised to discover we had actually already been to one of his restaurants!  On a trip to DC the year before we had dined at Jaleo, Crystal City.

We ended up there by chance, since it was a short walk from the hotel I was staying in and the menu looked good.  After reading more about him, and knowing we'd be moving to the DC area soon, we set ourselves a goal of eating at each of his restaurants.  So far we've been to Oyamel and Jaleo Bethesda.  We went to Jaleo Bethesda for a chance to meet the chef himself.  He had a cookbook signing there in December of 2009.  We went, had dinner, then waited in line to get our own signed copy of Made in Spain.  I've been waiting patiently to make it our Cookbook of the Month!  I can't wait to make some of the dishes and blog about them.