sage | Bewitching Kitchen

A real nice recipe that has Fall written all over it. I was inspired by a blogger I follow but was a bit disappointed when I made it exactly as published. So I tweaked things around and also incorporated a step in which the chicken is cooked under pressure, giving the wonderful melt-in-your-mouth texture I love. I will give you an alternative to skip the pressure cooking.

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH APPLES AND SAGE
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

for the chicken:
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
3/4 tsp each salt and black pepper, or to taste
3/4 tsp paprika

for the apples:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium gala apples, cored and sliced thin
2 large stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch thin
1 shallot, minced
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp each minced fresh thyme, rosemary and sage (or 1/2 tsp each dried)

for the sauce:
1 cup apple juice
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water, reserved

In liquid measuring cup whisk together the apple juice, honey, apple cider vinegar, and dijon mustard. If cooking chicken in a pressure cooker, separate that amount in two parts (no need to be exact, eye balling is fine).

Heat a skillet over medium high heat, or if using a pressure cooker, do this step right in the pan. Sprinkle chicken on both sides evenly with paprika, salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil into skillet or pressure cooker, when very hot add the chicken and brown on both sides. If using a pressure cooker, add half of the cooking liquid, bring to a gentle boil, close the pan and cook under pressure for 12 minutes. Release pressure under running water, reserve the meat. If the liquid does not reach halfway up the pieces of chicken, complete that volume with water.

If cooking the chicken on a skillet, remove the pieces to a platter, add more oil to the pan, and sautee the celery, shallots and pieces of apple, seasoning with cinnamon and nutmeg. If cooking the chicken under pressure, sauté the apples and veggies using a clean skillet the same way described above. When the apples are soft, add the apple juice mixture, season with a little more salt and pepper, if so desired. Return the chicken to the pan. If the chicken was cooked in the pressure cooker, simply warm everything together for a couple of minutes, then add the cornstarch slurry and the fresh sage. Serve immediately. If the chicken was not prepared under pressure, simmer with the pan covered until fully tender, probably 15 minutes. Add the sage and the cornstarch slurry right before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: We really loved this preparation for chicken, in fact I made it twice in the same week per husband’s request! I am totally comfortable with the pressure cooker, so for me it’s really not a big deal to use it, but I realize it can be intimidating. For this reason I included the instructions to cook without it. But there is something about the texture that I absolutely love. It gets tender and never rubbery. I like to start the pressure cooking step right away, because the veggies and apples are ready so quickly. Once the chicken has been cooking for 5 minutes I start sautéing the celery, shallots and apples, and everything comes to the finish line harmoniously. A little white rice, and steamed broccoli, nothing else needed…

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Ice storm. Two little words that I’ve come to respect (and fear) since the big one that hit us in December 2007. When the weather gurus forecast another this past week, we braced ourselves in preparation. Groceries, candles, firewood, cash… and indeed, it arrived. We’re now locked inside, with two happy dogs who don’t quite understand why they can stay in the house all day, snoozing in the comfort of their beds. At least, the 2010 version didn’t disrupt our power, so the fire in our fireplace is for pleasure, not necessity.

This weather calls for comfort food! For the first icy evening, I prepared a recipe from the latest Fine Cooking, described therein as “elegant enough for entertaining, but simple enough to make anytime.” It calls for a cut-up chicken, but I used packaged chicken thighs instead, which are so under-appreciated and inexpensive, but so full of flavor!

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH OLIVES AND LEMON
(adapted from Fine Cooking #103; recipe by Melissa Pellegrino)

6 chicken thighs, bone-in
2 medium lemons
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
3/4 cup jarred brined olives, rinsed, pitted, and halved
6 fresh sage leaves
2 dried bay leaves
1 tsp thyme (I used dry, could not find fresh)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350F.

Blot the chicken absolutely dry with a paper towel before you begin, then season it on all sides with salt and pepper.

Cut the ends off the lemon, stand it on one end, carefully peel it, and release the lemon segments from the membranes, dropping them in a small bowl. Cut the segments in two or three pieces.

Heat the butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, cook the chicken skin side down until golden-brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish with the browned side up. Pour off all but 2 Tbs. of the fat. Add the shallots, olives, sage, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and lemon segments, and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the lemony sauce to the roasting pan; cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and increase the heat to 400F for 10 minutes to ensure the skin is crisp (alternatively, run the roasting pan under the broiler for a few minutes).

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The original recipe “pan-roasts” the chicken. That is, after browning the skin and sauteing the flavor ingredients, the chicken is returned to the pan and placed in a high temperature oven (450F) for 18-20 minutes, or until the meat reached 165F. I’ve cooked chicken this way before and was always disappointed by the results. The high heat toughens the meat, blocking the juicy texture that I enjoy, especially in the thighs. I adapted the recipe for slow-roasting, almost a braise, as covering the pan with foil created the perfect environment.

Pasta dressed with the lemony sauce from the slow-roasting was an excellent side for this dish, that made us forget the icy evening outside. This is a “Perfect Sunday Dinner“, even if the only ice you want to melt is that of a first dinner at home with a special date.

Variations to try: we felt that mushrooms will nicely complement the dish, so next time I’m definitely adding some. Reducing the amount of olives and substituting some capers could work too.