Method
1 Preheat oven to 400°F.
2 Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving
the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to
a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of
garlic. Place garlic head on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil
over the garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic head
with the foil and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until the
flesh of the cloves are light brown feel very soft when pressed with the
tip of a knife. Set aside to cool.
3 While the garlic is roasting, heat a tablespoon of olive oil
in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (with lid) or Dutch oven, on medium high
heat. Rinse the chicken pieces in cold water then pat dry with paper
towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Brown the chicken pieces, starting them skin-side down, cooking them
a few minutes on each side, working in batches so that you don't crowd
the pan.
4 While the chicken is browning, peel and quarter the onions.
Remove chicken from pan when nicely golden with tongs or a slotted spoon
and set aside on a plate. Discard any fat and oil beyond about 1 Tbsp
left in the pan. Put the onions in the pot and cook them until softened,
stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
5 Add the tomatoes to the pot, the thyme, bay leaves, and
ground chile powder. Put the chicken pieces on top of the tomatoes. Pour
in the wine and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for
40 minutes, stirring from time to time so that the vegetables don't
stick.
6 After the garlic has cooled enough to handle, squeeze out
the roasted garlic from the cloves into a small bowl and crush with a
fork. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to serve with
the chicken stew.
7 When the chicken has cooked, add the mustard to the pot and
stir to blend. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook uncovered for
10 more minutes, or until the sauce is thick enough to cling to the
meat. Remove bay leaves. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve stew over rice or pasta, with the garlic paste on the side.
Serves 4 to 6.
Flemish Beef Stew Cooked in Beer
Serves 6 to 8
Beef stew cooked in beer has long been part of the culinary heritage
of Belgium, and it is still one of the most popular stews in Flanders.
These spicy and sweet flavorings have been an integral part of the
Belgian palate and cuisine since the Middle Ages.
Ingredients:
4 pounds boneless stew meat,
such as chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 large onions (about 2 pounds), thinly sliced
2 bottles (12 ounces each) Belgian beer
2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1-1/2 tablespoons red currant jelly (or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar
Directions:
1. Season the beef cubes with the salt and pepper and dredge with the
flour. Shake off any excess.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy skillet over
high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the beef cubes and sauté until
nicely browned on all sides. Work in batches so as not to crowd the beef
cubes, or they will steam instead of sauté. Add 1 tablespoon of butter,
if necessary. Transfer the beef cubes to a heavy Dutch oven.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and melt over
medium heat. Add the onions and cook stirring occasionally, until
browned, about 15 minutes. If necessary, raise the heat toward the end
of the cooking time. It is important to brown the meat and the onions
evenly to give the stew its deep brown color. The trick is to stir the
onions just enough to avoid burning the but not so often as to interrupt
the browning process. Combine the onions with the meat in the Dutch
oven.
4. Deglaze the skillet with the beer, scraping with a wooden spoon to
loosen any brown bits, and bring to a boil. Pour the beer over the
meant. Add the thyme and bay leaves.
5. Simmer, covered, over low heat until the meat is very tender,
1-1/2 to 2 hours. Before serving, stir in the red currant jelly and
vinegar; simmer for 5 minutes. This sweet-and-sour combination will give
this hearty stew its sprigs and bay leaves. Taste and adjust the
seasoning and serve
Pork,
Sweet Potato & Pineapple Stew
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
- 4 cups water
- 2 small onions, 1 halved, 1 sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, 2 whole, 2 minced
- 3 black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1-1/2 tablespoons raisins
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers or chile-garlic
paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
- 8 green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
- Combine pork, water, halved onion, whole garlic, peppercorns and
1/4 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer; cook,
partially covered, over low heat until the pork is no longer pink
inside, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced
onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 5
minutes. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, minced garlic, tomatoes,
sweet potato, raisins, sugar, adobo sauce (or chili paste),
cinnamon, oregano and cloves.
- Bring to a simmer; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until
the sweet potato is just tender, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch
pieces. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve, reserving
3/4 cup. (Refrigerate or freeze extra broth for another use.)
- Add the pork, 3/4 cup cooking liquid, pineapple and olives to
the vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15
minutes. Stir in cilantro.
New Orleans Shrimp Creole
Serves 4 to 6
Creole cooking reflects the combination of French, Spanish, and
African cuisines. This dish includes shrimp and vegetables simmered
in a thick tomato sauce. Serve over hot rice.
Ingredients:
8 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped green onion, including some tender green tops
1-1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with
juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
4 drops Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
Directions:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry bacon until crisp,
about 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a plate,
leaving 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in skillet.
Reduce heat to medium. Add onions, bell pepper, celery, and
garlic and sauté until tender, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes,
tomato paste, stock, vinegar, mustard, Tabasco sauce, salt, and
pepper. Return bacon to pan. Simmer over medium-low heat, uncovered,
for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine and shrimp and cook
until shrimp turn pink, about 5 minutes.