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.
