silver palate classic chicken marbella

One of the most delicious recipes I have made for book club is the the Silver Palate's famous Chicken Marbella.  The contrasting flavors of  briny, salty and sweet are exceptional.  It was the first main course to be offered at their Manhattan store and I can't thank Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins, with their passion for good simple food, for creating such an amazing dish and the iconic cookbook to match.  Enjoy this dish served over pureed mashed potatoes (better for the pan juices to run into) and sauteed spinach! 

Original recipe--- 16 pieces.

I used 12 bone in/skin on chicken thighs to make 6-8 portions depending on appetite.

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 chickens quartered  (or approx 12 bone in/skin on thighs)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley finely chopped

Directions: 

1. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers and juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. 2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 3. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon the marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with the brown sugar and pour the white wine around them. 4. Bake, basting frequently with the pan juices, until the thigh pieces yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice when pricked with a fork, 50 minutes to 1 hour. 5. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with the parsley. Pass the remaining pan juices in a sauceboat. Note: To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in the cooking juices before transferring the pieces to a serving platter. If the chicken has been covered and refrigerated, reheat it in the juices, then allow it to come to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juice over the chicken.

recipe for tagine of chicken

I had some friends over for dinner last week and I wasn't in the mood to turn on the oven--I wanted a meal that cooked itself on the stove with little or no need for supervision.  Then it came to me--a recipe I had written in 2006 when I gave mom a tagine cooker for Christmas.

A tagine is a conical earthenware cook pot common in Northern Africa and revered for the way it locks in moisture in its conical top creating super moist, tender and flavorful foods.  Since mom has the tagine and I don't, I used a 5 quart enamel dutch over (like Le Creuset) with excellent results. Just leave the lid on tight.

Here is my recipe for tagine of chicken with green olives.  I served it with pinenut and golden raisin studded couscous (a 5 minute stovetop dish).

6 garlic gloves, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 chicken drumsticks and 4 chicken thighs, on the bone.
1 8-10oz. can diced tomato
1 TBL tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
spice blend  (see below)
10 oz. approx. jar of pitted green Spanish or Greek olives without pimento
3 TBL chopped Italian parsley
Zest from one lemon
Flour
Olive oil

Spice blend:
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric  (no substitution)
1/4 tsp cayenne

Remove skin from chicken.  Heat  several tablespoons of oil in dutch oven.  Dust chicken with flour and fry till light brown and set aside.
Add additional oil to the pan and saute the onion and garlic. Add the chicken and the remaining ingredients except the olives, parsley and lemon.
Lower the heat, put the lid on the pan and let simmer for 1 hour.  After an hour, add the olives and parsley, and cook for 15-20 minutes more with the lid slightly ajar, letting the sauce reduce. Taste for seasoning.

On a coupe plate, place a leg and thigh on bed of couscous, spoon sauce and olives around and garnish chicken with lemon zest.  4 servings.

roostertail rotisserie

 

I stopped in for lunch at this charming spot with a couple friends after seeing it listed by SF Magazine as Best of the Bay: Food & Drink 2012.  Located at 1963 Sutter at Fillmore, Roostertail is co-owned by chef Gerard Darian, formerly of Spago and Post Trio.  He has created a warm and casual restaurant based on not only rotisserie chicken, but wonderful beef brisket as well.  The chicken drumettes are to die for, moist and juicy, tossed in a unique green herb sauce.  Try them with the smashed potatoes and country gravy and the rooster salad, a great combination of apple-wood smoked bacon, spiced walnuts, apples, beets and Laura Chenel goat cheese.  And guess what?  If you live in the neighborhood, they offer free delivery.