Chicken Basque Style Food

BASQUE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place flour in a shallow dish. Dip chicken into flour to coat. In a large skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat about 4 minutes or until chicken is browned, turning once. Remove chicken.
• Add sweet peppers, onion and garlic to skillet. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are nearly tender. Add paprika and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir for 1 minute more.
• Stir in undrained tomatoes, broth and olives (this is where I add about 1/8 cup wine). Bring to boiling. Return chicken to skillet, spooning tomato mixture over chicken. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.
• Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Stir snipped oregano into tomato mixture. Spoon tomato mixture over chicken. If desired, garnish with some oregano leaves.

CHICKEN BASQUE

Steps:

• Joint chicken and season well ( you can use just chicken breasts if you feel flush ).
• Cut the onion and red pepper ( remove pith etc.) into strips the same size.
• Drain / dry and cut sun dried tomatoes into 1cm pieces.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a flameproof casserole dish ( with lid ). Add the chicken and brown all over. Take out and drain on kitchen paper.
• Add onions and peppers and brown - about 5 minutes.( More oil may be needed.).
• Add chopped garlic chorizo and sun dried tomatoes. Cook for about 1 minute until garlic is golden and the meat has changed colour slightly.
• Add rice - stir until grains have been coated in the oil.
• Add the stock, wine, tomato puree and cayenne pepper.
• Heat until a gentle simmer is achieved. Place chicken pieces on the top ( the rice should be submerged in the liquid.), sprinkle on the herbs and scatter the olives and orange wedges. Cover and cook on the gentlest possible heat for 50-60 minutes - or until the rice is cooked through.
• This meal can be prepared in advance up to Stage 9.

CHICKEN BASQUE STYLE

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken generously with salt.
• In a deep pan or stockpot heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes , turning once, until it is lightly browned on all sides, set aside, keep warm.
• In the meantime, in another skillet, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat. Cook the garlic for about 1 minute until it turns golden, then add the onion. Saute' for about 5-10 minutes, until it is softened. Add the peppers, tomatoes and tomato paste, mix well and season with salt and sugar. cook, stirring for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes release their liquid ( I only simmered this for about 5- 10 minutes) Add beans.
• Add the pepper- tomato mixture and the wine to the chicken and mix well. Partially cover the pan and cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through.
• Gently stir in the lemon juice and cook 5 more minutes. Serve chicken and sauce garnishend with parsley.

BASQUE CHICKEN WITH PEAS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, brown the chicken on both sides, seasoning generously with salt and pepper.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium and add the peppers, onion, bacon, parsley and garlic to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic and onion become translucent, about five minutes.
• Return the chicken to the pan, cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is nearly cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Add the peas, stir gently, cover and cook just until they are heated through, three to five minutes. (If using frozen peas, increase the cooking time slightly.) Season to tase.
• To serve, transfer the chicken and vegetables to a warmed serving platter and pour the cooking juices over all.

BASQUE-STYLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• In 12-inch skillet, cook chicken in hot oil over medium heat 10 minutes or until light brown, turning to brown evenly.
• Remove chicken.
• Add mushrooms, sweet peppers and onion to skillet.
• Cook and stir 3 minutes.
• Stir in undrained tomatoes, wine, salt, and pepper.
• Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
• Return chicken to skillet.
• If desired, sprinkle with additional salt and pepper.
• Simmer, covered, 25 - 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.
• Transfer chicken to platter.
• Cover; keep warm.
• Skim any fat from vegetable mixture.
• Combine water and cornstarch; stir into vegetable mixture.
• Stir in peas.
• Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
• Cook and stir 2 minutes more.
• Spoon over chicken and rice.

CHICKEN BASQUE STYLE

Steps:

• Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.Grill or broil,skin side toward the flame (or heating element),until the skin is bubbly (about 15 minutes in an electric oven).
• While the peppers are broiling,prepare the onion and garlic.Place 1/3 of the fat in a large frying pan and melt it over medium heat. Add the pork belly and cook for a few minutes to release some of the fat. Add the onion and 3 cloves of the garlic.Cook,stirring occasionally,until translucent,about 10 minutes.
• Remove the peppers from the oven or grill and place in a paper bag for a few minutes.When the peppers have cooled slightly,remove the skin.Coarsely chop the peppers (there should be about 2 1/2 cups).
• Add the bell peppers and the hot peppers to the onions and garlic.Increase the heat and allow the mixture to color slightly.Add the tomatoes. Continue cooking over high heat for about 5 minutes,or until the tomatoes have collapsed.Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook,partially covered and stirring occasionally,for 40 minutes.
• Twenty minutes before the vegetables are done,season the chicken with salt and pepper.Place the remaining fat in a large,straight-sided frying pan,a wide-mouthed stock pot or braiser.Melt the fat over medium-high heat.Add the chicken pieces,two cloves of garlic,bay leaves and thyme.Brown the chicken on all sides,working in two batches if necessary,so there is no trace of red.
• Return all of the chicken to the pot and add the vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook at a low simmer for 30 minutes.

BASQUE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Rinse and pat dry the chicken parts.
• Heat in a wide, heavy Dutch oven over med high heat until fragrant: 3 tbsp olive oil Lightly brown chicken.
• Remove browned chicken to a plate.
• Remove all but 3 tbsp of fat in pan.
• Return chicken to pan.
• Add to pan the bell peppers, jalapenos, ham, garlic, salt (and ground black pepper).
• Place pan over low to med heat, cover tightly and cook at a quiet sizzle stirring often until the chiken is cooked through and the peppers are soft (about 45 min).
• Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.
• Heat in a large saucepan over me hi heat until fragrant: 2tbsp olive oil Add to saucepan: the onions (cook, stirring often until tender but not browned) Then add: tomatoes, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to med.
• Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened, about 20 min.
• Serve chicken on top of cooked white rice; spoon sauce on top.