Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Chicken with Avocado-Green Pea Salsa


2          tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1          3-1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt
Pepper
1          medium onion, minced
2          serrano chiles, seeded and minced
2          garlic cloves, minced
3          plum tomatoes (1 pound), cored and finely diced
1          teaspoon ground achiote (annatto)
1/2       teaspoon ground cumin
Small pinch of saffron threads
1          cup dry white wine
3          cups chicken stock
1          cup pilsner or light beer
2          cups Bomba or other short-grain rice
1/2       cup chopped parsley

Avocado-Green Pea Salsa for serving  **(recipe below)
Hot Sauce or other hot sauce, for serving  **(recipe Below)


1.   Preheat the oven to 400°. In a very large, deep ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook skin side down over moderate heat, turning once, until nicely browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2 .  Add the onion, serranos and garlic to the skillet and season with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, achiote, cumin and saffron and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes start to break down, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and beer and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and return to a boil. Nestle the chicken into the rice and bake uncovered in the lower third of the oven for about 30 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed, the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
3 .   Transfer the chicken to a plate. Fluff the rice with a fork, then gently fold in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the skillet and serve with AvocadoGreen Pea Salsa and hot sauce.

Suggested Pairing :
Serve with a medium-bodied Spanish whitesomething nicely citrusy and versatile with food.

Avocado-Green Pea Salsa

1            cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
1            small red onion, minced
1/4         cup fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
3            Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and finely diced
1/4         cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 . In a medium saucepan of salted boiling water, blanch the peas until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain and cool under running water, then drain on paper towels.
2 . In a bowl, mix the onion with the lime juice and 3/4 teaspoon of salt; let stand for 10 minutes. Fold in the avocados, peas and oil, season with salt and serve.
TIP:
Make ahead:  The salsa can be refrigerated overnight.

                     Hot Sauce
1        quart extra-virgin olive oil
1        large onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
1        large tomato, cut into 2-inch pieces
1        red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
1        Cubanelle pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
9        serrano chiles, stemmed
7        garlic cloves
5        habanero chiles, stemmed
Kosher salt
1 .    In a large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients except the salt. Cook over low heat until all of the vegetables are falling-apart soft, about 4 hours; let cool slightly.
2 .    Drain the vegetables in a fine sieve set over a heatproof bowl; don’t press on the solids. Transfer the vegetables to a blender, add 1/4 cup of water and pulse until finely chopped. With the machine on, gradually drizzle in 2 cups of the cooking oil and puree until smooth and slightly thick (reserve the remaining cooking oil for another use). Season the hot sauce with salt and let cool completely before serving.
TIP:
Make ahead : The hot sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

10 comments:

  1. Mmmm, loads of flavor in this dish! Love that hot sauce -- it looks like it has some serious flavor. And some heat -- which I need to shake the cold weather we're having. Terrific dish -- thanks.

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    1. Hi John,
      Yes , the hot sauce has some serious flavor . This was Sunday dinner , it's snowing here at the moment coming from Dallas way headed east , have some hot sauce left I will serve it with pork chops (the other white meat) tonight . Thanks for stopping by :)

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  2. Good evening Nee,
    This recipe sure does look amazing...so much flavor and the ingredients all work together I am sure. I like the avocado green pea salsa, and the chicken sounds fabulous..so many flavors, a bit spicy but I have been enjoying the spicy foods lately. So this maybe a dish to make for sure...Thanks for sharing ...Nee you are HOT stuff! (ha ha) Have a great week...
    Dottie :)

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    1. Good evening Dottie ,
      I agree with you , the taste is amazing , no leftovers except for the hot sauce .
      Yeah , it's a bit spicy , but you can make it to suit your taste . With the cold weather there I'm sure you need a little heat . I serve the avocado green peas salsa with pork (the other white meat) and you know I use a lot of hot sauce during the summer . I will have to post my barbeque sauce before grilling season .
      If you make this dish , be careful with the spice , I don't want you dancing round on 1 feet saying Nee is hot stuff (giggling) Dottie you are a lot of fun .
      Thank you for stopping by and may your week be great as well .
      ~Nee~

      PS: We finally got snow , the kids are having a ball . ;-D

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  3. HI Nee,
    O got you message! Yippee!!! I bet the kids are thrilled! Tell them I'll still save them some snow although, right now you may have more than us {{{goggle}}}

    Love this dish too. I wasn't expecting another meal out of you yet. You just keep filling me up with deliciousness! I never would imagine Avocado Green Pea Salsa. I bet the kids had something to do with this. Well, at least they'll be warm and toasty from all of these flavors and spices!

    Thanks for sharing, Nee and thanks for the snow update. It made my night! Tell the kids to have a ball, a snowball!!!

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  4. Hi Louise,
    The kids are thrilled ad having a ball , I am happy it will last a few days , This is the first snow we had to last more than a couple days since January1, 2001 , we get sleet mixed with snow and that makes for an icy mess , this may last until the weekend and they say we may get more .

    You know the kids had something to do with the pea salsa , I have no problem with them eating , they all love vegetables and anything else that don't bite first .
    The hot sauce , I make them a version that's not so hot , but they do like spicy foods .
    This was our Sunday dinner , the recipe was double , as you know there are 8 of us (4 kids ,4 grown ups) .
    I had plenty of help from Baby Boy because I was cooking with wine , He said mama , drunk food is so good , I said yes sweetie ... hubby said , spoken like a true Italian , a good wine is good for the soul . I looked at his aunt and said Mae , heaven help us and she laughed .
    Well my friend , I wish you a good weekend and thanks so much for stopping by ..Nee :)

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  5. Chicken, salsa and sauce.. everything is so delicious!

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  6. Hi Medeja , soooooooooo good , thanks for stopping by :)

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  7. Dear Nee, This chicken looks wonderful. I am hungry as I write this and this looks so good.
    Hope all is well. xoxo Catherine

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    Replies
    1. Hi Catherine , you can fix chicken so many different ways , this is one of my favorites . Thanks for stopping by :) Nee

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