Sorry all y'all who don't cook or don't enjoy time cooking or really enjoy Wendy's take out for a 'real meal' or who (gag) have a gourmet kitchen but 'are simply too busy to cook.' This post is not for you.
Now, for the REST of you, here's the deal for today. I'm going to post a recipe. It involves making a stock (but doesn't have to) and it involves more than one pan. Can you handle it? I said, CAN YOU HANDLE IT?
If so, read on. This might be the most simple complicated recipe you'll read today.
Chicken a la Padrone, or whatever the Spanish word for "king" is.
Oh wait, it's "Rey." So...
Chicken a la Rey!
Background: Today, I worked at home, and had ample time hanging out doing stuff while waiting for other stuff to happen. So, I made chicken stock. OF COURSE I DID!!! DOn't tell me you wouldn't do the exact same thing (except for Renn, she'd bake.)
Not so hard, it's just a bunch of chicken bits I had leftover from deboning bone-in chicken breasts (hey - 99 cents a pound? I'm totally up for deboning!) and had thrown in the freezer for 'later,' plus a couple of bone-in chix tatas for the meatiness, plus a gallon or so of water, a Tbsp of salt, a quarter cup of white vinegar, and 2 bay leaves.
Bring to a boil, cover, then simmer for.....a few hours.
Like I said, I had the time. YOU, on the other hand, have different fingers and also can just boil for an hour or so if you choose to make it. It's a labor of love thing. You can also make it on the weekend and freeze portions for later. Really, you can. It's not rocket surgery.
Remove the chix bits. Let cool. Pull meat offa bone and throw the bones away. Set the chicken aside.
(alternatively, you COULD use canned stock, but normally it's chock FULL of salt and...uh...comes in a can. Plus which, it won't make you house smell great while cooking, so, yeah. Your choice)
OK, here comes the cooking part. You'll need the following:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, cut in half and then sliced fine
1 large bell pepper, color of your choosing, diced or chopped
2 (or 5) cloves of garlic, chopped fine
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/1 tsp pepper
the meat from 1 chix breast (that you cooked in the stock, remember?), shredded or chopped
2 cups chicken stock, that you made with your own hands and are as proud of as if it were the Heisman trophy or a new baby
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
Heat the oil in a good sautee pan, when hot add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Let sautee for 4 minutes on high heat, stirring frequently, then season, cover, turn down heat, and let veg sweat for 10 minutes.
Add chicken, stir.
Whisk flour into broth until fully incorporated. Turn up heat on chicken and veg mix to medium, pour on the broth mixture, and let bubble until thickened. sprinkle cheese over top, cover, and turn heat to low until cheese is melted. Stir.
Serve over rice. Or mashed potatoes, if you hate rice.
What do you hate rice?
Anyhow, that's the dish. If you're not into dairy, you can leave off the cheese. If you're not into gluten, use potato starch or corn starch or some other flour to thicken the mix. It'll work no matter what, and of course you can play with the spices like mad. Just don't skip the cumin. You'll regret it.
Seriously people. I MEAN IT.
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Also, there are people in my environs who saw a double rainbow tonight. There are pictures. I did not see the rainbows (but did see the pictures, or else how would I KNOW about the rainbows??), but I am not jealous at all, because we have cats.
And hey, you KNOW that trumps all suits. Even the rainbow one.
Tiff out.
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