Potatoes that Taste Better than the Chicken

When I first started to cook I was pretty intimidated by the idea of roasting a whole chicken. I guess it was the whole bird thing. It just seemed like something only an experienced cook could pull off. In truth it's so easy! I even consider it one of my weeknight go-to meals. It's comforting and homey without being heavy, which is key during these hot summer days. 

This particular recipe goes a step further and includes the potatoes in the same roasting pan. As I'm sure you guessed from the title of the recipe, they are the real star of the show. All the chicken juices drip into them and they get brown and crispy on the outside. Yum! Just throw some asparagus (or other veggie) in the oven for the last bit and you have a complete meal that took a handful of minutes to prepare. 

Potatoes that Taste Better than the Chicken

Adapted from Martha Stewart & Jean-Georges Vongerichten

6 T unsalted butter

6 T grapeseed oil

2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 whole chicken (2 1/2 - 3 lbs), wings removed

salt and pepper

4 sprigs rosemary

4 sprigs thyme

1 head of garlic, halved crosswise

fleur de sel

• Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Butter a medium roasting pan (I used a cast iron skillet) with 3 T each of butter and grapeseed oil.
• Place potatoes in pan in a single layer.
• Rub chicken with remaining butter and oil.
• Season chicken inside and our with salt and pepper.
• Place rosemary, thyme and garlic inside cavity. Tie legs together with twine.
• Place chicken on top of potatoes on one of its sides.
• Put in oven to roast for 20 minutes, then turn to other side and roast for 20 minutes more.
• Turn chicken breast side up and roast until internal temp is 165 degrees (10-20 minutes more).
• Carve chicken in pan so that all the yummy juices get into the potatoes.
• Sprinkle with fleur de sel.

Lamb Meatballs with Honey-Rosemary Polenta and Tomato Sauce

Every time I make a Rachel Ray recipe I feel like I'm racing the clock. How this woman expects anyone to make her dishes in 30 minutes is beyond me. Unless you're an iron chef, I would tack on at least an extra 10 minutes. If you have a toddler screaming for Elmo to be restarted and a newborn who keeps needing to have their paci replaced, add 20. Not to mention her recipes seem to dirty more dishes than a Thanksgiving meal. I guess since she's in the cookware market this is probably a strategic move. Nonetheless, her flavor combos are inventive and usually pretty gosh darn good.

If it hadn't been for the mouthwatering picture of this dish in her cookbook I don't think I ever would have given it the time of day. Honey, lamb, tomato sauce - what?! But the picture didn't lie, it was unique and delicious. Usually meatballs are fairly time consuming, but these were very quick with few ingredients and since they are baked there is no need to stand over the stove. The polenta on its own was very tasty, I actually think next time I will make a double batch of it since that seemed to be everyone's favorite part. So Rachel Ray, you might have dirtied my kitchen and left me scrambling to get dinner on the table to a hungry family with your unrealistic time expectations, but I think I'll still keep you around. :)

Lamb Meatballs with Honey-Rosemary Polenta and Tomato Sauce

Adapted from Rachel Ray's Big Orange Book

4 slices whole wheat bread, crust removed, crumbled

3 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten

2 garlic cloves, minced

EVOO

1 medium red onion, diced

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 28-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

1 cup milk

1 cup polenta

1 T butter, cut up

1 T rosemary, chopped

2 T honey

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine bread and 1/3 cup stock in bowl to soften.
• Add lamb, salt and pepper, garlic and egg and combine with hands.
• Shape into 8 meatballs and place on foil lined baking sheet.
• Drizzle with EVOO and roll to coat.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 T EVOO in a medium sauce pot over medium heat.
• Add onion, salt and pepper and cook until softened, 8-10 minutes.
• Add vinegar and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in 2/3 cup stock and tomatoes, bring to a boil.
• Adjust seasoning, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium pot bring 2 cups stock and milk to boil.
• Whisk in polenta and lower heat to low, cook for 2-3 minutes until polenta becomes thickened. Stir frequently.
• Stir in butter, rosemary, honey and salt and pepper to taste. Add more milk or water if needed.
• Spoon polenta onto plates, top with meatballs and sauce.

Pelau with Coconut Stewed Chicken

Our baby nurse, Merle, is from Trinidad, and has been talking about how flavorful and delicious the dishes from her home country are from the minute she got here. She's a very picky eater and will only eat food that meets her high standards. Most of the time she ends up eating just fruit - and complains that it's not as fresh as home the whole time anyways!

She is leaving us in the next week, so this week she decided to show me how to cook one of her favorite dishes, Pelau with stewed chicken in coconut milk. It was amazing! The flavors were very layered, but there were just a handful of ingredients and a very simple preperation. Brad liked it so much he asked me to make it myself while she is here just so that I can be sure I have the recipe down just right. It had the homey feel of comfort food, but the flavor complexity of a stellar restaurant dish. This one is going straight into my go-to recipe folder and I would definitely recommend you try it.

One of the key ingredients is fresh coconut milk. Merle is an expert coconut cracker and I will show you how she does it in a following post. Stay tuned!

Pelau (coconut rice and pigeon peas)
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp dark brown sugar
12 oz. frozen pigeon peas, rinsed
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups rice
salt
1 tsp fresh parsley, minced

• In a large pot heat olive oil and sugar over medium heat, allow sugar to carmelize to medium brown in color.
• Add peas and stir. 
• Add garlic, 2 cups coconut milk and 2 cups water. Partially cover and bring to a slow boil, cook for 25 minutes. 
• Smash garlic with the back of a spoon and incorporate into peas.
• Add 2 cups of rice, 1/2 tsp salt. 1 tsp parsley, and an additional 2-3 cups of water.
• Cook until rice is done (about 30 minutes, longer for brown rice).
• Add salt to taste.

Coconut Stewed Chicken

2 lbs bone-in skinless chicken thighs

1/2 lemon

A couple sprigs each of thyme and rosemary

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pink pepper (or a scant amount of black pepper)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp fresh ginger, miced

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp dark brown sugar

1/2 - 1 cup coconut milk

3 carrots, peeled and sliced thin

1-2 pimento peppers, finely chopped

1 T ketchup

• Wash chicken in water with juice from lemon.
• Marinate the chicken with the thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, garlic and ginger for at least an hour, but longer is preferred. 
• In a large pot heat olive oil and sugar over medium heat. Stir.
• Once hot and sugar has begun to darken add chicken and turn to coat. Cook for about 8 minutes, turning periodically.
• Add 1/2 cup coconut milk or enough to cover.
• Lower heat to medium low and partially cover, bring to a boil and cook 30 minutes.
• Add carrots and peppers and bring to a boil again. Add ketchup.
• Cook until carrots soften.
• Add salt to sauce if desired.
• Serve with sauce and alongside Pelau.