Posts Tagged ‘potatoes’

In both French and Italian cooking you will run across various recipes for “Housewife Chicken”.  It is normally a yummy chicken and potato dish.  This is my version.  To make this chicken its very best, try brining it for several hours if you have time. If you don’t have time to brine the chicken, don’t worry about it.  It’s still fabulous!

For this dish, I recommend using a braiser. I use the All-Clad large braiser. If you don’t have a braiser, you can get away with using a large pan with a lid, but you ought to pick one up if at all possible.  You will use it again and again when cooking for your family.  The curved lid of a braiser aids the cooking process, and there is nothing better than a good braise when you’re cooking up comfort.

Ingredients for HFT Hearty Housewife Chicken

• Chicken pieces with skin on and bones in
• 2 slices bacon - diced
• 1 small yellow onion - chopped
• 8 oz. mushrooms - sliced
• 1-2 russet potatoes - peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Cooking Instructions

1. In a large braiser over medium to medium-high heat, add some olive oil (about 2 Tbsp) and then brown your chicken.  Season with salt and pepper.

Do this in batches so as not to crowd the pan.  The goal here is to brown the chicken only, not to cook it through.

2. Once browned, remove the chicken to a separate plate and set aside until all chicken is browned.
3. In that same braiser, cook bacon just until it begins to brown.

Add a bit more olive oil if necessary.

4. Add onion and mushrooms to the bacon and saute.  Add a bit more olive oil if necessary and season with salt and pepper.
5. Once all is sautéed, add the potatoes and stir all together.

Allow the potatoes to absorb some of the yummy flavors.

6. Stir all together well.
7. Combine the wine and chicken broth in a measuring cup and pour into the braiser.
8. Using a wood spatula, scrape up the yummy bits from the bottom of the pan.
9. Bring this to a bubble and allow the alcohol from the wine to cook off then turn down to a simmer.
10. Nestle the chicken back into the pan atop the potato mixture and cover with the lid.
11. Cook covered over low heat for 40 minutes.

To serve, spoon the potato mixture on a plate with a slotted spoon and rest a piece of chicken against it.  My daughter’s favorite steamed broccoli completes this meal.

Always satisfying. Always delicious. On a crisp day, nothing comforts you like a mug of this creaminess. In the summertime, you can chill this soup and Voila! You have Vichyssoise!

This recipe is adapted from Julia Child’s recipe. To slim it down, use fat free evaporated milk and fat free sour cream. Not worried about it? Hit it with some heavy cream and creme fraiche. Either way, you will find yourself thinking about it again and again.

Ingredients for Creamy Potato and Leek Soup

• 3 cups leeks - cleaned and chopped - (about 3 leeks)
• 3 cups russet potatoes - peeled and diced - (about 3 potatoes)
• 6 cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A splash of heavy cream/half and half/milk/fat free evaporated milk - whichever you prefer
• A dallop of creme fraiche/fat free sour cream - whichever you prefer
• A sprinkling of fresh chives - chopped

Cooking Instructions

1. First, prepare your leeks.

   Leeks look like big, huge green onions and they tend to hold onto dirt.

2. To prepare them properly, cut the dark green ends off right at the point that the leek turns from white to light green. Then cut off the root end.

   You are left with a column of white and light green leek.

3. Slice the column lengthwise then peel the first two or three layers off and discard.
4. Chop what is left and toss into a bowl of cold water.
5. Once you are finished, swish the chopped leeks around in the water and then drain them. They are prepared and cleaned.

6. Peel and dice your potatoes.
7. Place the potatoes and the leeks in a 4 quart stock pot or pan with a cover.
8. Add water and salt and pepper.

   Taste to determine if you have added enough salt and pepper.

9. Bring the soup to a bubble then lower to a simmer and partially cover for 30 minutes.
10. When cooked, remove the soup from the stove and use a hand blender to puree the soup.

11. Add the heavy cream/milk.

    A splash means different things to different people. Do what looks and tastes good. It may be more than a splash, but it does not take as much as you might think to achieve a nice, creamy texture.

12. Ladle some soup into a bowl or mug and, if you want, top with a dallop or creme fraiche or fat free sour cream and some chopped fresh chives.

So good. So easy. So cheap.