This is the last thing I cooked in my Chelsea apartment:
The dish was Braised Chicken Thighs with Saffron, Olives and Mint from “Molto Italiano.” I made it a few days ago before I started packing up my kitchen. It’s a pretty terrific dish. It begins when you season chicken thighs, dredge them in flour and brown them in hot olive oil:
After that you remove the chicken and add sliced red onion and saffron. I rarely use saffron in my cooking because it’s expensive but here it truly makes a difference: you’ll love the smell. After that step, you return the chicken to the pot and add the braising liquid (I’m pretty sure it was chicken stock), diced carrot and olives. It braises for some time after that:
I decided to serve the end product–which is finished with shredded mint leaves–on a bed of cous cous; a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself. The cous cous soaks up all the juices and the juices are, indeed, lip-smackingly good. My only gripe with the dish has to do with the flour component: by dredging the chicken in flour you create a fried chickeny skin which would be great if it wasn’t soaked in liquid for an hour. But because it is you kind of get this soggy crust which I think would be far improved without the flour. That’s my final thought on this dish–my final dish here in this apartment where, I believe, my cooking skills really grew in the two years I’ve lived here.
Now I must return to the kitchen where I’m wrapping glasses in bubble wrap and finishing this tremendous, exhausting packing process. [This post is my procrastination!] The big move happens tomorrow and then who knows when I’ll have internet again—hopefully soon after. But I’m psyched for my future in Park Slope and can’t wait to blog about it. Until then, happy eating!
Looks great! And congrats on the move – Park Slope is pretty awesome and the restaurants out there aren’t too shabby.
Look forward to the new posts in the new neighborhood in the new abode.
BTW chicken looks great
You could substitute breasts, right? Not a thigh fan.
Still, looks delicious, even at 10:00a.m.
Good luck on the move.
I hate how braising makes for soggy skin. I’m a crispy skin lover so maybe peel it after browning the chicken and snack on that. It’s a fatty, fatty snack but mmm, crispy salty skin.
yo AG, __ shifts happen __!! nice lookin chicken – and happy moving — can’t wait to read about your new pad and the adventures therein…
cheers,
cap’n zeep
Dear Amateur Gourmet,
I played a game of culinary “Telephone” tonight and made this dish based on your instructions. Yes, I managed to burn the chicken. Fascinating flavor combinations, and one of the most unusual uses of saffron I’ve seen. For some reason it loses the iodine note. Thanks much.
Walter