Simple Chicken Stew

Chicken and Mushroom Stew

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish, so you’ll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

The thighs of a chicken are my favourite cut. They’re inexpensive and have way more flavour than the bland breast. I usually braise them because it’s easy and they go with just about anything. I love the way they soak up the earthy flavours of the mushrooms in this dish.

Ingredients:

Chicken and Mushroom Stew

• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 8 x chicken thighs
• 1 lb. of cremini or button mushrooms, cut into quarters
• 2 x Portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 2 x onions, sliced
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 1 cup of wine, red or white, your choice
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Chicken and Mushroom Stew

1. Preheat a large skillet over a medium-high heat then add the oil and a single layer of the chicken thighs. Because you will be adding liquid and lowering the temperature of the chicken, this is the only opportunity you will have to add the rich flavours of caramelized chicken - so be patient. Brown evenly on both sides. When they are done remove and rest on a side plate. Pour off most of the accumulated fat.
2. Add the onions and mushrooms to the pan. Sauté first until they begin to release their juices then as they start to become golden brown. Place the chicken thighs back into the pan; then add the stock, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a slow simmer; a boil will toughen the meat. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid so that no moisture escapes and simmer slowly until the meat is very tender and falling off of the bone, about 45 minutes.

Brownies

Ease of Preparation: Easy
12 Large Brownies

Nothing with chocolate in it lasts long in my house especially these quick-and-easy, nothing-fancy brownies. They’re loaded with rich chocolate flavour and will easily satisfy the most discerning young palate.

Brownies

Twelve ounces of bittersweet dark chocolate
Two sticks of butter (eight ounces)
One-half cup of flour
A pinch of salt
One spoonful of baking powder
Four eggs
A cup of sugar
A big splash of vanilla
A cup of chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the chocolate and butter into a small bowl set over a small pot of simmering water. This will insulate the delicate chocolate from direct heat and keep it from scorching. As they begin to melt stir until smooth then remove from the heat.

In a large bowl whisk the flour, salt and baking powder together until they’re combined evenly. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla together then stir into the chocolate. Stir in the dry ingredients and walnuts.

Lightly oil the bottom and sides of an 8” by 12” baking pan. Sprinkle a bit of flour into the pan and shake until all the surfaces are evenly covered. Tap the pan upside-down on the counter to dislodge any extra. Pour in the batter and bake until set, about 40 minutes.



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Three Meat Pasta

My Favourite Meat Sauce for Pasta

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish, so you’ll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

If you’re a home cook you need a good meat sauce recipe up your sleeve. This is one of mine. Its secret is that I don’t brown the meat. That way it doesn’t toughen and need hours of braising to tenderize again. I also use a food processor to save a lot of knife work. Quick, easy and tasty!

Ingredients:

My Favourite Meat Sauce for Pasta

• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 3 x onions, cut into large chunks
• 2 x carrots, cut into large chunks
• 3 x garlic cloves
• 2 cups of button mushrooms
• 3 stalks of celery, cut into large chunks
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 6 oz of pancetta or bacon, sliced thinly
• 8 oz of ground beef
• 8 oz of ground pork
• 8 oz of ground veal
• 1 can of tomato paste
• 2 cups of red wine
• 2 x bay leafs
• 1 x large can of stewed tomatoes
• salt and pepper

Directions:

My Favourite Meat Sauce for Pasta

1. Pulse onions, carrots, garlic cloves, mushrooms, celery and olive oil in a food processor until finely chopped. This may need to be done in several batches.
2. Heat a large sauté pan with the olive oil and add pancetta. Fry until golden, aromatizing the oil with the rich flavour of the Italian bacon. Add the vegetable mixture and sauté until it begins to caramelize. Add ground meats and stir vigorously to break apart. Stir in the tomato paste, red wine, bay leaf and stewed tomatoes and continue to stir and break up any chunks of meat. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and all the flavours have blended. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Italian Basil Salad with Red Wine Herb Vinaigrette

Ease of Preparation: Easy
4-6 Servings (vinaigrette 1.5 cups)

I really enjoy tossing baby salad greens with tender basil leaves. Together, they flavour the salad with bright bursts of flavour and a jazzy herb twist. The rest of the salad picks up the theme and runs with it!

Italian Basil Salad with Red Wine Herb Vinaigrette

For the Salad:

Half a loaf of Italian bread
A few generous splashes of olive oil
A six-ounce bag of baby romaine lettuce or any other salad green mixture
A big handful of whole fresh basil leaves
A thinly sliced red onion or the pickled red onions
A sprinkle or two of salt and pepper

For the Vinaigrette:

One-half cup of red wine vinegar
A cup of extra virgin olive oil
Two heaping spoonfuls of Dijon mustard
Several heaping spoonfuls of grated Romano cheese
A generous spoonful of dried oregano
A generous spoonful of dried basil
A sprinkle or two of salt and pepper

For the Salad:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the bread into cubes and toss with enough olive oil to coat each one. Spread the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, about fifteen minutes.

Tear or chop the lettuce into bite sized pieces. Toss it with the basil leaves, red onion and a generous splash of the vinaigrette. Top with the croutons and season with a sprinkle or two of salt and pepper.

For the Vinaigrette:

Mix everything together until smooth vinaigrette forms. A blender, food processor or an old-fashioned whisk and bowl all work well but I prefer my immersion blender. It’s easier to clean up!

Roast Garlic Bread

Ease of Preparation: Easy
6-8 Servings with left over butter

If you like garlic bread you’ll love the rich mellow flavour of this version. Because the garlic is roasted first it loses its intense pungency but retains its distinctive taste. It’s just what you need to mop up tomato sauce from a pasta feed!

Roast Garlic Bread

Four heads of garlic
A few drizzles of olive oil
A stick of softened butter (four ounces)
A handful of minced flat leaf parsley
A loaf of Italian bread

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the top half-inch or so off of each head of garlic exposing the cloves within. Use a serrated knife if you have one; it’s easier. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over each head. Bake until golden brown, about thirty minutes. Let the garlic heads rest for a few minutes, until they’re cool enough to handle.

Grasp each head in the palm of your hand and squeeze the soft garlic into a bowl. You’ll probably need to fish out a few stray pieces of peel. Add the butter, parsley and a touch of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Make a long lengthwise cut into the bread loaf - along one side only - and open it up like a book. Spread half of the butter onto one half of the bread then close the loaf and bake it until it heats through, about ten to fifteen minutes. Save the other half for the next loaf.



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Chef At Large

Airline Catering

Air Canada is launching a new premium meal service for their business class. Michael visits Air Canada’s R&D in Montreal where they explain the concept and execution of the new menu and its dishes; as well as point out the various elements that did not work. Michael then visits CARA Foods in Toronto, the largest airline kitchen in North America, where they prep 50,000 meals a day. Then it’s onto the plane where Michael tries and comments on the presentation and taste of the new meal service.

Fennel Fish Stew

Starting with fresh halibut and haddock, and a little East Coast inspiration, Michael devises a Mediterranean-style fish stew with the addition of fennel and tomato. He finishes it off with a tangy orange and garlic garnish. A French loaf with anchovy butter and a little zest of lemon perfects the meal.

• Mediterranean Fish Stew

Mediterranean Fish Stew

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish, so you’ll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

A good fish stew has three basic parts: the flavour base, the broth and the fish. Each is easy to master. This particular version highlights many of the bright flavours of the Mediterranean. Some would call it a bouillabaisse but I don’t because that makes it sound intimidating, fancy and difficult. It also inspires too many conversations about authenticity. Remember its just fish stew!

Ingredients:

Fish Stew

• 1 x fennel bulb, green tops and core removed, white part chopped
• 2 x onions, chopped
• 4 x garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups of Riesling or other white wine
• 2 cups of diced ripe tomatoes or canned tomatoes
• 2 tbsp of fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp of hot pepper flakes
• 2 pinch of saffron threads
• 3 x bay leaves
• 4 cups of fish stock or chicken stock
• Salt and pepper
• Zest of 1 orange
• 12 oz of halibut, cut into large chunks
• 12 oz of haddock, cut into large chunks

Toast

• Half of a baguette loaf, sliced diagonally into 1/2 -inch slices
• 1 can of anchovies
• 1 sticks of butter, soft
• 1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
• The juice and zest of 1 lemon

Directions:

Fish Stew

1. In a large soup pot, sauté the fennel, onions and garlic in the olive oil until they soften and smell wonderful. Pour in the wine and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, fennel seeds, hot pepper flakes, saffron, bay leaves and fish stock then season with salt and pepper simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. This is just long enough for all the flavours to blend together. Add the orange zest and fish to the simmering soup and stir gently. Let simmer for 5 minutes and serve immediately with anchovy toast.

Toast

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Put baguette slices onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 15 minutes until they are golden brown. Place anchovies, butter, parsley and lemon juice into the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Using a spatula, scrape butter into a small bowl. Spread the anchovy butter on the toasts and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or so.

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Chef At Large

Food Critic

Jamie Maw is one of North America’s toughest and most respected food critics. But what does a food critic do? Jamie has selected a newly opened Italian restaurant in Vancouver to be the subject of his latest review. We’ll see how he evaluates Bis Moreno and whether they cut the mustard. Michael takes us behind the scenes to witness the pressure and problems Chef Moreno Miotto encounters as Jamie Maw puts Bis Moreno under his culinary microscope.