Chicken Marbella

Sticky-sweet with a savory, garlicky tang. You'll lick the plate!

First, a diversion. I lived in Saugatuck, Michigan for 13 years where I operated my art studio, Thirteen Hawks. It was also home to Julie Russo of The Silver Palate Cookbook nomenclature. She and her business partner, Sheila Lukins, ran  "The Silver Palate" a sophisticated yet hands-on gourmet shop in NY before an acrimonious split. 

Lukins died of brain cancer in 2009, the year I left Michigan. Russo recently retired and sold her beloved posh bed and breakfast, Wickwood Inn, on Lake Michigan.

Anyway, Chicken Marbella, of Spanish/Moorish origin, was one of their signature dishes and, some would argue, most popular recipes from their cookbook. And I do mean "signature." I read so many rave reviews I thought I'd give it a try. I already love my simple Chicken Provencal which I often make. This seemed in the same vein, although I had my doubts about the combinations, but pairing unusual flavors is the cookbook's theme and fame. I'm not a huge fan of green olives; I would have preferred Kalamata. But the dish needed some color and green it was.

Next time I may experiment a little. I could certainly see (maybe) adding dried apple. And people often sub the prunes with dried apricots (I did but didn't care for it). A splash of Cognac would be interesting. Regardless, the dish really is worth the raves. It's a great play on tastes between the sweet and the savory. The prunes bake sweet and plump having absorbed the complex tastes of the marinade. I served mine with mashed potatoes to make use of the incredible and delectable sauce.

Just be sure to use large, meaty thighs, skin-on, bone-in. Split Cornish Hens would be nice, too, and great for a Christmas meal. The original recipe can easily be found on the Internet (it makes a lot!). Here, mine is halved.

Alas, not even the humble chicken thigh is inexpensive as I update this in 2022. Nor olives (good ones, anyway). Worthy of guests, this is one recipe you need under your belt and culinary repertoire, especially to introduce to your family.

• 4 meaty chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in, extra fat removed
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 cup dried, whole prunes
• 1/2 cup Spanish olives or mixed olives
• 1/2 cup capers, drained (I usually use less, maybe half ... you do you)
• 2 -3 bay leaves, fresh if possible
• 1-2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced plus two extra for baking
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup dry white wine

Mix the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers, bay leaves, oregano and garlic in a large bowl or large Ziploc bag. I recommend the plastic bag. Add chicken pieces. Marinate overnight.

When ready to prepare, add 1 -2 more cloves in excess of the four cloves used in marinade. Make sure garlic is minced/pressed.  I also added some fresh oregano. Arrange chicken on a heat-proof dish. I used a 10 x 10 shallow pan which worked great. Add all the marinade ingredients, except for the bay leaves. Sprinkle each chicken thigh with some of the brown sugar. Carefully drizzle the wine around the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40-50 minutes, basting several times with the juices during the baking process. (I raised the heat a bit the last ten minutes to get a nice caramelized crust on the chicken.) Remove from oven and allow to rest 15 minutes. 

Silver Palate? Hmmm ... I'd say GOLDEN!

White Beans with Shrimp

Cool beans!

White beans--packed with protein, calcium and iron--are a meal in themselves. Paired with seafood, poultry or beef, they are a welcome change to the familiar potato and rice normally served as a side dish.

And they're easy to prepare.

They're also quite forgiving and adaptable. Don't be afraid to add whatever you like. Had I some Kalamata or Greek olives, I would have added them to this dish. You could just as easily add some crumbled Feta instead of the Parm.

White beans paired with fresh shrimp sauteed in olive oil, garlic and lemon.

You could also easily swap out the spinach and rosemary and add some chopped, fresh basil. In fact, you don't even need the spinach. But the artist in me wanted the color. You could also use a fresh tomato or two, but since such luxuries are not available in the dead of winter, I went with canned to make this a pretty simple "dump" recipe.

Since I live in the South, I have access to smoked pork jowl which I used in this recipe. Use several slices of bacon as a substitute and then remove them before serving. I like my celery larger than a dice. The bit of crunch contrasts well with the creamy beans.

• 2, 15-ounce cans Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained (about 3 cups)
• 1, 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3/4 cup roughly-chopped celery
• 1-2 teaspoons minced jalapeno, seeded
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2-3 chunks smoked hog jowl (about 1/2 inch thick, 2" x 4") or several pieces smoked bacon cut in half
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chicken stock plus additional to add during the cooking
• 1 tablespoon minced, fresh rosemary (or to taste)
• 2-3 ounces fresh, baby spinach leaves, stems removed (optional)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt to taste (beans take a lot of salt, so be sure to taste and adjust)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

In a medium Dutch oven, melt a bit of butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and hog jowl. Cook just until veggies get a bit tender. Add the jalapeno and garlic. Stir until fragrant. Add the white wine and allow to steam a bit to get rid of the alcohol. Add the 1/4 cup chicken stock and allow to heat up. Then add the drained tomatoes and beans. Add about 1 teaspoon salt. Mix. Cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, adding more chicken stock if necessary.

The beans really only need to heat through since they are already cooked. After abut 15 minutes or so, taste and re-season if necessary. Stir in the rosemary and one tablespoon of butter until melted. Gently fold in the spinach until wilted. Gently fold in cheese. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes or so. Don't be afraid to add more chicken stock if necessary. That's it. Serve and enjoy!

Paired with summer's fresh garden bounty, white beans are an economical but luxurious meal.

Marninated, Whole Tomatoes

In some parts of the country, decent tomatoes are already appearing at markets. This recipe works wonderfully with medium-sized tomatoes. In the dead of winter when delicious tomatoes are a rarity, seek the ones still attached to a stem or use plum tomatoes. I place one marinated tomato on a bed of greens that always includes crunchy, cold, iceberg lettuce. I drizzle the marinade around it.

I like this recipe because it uses ingredients I usually have on hand. It is adapted from my grandmother's old cookbook. Go ahead and use yellow tomatoes for a bit of visual variety. One could, of course, include basil rather-than, or in-addition-to, the parsley. Sometimes I cheat and simply cut up the peeled tomatoes and just mix everything together and allow it to marinate overnight. But I really love the drama of a single tomato on fresh greens.

• 6 whole ripened medium tomatoes
• 1/3 cup salad oil
• 1/3 cup olive oil (light or EV)
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion and tops
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme flakes
• Blue cheese, crumbled (optional)

Peel tomatoes (drop into boiling water for a few seconds. Remove and then peel). With  a paring knife, remove just the top green stem part being careful not to cut into the core of the tomato. This is optional, but I like to do it. Peeling and coring allows the marinade to penetrate the tomato.

  

Mix the remaining ingredients. Marinate the whole tomatoes in a refrigerator several hours or overnight (preferably overnight) in a deep, narrow bowl. If the oil congeals before serving, just bring back to room temperature before serving. To serve, arrange tomatoes on a platter and spoon a small amount of the marinade over each tomato. Sprinkle with additional green onions and parsley or serve individually over a bed of lettuce and use marinade as the dressing. For additional garnish (and recommended) add a few crumbles of blue cheese.

Salt Potatoes with Herbs

Fingerling potatoes with herbs, garlic and salt are brought to a boil,
removed from the heat and covered until cool or warm.

This recipe couldn't be more simple. Or delicious. I'll never "boil" potatoes again. No. Not. Ever.

I had intended to make a simple batch of garlic potatoes that uses whole, unpeeled cloves of garlic and tiny fingerling potatoes. It's a fun and easy dish. But I did some surfing and came across a blog written by a girl who once worked in a restaurant and who watched the chef make these amazing potatoes by adding a ton of salt to the water and some herbs.

Hmmmmm . . .

Just bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover until cool. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. Yea, right ..... Of course, I had to try it.

I was blown away.

These are wonderful! I kept eating them right from the pot! The salty, seasoned brine that drips from the skins is lip-smacking delicious. And then the creamy interior of the fingerlings. I thought I would serve them with a bit of sour cream, but that was total overkill and way too overpowering. 

The liquor in the pot was too good to waste, though. Redolent from the herbs and salt, it was also imbued with the earthiness of the potato skins. I mixed equal parts of the pot-liquor, melted butter and sour cream to use as a "dipping sauce." Bliss.

I think these are best served "warm." And do use fingerlings or tiny Yukon Golds. 

• 1.5 pounds fingerling potatoes, washed but not peeled
• 6 tablespoons KOSHER salt, not table salt (2 tablespoons per 1/2 pound of potatoes)
• 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme (about 1/2 dozen stems--see picture above)
• 2-3 cloves whole, unpeeled garlic, slightly smashed

Sauce (optional)

• 1 part pot liquor
• 1 part melted butter
• 1 part sour cream

Place potatoes in a pot. Fill with water until covered by an inch or so. Add the salt. Add the herbs and garlic.

Cover loosely and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover.

Allow to cool. To make the sauce, simple mix the equal parts of pot-liquor, melted butter and sour cream. Serve on the side or drizzle on top of potatoes.

Alexandra also suggests roasting or crisping the potatoes in a cast-iron skillet with a bit of olive oil and some freshened herbs.