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Chaz'z chicken stuffing
Aug. 20th, 2014 05:09 pmDishes evolve for all sorts of reasons. This, f'rexample, used to be Madhur Jaffrey's duck stuffing, but I do at least three things differently - because Karen wouldn't reliably like the deeper tones of giblets, and because I'm not going to the store just for cilantro, and because dried fruits work well around here so I use more and other kinds - and then I stuff a chicken instead, so I reckon it's mine now. With all proper acknowledgements to the source, and so forth. (I was once in my first agent's Kensington flat when Madhur - another client - phoned from New York. Of course there would be a party for Madhur's new recipe book; it would be right there, in Carol's flat. "But don't worry, we won't need to cook; we'll have it catered..." If I'd been a little quicker off the mark, I could've ended up cooking for Madhur. Or with her.)
Anyway: heat a little oil in a pan, and toss in half a teaspoonful each of fenugreek, fennel and cumin seeds. It delights me that fennel and fenugreek work so well together, given that they hang out right next to each other in my alphabetical order of spices. As soon as the cumin starts to darken - about as long as it takes to think how delightful it is, that fennel and fenugreek work so well together - add one finely chopped onion, some grated ginger and a chopped chilli if you like that sort of thing, and stir until softened. Then add a handful of chopped dried tomatoes (I use home-dried, at least for as long as my supply lasts - *makes moon-eyes at Katherine, who has a dehydrator* - but sun-dried would be fine too; Madhur uses puree mixed with water, which is really not what I want here), and chopped cilantro if you can be bothered to go to the store for it. Then a couple of cups of cooked rice; then a handful each of golden raisins (sultanas, O my UK 'earers), chopped dried apricots, dried sour cherries and pine nuts. Or slivered almonds, if the price of pine nuts is just too ridiculous. Stir in some salt, black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, and you're done.
Remember to give the chicken a little longer than you would unstuffed; an hour and a half in a hot oven does it for me.
Anyway: heat a little oil in a pan, and toss in half a teaspoonful each of fenugreek, fennel and cumin seeds. It delights me that fennel and fenugreek work so well together, given that they hang out right next to each other in my alphabetical order of spices. As soon as the cumin starts to darken - about as long as it takes to think how delightful it is, that fennel and fenugreek work so well together - add one finely chopped onion, some grated ginger and a chopped chilli if you like that sort of thing, and stir until softened. Then add a handful of chopped dried tomatoes (I use home-dried, at least for as long as my supply lasts - *makes moon-eyes at Katherine, who has a dehydrator* - but sun-dried would be fine too; Madhur uses puree mixed with water, which is really not what I want here), and chopped cilantro if you can be bothered to go to the store for it. Then a couple of cups of cooked rice; then a handful each of golden raisins (sultanas, O my UK 'earers), chopped dried apricots, dried sour cherries and pine nuts. Or slivered almonds, if the price of pine nuts is just too ridiculous. Stir in some salt, black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, and you're done.
Remember to give the chicken a little longer than you would unstuffed; an hour and a half in a hot oven does it for me.