Chicken Tagine with Lemon and Olives

From Williams Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken, about 3 lb.
• salt and pepper
• 3tbl flour
• 4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp saffron threads, crumbled and dissolved in broth
• 2tbl grated lemon zest
• 2 cups green or black olives
• 3tbl finely chopped fresh mint
• Cooked couscous or basmati rice for serving

Directions:

On a plate stir flour, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Turn the chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off excess.  In a large frying pan over med high heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches if necessary, cook the chicken pieces, turning often, until golden brown, about 10 min. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté for about 30 seconds.  Add the paprika, cumin, ginger, cinnamon and coriander and sauté until the spices are fragrant and evenly coat the onion-garlic mixture, about 1 min. Add the broth-saffron mixture, and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil.

Stove top: Transfer the broth mix to a large Dutch oven. Add the chicken pieces, arranging the thighs on the bottom and the breasts on top. Cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is tender and opaque throughout, about 1.5 hours. About 30 minutes before the chicken is done, scatter the olives over the chicken and sprinkle with the lemon juice and zest.  

Transfer the chicken to warmed plates, garnish with mint and serve!

For slow cooker: Transfer broth mix to slow cooker. Add the chicken, thighs on bottom, breasts on top. Cover and cook until chicken is tender and opaque throughout, about 2.5 - 3 hrs on the high heat setting or 5-6 hours on the low heat setting.  About 1 hr before the chicken is done, scatter the olives and sprinkle with the lemon juice and zest. 

Prosciutto Lamb Burgers

From Giada

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 6 large slices prosciutto, sliced medium-thin (for wrapping the burgers)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Fresh basil leaves, for topping each burger
• Fresh tomato slices, for topping each burger
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Directions

In a large bowl combine the bread crumbs, parsley, egg, milk, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper, Stir to combine. Add the lamb and stir until incorporated. Divide the mixture into 6 (1-inch) thick burgers. Place the slices of prosciutto on a cutting board or piece of parchment paper. Place 1 lamb burger in the center of each slice of prosciutto and wrap the prosciutto around the burger.

Place a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat for 2 minutes. Place the lamb burgers, prosciutto-covered side down in the pan and cook over medium heat until the prosciutto is golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the burgers and finish cooking, about 6 to 8 minutes more.

Remove the burgers from the pan and place on a serving platter or individual plates. Top each burger with 2 to 3 basil leaves, 1 to 2 slices of tomato, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.

Braised Garlic Chicken

From Williams Sonoma

1 chicken, 3 - 4 lbs cut into 8 serving pieces, trimmed of excess skin and fat
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons canola oil
4 heads garlic, separated into cloves, unpeeled
1/4 cup dry white wine such as chardonnay or savignon blanc
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the canola oil. Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken and cook, turning frequently until well browned, 7 - 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Pour off all but 2 Tablespoons of the fat in the pan. Add the garlic cloves and saute over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

STOVE TOP: Transfer the chicken to a Dutch oven. Sprinkle with the thyme and add the garlic mixture. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and opaque throughout, about 45 minutes.

SLOW COOKER: Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker. Sprinkle with the thyme and add the garlic mixture. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and opaque throughout, 3 hours on the low-heat setting.

Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Set a fine-mesh over a saucepan and strain the pan juices. Press on the garlic cloves to extract as much liquid and pulp as possible. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to a warmed platter and top with the sauce. Serve at once.

Roast Pork with Apricots

From Williams Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
• 1 boneless pork loin roast, about 2 1/2 lb.
• 2 Tbs. canola oil
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 cups dried apricots
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard

Directions:

On a plate, stir together the flour, the 1/2 tsp. salt and the 1/4 tsp. pepper. Turn the pork in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.

In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the pork and cook, turning frequently, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat in the pan. Add the onion and sauté until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Pour in the broth and deglaze the pan, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom.

Stovetop method: Transfer the pork to a Dutch oven and pour in the broth mixture. Add the apricots, orange juice and thyme. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the pork is very tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 140°F, about 1 1/2 hours.

Slow-cooker method: Transfer the pork to a slow cooker and pour in the broth mixture. Add the apricots, orange juice and thyme. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 6 hours according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the pork is very tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 140°F.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the apricots to a bowl. Using a large, shallow spoon or a ladle, skim as much fat as possible from the surface of the cooking liquid. Strain the juices into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced and concentrated, about 10 minutes. Stir the mustard into the sauce and add the apricots. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the pork loin across the grain into thin slices and arrange on a warmed platter. Serve immediately with the sauce and apricots. Serves 4 to 6.