Chicken Stew With Sweet Potatoes, Almonds and Apricots

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Recipes for Health NY Times

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 to 8 chicken thighs (we do boneless, skinless)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (or yams), peeled and cut in thick slices
Generous pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
2 cups chicken stock
3 ounces dried apricots, cut in half
1/3 cup (45 grams) untoasted almonds, blanched and skinned (see below)

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy casserole or deep lidded frying pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown for 5 minutes on each side. Remove to a bowl.

2. Add the remaining oil to the pot, turn the heat to medium and add the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the pot, for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add the cinnamon, turmeric and ginger and stir together. Return the chicken to the pot, along with any liquid that has accumulated in the bowl. Add the sweet potatoes, saffron, chicken stock and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the almonds and apricots and continue to simmer until the chicken is tender enough to fall off the bone and the sweet potatoes are falling apart, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with rice or another grain, like bulgur.

Farfalle in a Broth of Wild Mushrooms & Browned Shallots

by Tony Rosenfeld (Fine Cooking)

Serves 4

We decided the next time we make this to put in broccoli rabe as well!

Ingredients:

6 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms

1 lb. white or cremini mushrooms
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 lb. dried farfalle
4 shallots (about 3 oz. total), sliced crosswise into 1/4- to 1/8-inch thick rings
1/4 cup dry sherry
3 cups low-salt canned chicken broth
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce; more to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano


Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.

Stem the shiitake and oyster mushrooms and thinly slice the caps. Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing occasionally, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Put the pasta in the water. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. oil and the shallots to the skillet. Season with salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the shallots brown and soften, 2 to 4 minutes (don’t let them burn). Raise the heat to high, add the sherry, and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the sherry is almost completely boiled off, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth. After 2 minutes, return the mushrooms to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook the broth another 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the thyme and Tabasco and taste for salt and pepper.

Finish cooking the farfalle until it’s just tender, about 11 minutes total. Drain and put back in the pasta pot. Pour the broth and mushrooms over the pasta and stir well. Serve immediately in bowls with a generous amount of the Parmigiano.