Category: <span>Main Dishes</span>

The Silver Palate Cookbook
by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins
This was the first main-course dish to be offered at The Silver Palate and the distinctive colors and flavors of the prunes, olives, and capers have kept it a favorite for years. It’s good hot or at room temperature. When prepared with small drumsticks and wings, it makes a delicious hors d’oeuvre. The overnight marinating is essential to the moistness of the finished product: the chicken keeps and even improves over several days of refrigeration; it travels well and makes excellent picnic fare. Since Chicken Marbella is such a spectacular party dish, we give quantities to serve 10 to 12, but the recipe can be divided to make smaller amounts if you wish.

Makes: 16 pieces or 10 or more portions

• 4 chickens, 2 1/2 pounds each, quartered
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
• 1/4 cup dried oregano
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup pitted prunes
• 1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
• 1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
• 6 bay leaves
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

1. In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
4. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.
5. With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.
6. To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.

Julee Rosso has owned The Wickwood Inn in the art resort of Saugatuck, Michigan for twenty years www.wickwoodinn.com.

Shirley Lukins died of cancer in 2009 at the age of 66. She was the co-founder and owner of the popular Silver Palate gourmet shop in NYC and for 23 years and the food editor and columnist for Parade, a position previously held by Julia Child.

Lemon and Herb-Roasted Chicken Thighs

I found this recipe on myrecipes.com by Oxmoor House. If you love olives, lemon, and tender chicken like we do, this dish is for you. It is so easy and good. Marinate the chicken the evening before or early in the day for the most flavorful results.

As a side dish, I roasted cauliflower in another pan. Toss cut-up cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on jelly roll pan lined with non-stick foil.  Roast at the same temperature for 20 minutes.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (1 tsp dried)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (1 tsp dried)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (1 ½ tsp dried)

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (I used 3 tablespoons)

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons) – (I used 2 garlic cloves)

1/4 cup coarsely chopped green olives with pimentos (such as Sicilian)

8 (3-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Preparation

1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Remove 2 tablespoons marinade mixture; place in a small bowl, and stir in olives. Set aside.
2. Add chicken to remaining marinade, tossing well to coat. Seal bag, and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 450°.
4. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until done. Place chicken on a serving platter. Spoon reserved olive mixture evenly over chicken.

Serves 4.

1 large onion, chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with jalapenos, drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons stone-ground cornmeal
Shredded Monterey Jack (optional)

Directions

1. Line the crockpot with crockpot liner for easy and fast clean up.
2. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine onion, chicken, broth, green pepper, jalapeno, 1 1/2 tsp of the cumin and 1/4 tsp each of the cayenne and salt. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
3. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, remove chicken to a cutting board and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker with remaining 1/4 tsp each of the cumin and cayenne, tomatoes, corn and beans. Gently mash some of the beans against side of bowl to thicken chili. Stir in cornmeal and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.
4. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack, if using.

From Family Circle magazine

1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

1 can (14 1/2 oz) Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes
1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
2 sprigs rosemary, plus more for garnish (optional)
1 can (15 oz) white beans, drained

Directions

1. Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. (For easy clean up, use Slow Cooker liners. Great invention!)
2. Place beef in slow cooker and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add tomatoes, mushrooms and rosemary.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Stir in beans during last 30 minutes of cooking.
4. Spoon as much of the liquid as possible into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Blend 2 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water. Stir into saucepan and cook 1 minute, until thickened; add back to slow cooker. Discard rosemary stems; season beef with 1/2 tsp more salt and garnish with additional rosemary, if using. Serve over cooked gnocchi.

*Found in Family Circle Magazine

Marinade

6 large garlic cloves, chopped (we don’t eat much garlic, so I use ½ tsp of garlic powder)

2 T soy sauce

2 T grated fresh gingerroot (I use 1/2 tsp ginger powder)

Finely grated lime zest from the fresh lime

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/3 cup lime juice (1 fresh lime and then top off with bottled lime juice)

½ cup canola oil

Put ingredients in a jar, cover tightly, and shake it really well.

2 pork tenderloins – marinate in a zip lock plastic bag for 24 hours, periodically turning. Needs all the marinade time for tenderness and flavor.

Grill as you like it.

Serve with Onion Marmalade

4 Cups of red and sweet onions, chopped fine

3 T olive oil

2 fresh jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced – wear rubber gloves

2 T honey

3-4 T red-wine vinegar

¼ Cup water

Can make a day before. In large heavy skillet, cook onions in oil with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring until softened. Add jalapenos and cook stirring one minute. Add honey and cook stirring one minute. Add vinegar and simmer stirring until almost all liquid is evaporated. Add water and simmer stirring until mixture is slightly thickened and onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Chill.

* (adapted from an epicurious.com recipe)