Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Crispy Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes


Okay I followed this one word to word from a periodical called "The Women's Week" and it seems that I can follow recipes as good as the analytical procedures. :)
This Italian recipe makes a perfect combination with a bit of garlic bread and wine.
The picture is again not as flattering as it should be but it sure tastes yummy!!
You Need
Chicken thigh fillet
New Potatoes (the ones we use to make Dum Aloo)
Cherry Tomatoes
All of the above in a 1:1:1 proportion depending upon how many people are eating.
Fresh Oregano Leaves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
Salt & Pepper

How You Make It

1) Put the potatoes in salted boiling water and forget about them. Then cut the fillet in thin vertical strips and put them in a bowl. Toss the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper till it gets uniformly covered. Then transfer it to a pan on high flame and toss it for ten minutes.
2) Put the tomatoes in a bowl and pour hot boiling water. Leave it alone for a while.
In a pestle and a mortar, pour in the oregano leaves and bash them up real nice. ( Do I talk like an Aussie?). When you are done "bashing" them, pour about 1/4th cup of extra virgin olive oil and a dash of red wine vinegar and bash everything up again. :)
3) In the meanwhile it is a good idea to pre-heat your oven to a good 200 C. By now the potatoes get done so pour them out in a colander and peel them. Then just snub each one with your thumb to get it all at your mercy. :D
4) Dip your hands in the hot water with the tomatoes and pinch their skins of. It is not really necessary but pinching them would make them mingle more easily with the potatoes and chicken in the oven.
5) Add the bashed up oregano leaves to the chicken, add potatoes and tomatoes with a bit of salt and toss everything nicely.
6) Lay out the mixture on an oven proof baking dish in one layer and leave it inside the oven for about 40 minutes. The end result should be uniformly golden-brown potatoes and chicken with a bit of it's own gravy.
I know this is a really violent recipe with a lot of bashing, pinching and snubbing going on along with a lot of components being subjected to abject boiling water scaldings. :)
How You Serve It
Chicken on the side with crisp bread and a glass of cold white wine to wash it down with.
A crunchy salad that does not have an elaborate dressing would make it perfect!
How You Burn It
Boy! I am still thinking how after the amount of olive oil that just went down my throat.
A complete sabbatical from carbohydrates the next day and an early morning run with ACDC ringing in your ears. ;)
So much for a Christmas Break!! I guess I really enjoy cooking. :D



7 comments:

शिरीष said...

Hi Sai
I think Holidys make you indulge in cooking which I think now has become your passion.The photograph of your dish is so tempting along with your lucid description of the reciepe.
Sai I have a complaint which I think may be of your many fans who have not dared to put it in black and white.You should mention Indian names for some the ingradients and apparatus. I get lost when I read Oregano leaves and colander.I think you should put either Indian words or else the substitutes in bracket.

You tempt me to try out these dishes.Thank you!

Saee said...

Hello baba
Thanks for the praise. :)
Yes I will include all the Indian names hence forth but most of the spices that I used are a but difficult to get in Pune. :(
But i will search for herbs from the same family that you can use. :)
Cheers!

Shruti said...

Saee - you overlooked adding that the dish must be washed down by languid conversations with company that is most admiring of your culinary accomplishment!! (otherwise read as - ME!!)

InqFinance said...

Nice one Sai. If there are some ingredients hard to get in India you can put substitutes there.

Tapan

Saee said...

@ Tapan
Yeah..I am doing a bit of research in that department. :)
But like we use dry spices, these people use herbs and I cannot quite find substitutes for all of them. :)
I think I still have to learn a lot.
Thanks for the comment!

Ameya said...

The dish surely looks tempting...
I will make sure I keep those spices and herbs ready when u r comin to India!! :P

@ kaka- I think u can get oregano in Dorabjee's or maybe Trumart. I had some which I'd got from Delhi.. So since its available in India I guess u might get in either of these 2 shops.
Somehow, I get most of the 'hard to get' things at the grocery shop down the corner after I've fished all the fancy shops- Reliance Fresh, More for u etc etc. So I will also check out if the grocery guy has it.. :)

Saee said...

@ Ameya
Yes, I think I have finally found my true Nirvana. :) It is cooking. :)
So when I am in India, you don't need to worry about your breakfasts lunches and dinners. :)
I will leave you pining for more with a chubbier bum. :D