Brick Pressed Chicken With Chickpea Conserva Recipes

CHICKPEA SOCCA

Steps:

• Mix the chickpea flour, water, cumin and salt together until smooth. Whisk in the olive oil. Let sit for 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. (If refrigerating, allow to come to room temperature for 2 hours before cooking.)
• Preheat the broiler to high. In a 9-inch cast-iron pan on top of the stove, heat a small layer of oil until smoking. Add socca batter until a thin pancake forms. Cook until the edges just start to brown, then run the pan under the broiler. Broil until the batter looks cooked and starts to blister slightly.
• Flip the socca onto a cutting board. Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve with toppings and cut into wedges.

BRICK-PRESSED CHICKEN WITH CHICKPEA CONSERVA

Steps:

• Put garlic, basil, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, oil, salt and pepper in a blender. Starting on medium speed, blend everything together. Increase to high speed make sure everything is blended well. Once everything is homogenous, pour out into a large bowl.
• Very carefully cut along both sides of the backbone of the whole chicken to remove it, splitting the chicken, then cut down the breastbone to cut the chicken in half. Place the chicken halves in marinade. Let the chicken hang out in the marinade at room temperature for at least 1 hour or up to overnight in the fridge.
• Preheat a grill for cooking at medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grates. Place the chicken skin-side down on grill and place a brick on top of each piece to weigh them down. Let cook 5 minutes, then flip chicken and continue to press with bricks. Let cook until the chicken is fully cooked and its internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, begin warming Chickpea Conserva in its liquid. When the chickpeas are hot, plate them on a large serving platter and arrange the chicken on top. Serve immediately.
• Soak chickpeas in water at room temperature for at least 12 hours.
• Drain chickpeas well. Add olive oil, pancetta, carrots, celery, fennel, onions, garlic and thyme to a large saute pan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add chickpeas and saffron and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken stock and cook for 15 minutes. Season with salt and cook until the chickpeas reach desired consistency, another 45 minutes. Take off heat, finish with lemon juice and pour chickpeas with their liquid into a pan set in ice to cool. Store the chickpeas in their liquid.

SMASHED CHICKPEA AND EGGPLANT PRESSED SANDWICH

Steps:

• Arrange an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Preheat a baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes. Toss the eggplant rounds evenly with 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl; add 1/4 cup olive oil and toss again, making sure the eggplant soaks up all the oil. Remove the hot baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; lay out the eggplant slices in one layer. Roast until soft and golden to dark brown on the underside, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Blot dry by pressing lightly with a paper towel.
• Meanwhile, put the chickpeas in a medium bowl. Mash with a fork or a potato masher until coarsely mashed with lots of large pieces. Add the lemon zest and juice, red onion, mint, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and mix to combine.
• Assemble the sandwich by slicing the ciabatta loaf in half horizontally and lay the two halves cut-side up. Pull out some of the bread from both halves (save for another use), leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spread the hummus on both the bottom and top halves of the bread. On the bottom half, continue layering with half the chickpea mixture, the eggplant, and then the remaining chickpea mixture. Top with the cucumber, pepperoncini, shredded carrot, and the top half of the bread. Wrap tightly in parchment, wax paper or plastic wrap and tie with twine if necessary. Press 3 hours with a brick (see Cook's Note) or cast-iron skillet on top to flatten the sandwich, refrigerated. About 45 minutes before serving, bring the sandwich to room temperature.

PRESSED CHICKEN WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• For the salsa verde: Put the parsley, tarragon, cornichons, garlic, anchovies, vinegar, capers and some salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse a few times to coarsely chop the herbs. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil to make a thick but pourable sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
• For the pressed chicken: Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-low.
• Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Line up the breasts skin-side down on the grill and lay a piece of foil on top to cover; do the same with the thighs. Set a heavy skillet on top of the breasts and a second skillet atop the thighs. Weight each skillet with a foil-wrapped brick. Cover the grill and cook, checking for color once or twice, until the skin is deep golden-brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bricks, skillets and foil and set aside. Flip the chicken, cover the grill and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, another 5 to 10 minutes depending on thickness.
• Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut each breast through the bone into 3 or 4 pieces and transfer to a platter along with the whole thighs. Drizzle the chicken with some salsa verde. Serve the remaining salsa verde on the side.

CHICKEN IN A BRICK

Steps:

• Place both halves of the chicken brick in a sink and cover completely with cold water and leave for at least 30 min.
• (This ensures that brick does not dry out and crack during cooking.) Preheat oven to 190 degree C, 15 min before roasting the chicken in a brick.
• Place lemon pieces, some bay leaves, tarragon sprigs into clean chicken cavity.
• Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Place half the prepared vegetables in the base of the drained chicken brick, then place chicken on top.
• Arrange remaining vegetables and the remaining bay leaves around the chicken.
• Pour the white wine and chicken stock over.
• Place lid of chicken brick on top to cover the chicken.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 1hr 30min or until the chicken is cooked.
• (Test by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the chicken thigh. The juices should run clear.) Remove chicken brick from oven.
• For the sauce-------------------.
• Pour off cooking liquor and reserve in a bowl.
• Keep chicken and vegetables hot, covered, in the oven, while preparing the sauce.
• Place liquor in a small pan and bring to boil.
• Cream fat and flour together to make a beurre manie, then drop small amounts into boling liquor, whisking continuosly.
• When sauce is thickened, smooth and glossy, draw off the heat, stir in the cream, then reheat gently and season to taste.
• Serve with chicken, vegetables and rice or potatoes.

CHICKEN AND CHICKPEA CHILI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until rendered but not crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, poblano, garlic and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and just start to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin and coriander and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Meanwhile, transfer the tomatoes and their juices to a medium bowl. Using your hands, gently crushed the tomatoes into chunks. Add the tomatoes, stock and chipotles to the pan and bring to a simmer.
• Remove and discard the skin and bones from the chicken. Coarsely chop or shred the meat. Stir the chicken and chickpeas into the pan. Simmer over medium heat, stirring gently, until the chicken and chickpeas are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Season the chili with salt and pepper. Serve hot, topped with the cheese.