Stinky Polenta Roast Chicken Crispy Kale Red Wine Balsamic Demi Recipes

KALE POLENTA

Steps:

• Combine 7 cups of water and the salt in a medium pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Gradually add the polenta, whisking as you pour. Keep whisking until the polenta starts to thicken and looks like it's one with the water, about 2 minutes. Turn the heat to low (the polenta should steam and tremble, but only rarely erupt with bubbles) and cook, stirring every now and again, until the polenta is tender but still coarse in texture, about 45 minutes.
• Stir in the olive oil, kale puree, and most of the Parmesan and keep cooking, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes more. Take the pot off the heat and fold in 2 tablespoons of the mascarpone (it's nice to run into a little pocket of mascarpone, so don't stir too much). Top with the remaining mascarpone and Parmesan, and as much black pepper as you'd like.
• Put 4 of the garlic cloves in a medium pot, fill it with water, cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add enough kosher salt so that the water tastes slightly salty and add the kale, prodding to submerge it. Cook uncovered until the kale is tender and tears easily, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Fish out the boiled garlic cloves from the pot and reserve them. Drain the kale in a colander and when it's cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as you can. Roughly chop the kale, the boiled garlic, and the raw garlic.
• Combine the kale, garlic, and Maldon salt in a food processor. Process, stopping occasionally to prod and stir, for about 45 seconds, then add the oil and process, stirring once or twice, to a fairly smooth puree. Whenever I make this at one of my restaurants, I use a Vita-prep to make the puree silky smooth, but I like a slightly coarse puree too.
• The puree keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH POLENTA AND KALE CHIPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475˚ F. Lightly brush two rimmed baking sheets with olive oil. Toss the chicken with the garlic and sage on one baking sheet; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Toss the kale with the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt on the other baking sheet. Roast the chicken skin-side up until cooked through and the skin is browned and crisp, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, roast the kale, tossing halfway through, until browned and crisp around the edges, 15 to 17 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 5 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add 1 teaspoon salt. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, whisking, until the polenta thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk in the Parmesan and butter. Serve the chicken with the kale and polenta.

ROAST CHICKEN BREAST WITH POLENTA AND CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place about 5 slices of the polenta in an even layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place the chicken breasts on top of the polenta slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top each with the Italian seasoning and Parmesan. Arrange the garlic cloves and tomatoes around the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil.
• Bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes. Garnish with Parmesan and olive oil to taste. Serve warm.

CHICKEN IN RED WINE WITH ONIONS, MUSHROOMS AND BACON: COQ AU VIN

Steps:

• Remove the rind and cut the bacon into lardons (rectangles 1/4-inch across and 1-inch long). Simmer for 10 minutes in 2 quarts of water. Rinse in cold water. Dry.
• In a heavy large heavy bottomed casserole or Dutch oven, saute the bacon slowly in hot butter until it is very lightly browned (temperature of 260 degrees F for an electric skillet). Remove to a side dish.
• Dry the chicken thoroughly. Brown it in the hot fat in the casserole. (360 degrees F for the electric skillet.)
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Return the bacon to the casserole with the chicken. Cover and cook slowly (300 degrees F) for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.
• Uncover, and pour in the cognac. Averting your face, ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the casserole back and forth for several seconds until the flames subside.
• Pour the wine into the casserole. Add just enough stock or bouillon to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and its juices run a clear yellow when the meat is pricked with a fork. Remove the chicken to a side dish.
• While the chicken is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.
• Simmer the chicken cooking liquid in the casserole for 1 to 2 minutes, skimming off fat. Then raise the heat and boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 1/4 cups. Correct seasoning. Remove from heat, and discard bay leaf.
• Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste (beurre manie). Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to the simmer, stirring and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.
• Arrange the chicken in a casserole, place the mushrooms and onions around it and baste with the sauce. If the dish is not to be served immediately, film the top of the sauce with stock or dot with small pieces of butter. Set aside uncovered for no longer than 1 hour or cool, cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Shortly before serving, bring the casserole to a simmer, basting the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is heated through.
• Serve from the casserole, or arrange on a hot platter. Decorate with sprigs of parsley.
• When the butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet, add the onions and saute over moderate heat for 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect to brown them uniformly.
• Braise them as follows: Pour in the stock, season to taste, and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 15 to 20 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet. Serve them as they are.
• Bake them as follows: Transfer the onions and their sauteing fat to a shallow baking dish or casserole just large enough to hold them in 1 layer. Set uncovered in upper third of a preheated 350 degree F oven for 40 to 50 minutes, turning them over once or twice. They should be very tender, retain their shape and be a nice golden brown. Remove herb bouquet. Serve them as they are.
• Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. During their saute the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.
• Toss the shallots or green onions, if using, with the mushrooms. Saute over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Sauteed mushrooms may be cooked in advance, set aside, then reheated when needed. Season to taste just before serving.