Pork and Ceci Bean Stew

Like a well made chili, this stew is one of those dishes that is completely satisfying on a cold winter day. Just a few simple ingredients and seasonings that play well together cooked low and slow for hours. We have this wonderful old clay cooking pot from Italy called a pignata that is perfect for this but if you don't have one, and I'm guessing you don't, use a crockpot or get yourself a clay bean pot like one of these cool redware pots from Old Sturbridge Village - Old Sturbridge Village Redware BeanPot.  You will find yourself wondering why you just now discovered clay pot cooking. 

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Ingredients

1 lb boneless pork country spare ribs cut into 1" pieces 

2 cans chick peas

2 carrots chopped

1/2 sweet onion cut into half moons

2 stalks celery with leaves - chopped

1 Sweet bell pepper (not a green one) chopped

3 cloves garlic sliced thin

1 can vegetable broth

1 Tbsp Rosemary

1 tsp Herbs de Provence

1 tsp Fennel Seeds

1 bay leaf torn in three pieces

1 small dried chili pepper - keep whole

Salt & Pepper - season as needed

Grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Brown the pork in a skillet with the herbs and fennel seeds. Then remove to a warm plate.

In the same pan add some olive oil and sauté the carrots, onion, pepper and garlic for 5 minutes.  Mix in the chickpeas and the browned pork.

Spoon everything into the pignata or bean pot or crock pot along with the torn bay leaf and chili pepper vegetable stock.

Since we used a pignata, a dough lid needed to be made. Just simple flour and water. making sure to cut a steam vent.

Put the bean pot in the oven and turn the heat to 250. Let cook for 2 hours. Or set the crock pot for low. Walk away.

Out of the oven

And in the bowl topped with a little parmesan.

Chicken Kiev - Yes, You Can

Chicken Kiev is one of those special occasion dishes that sounds both elegant and a little exotic. It also makes a great impression on the plate when cut open and that rich herby buttery center runs out. Sure, you can get them already made in the frozen food section of most supermarkets, which we have done - yes we do sometimes buy pre-prepared food... but we decided that we needed  to make these things ourselves from scratch. We figured they can't be that difficult, and they really aren't. Like most culturally based dishes, there are variations but there are several key common components - chicken breast, of course, butter and tarragon. The tarragon infused butter is key to the correct flavor. 

This recipe is for two people (think Valentine's Day, Anniversaries) but the ingredients can easily be increased. for more.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon minced
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 large whole eggs, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt and pepper

Directions

Combine butter, parsley, tarragon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl and mix together well. Place mixture on plastic wrap or waxed paper and roll into small log; place in freezer.

Place chicken breasts, 1 at a time, between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Squirt chicken lightly with water and squirt the top of the plastic wrap as well. Pound to no less than 1/8-inch thickness. Season each piece of chicken with salt and pepper.

Lay 1 chicken breast on a new piece of plastic wrap and place 1/4 of the compound butter and 1 tablespoon bread crumbs in the center of each breast. Using the plastic wrap to assist, fold in ends of breast and roll breast into a log, completely enclosing the butter; roll very tightly. Repeat with each breast. Place chicken in refrigerator for 2 hours, or up to overnight.

Place egg and water mixture in 1 pie pan and 2 cups bread crumbs in a different pie pan.

Heat 1/2-inch of vegetable oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat until oil reaches 375 degrees F.

Dip each breast in the egg mixture and then roll in the bread crumbs. Gently place each breast in oil, sealed-side down, and cook until golden brown, approximately 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove to a cooling rack set in sheet pan and allow to drain for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Rice and roasted Brussels sprouts make good sides.