Basque-Style Chicken with Peppers & Potatoes
A flavorful one-pot meal, accented by meaty potatoes and summery peppers.
Ingredients:
1½ pounds chicken thighs, with the skin
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons piment d’espelette (or cayenne)
1 red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 Basque pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1½ pounds fingerling potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
3 sprigs fresh parsley, plus more leaves for garnish
Method:
1. Mix together the olive oil and piment (or cayenne) in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces, coating each in the oil as you do. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to one day.
2. In a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, sear each piece of chicken until it is golden. You may need to do this in batches. Transfer the seared chicken pieces to a paper-towel lined plate.
3. In the same pot, fry the red onions and garlic. If you find the pot too dry, add some olive oil. Sauté until the onions and garlic have softened. Add the peppers, potatoes and salt and stir to coat. Pour in the white wine and simmer until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds.
4. Add the chicken back to the pot along with the parsley sprigs and pour in the chicken broth. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, place the lid ajar and leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes. The liquid should reduce by about half. Check the seasoning. Remove the cooked parsley sprigs and sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy while hot with some crusty bread for dipping.
Pisto
Serve this Spanish pepper stew, called a pisto, with poached or fried eggs!
Ingredients:
1 Walla Walla sweet onion
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon mashed roasted garlic
2 Basque peppers, seeded and diced
1 small zucchini, diced
½ cup dry white wine
2-3 heirloom tomatoes (about 3 cups), diced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly-chopped parsley leaves
¼ cup Manchego cheese, finely grated
Sea salt
Method:
1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and the fresh and roasted garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the peppers and zucchini and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the white wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wine has reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 5 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to low. Add the tomatoes and simmer gently until the juices have evaporated, about 30 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, parsley and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt. Transfer the pisto to bowls and sprinkle with the grated Manchego.
Italian Summer Recipes
The Tuscan summer calls to mind visions of the perfect glass of wine served alongside garden-fresh produce simply and beautifully prepared. Hence, this week’s box captures the flavors of summer by way of Italy with a Tuscan-style ribollita stew crafted with imported cannellini beans, rustic bread chunks and fresh ingredients like rainbow Swiss chard, heirloom tomatoes and summer squash. Also included for this relaxed and refreshing meal: A classic Italian red wine, apricot jam and our own Grana-style cheese.
Here are some recipe ideas for this week:
Summer Ribollita
Inspired by a recipe found in the Lark: Cooking Against the Grain cookbook, this ribollita celebrates the beautiful vegetables of summer.
Pistou
This incredibly-flavorful sauce is the perfect accent to this week’s rustic stew.
Cantaloupe & Cucumber Salad with Basil
Juicy and incredibly crisp, this salad always receives rave reviews.
Cucumber & Tomato Salad with Sweet Onion
This light side salad is excellent served for lunch, or alongside a grilled protein and bread.
Summer Red Wine Vinaigrette
File this one away: This versatile vinaigrette pairs beautifully with both green and pasta salads.
Grilled Radicchio with Olive Oil & Sea Salt
These radicchio wedges are wonderful served alongside a grilled entrée.
Sautéed Summer Squash
So simple, so flavorful: These summer beauties are excellent served over grilled crostini, tossed into pastas, or scattered over pizza.
Fall Vegetable Ciambotta
This traditional Italian-style stew makes for a lovely side dish to this week’s pasta.
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
2 leeks, trimmed of rough ends and chopped
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼ -inch-thick slices
1 eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced into large chunks, or 1 pint cherry tomatoes
3-4 Jimmy Nardello peppers, seeded and cut into ¾-inch slices
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
4-6 Ozette fingerling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup water
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add leeks, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Add eggplant and water and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is slightly softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in tomatoes with juice and sweet peppers, then reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook zucchini in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan of well-salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to bowl with green beans. Add potatoes to boiling water and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and add to bowl with zucchini.
4. Add boiled vegetables to stew and simmer, stirring, until all vegetables are very soft, about 15 minutes. Season with generously with salt and pepper.
Variations: You can substitute green beans, spinach, or any other vegetables you have on hand for the eggplant and zucchini if desired.
