Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Recipe Corner: Italian-style Stew

Today's recipe is surprisingly tasty but totally weird. I hear "stew" and I think beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions not capers, olives, lemons, and artichoke hearts but somehow these ingredients blend to create a delightfully fresh stew that is filling without being heavy. It's the perfect winter food.

Ingredients:
1 lb boned, skinned chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons each salt and ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon capers, drained and minced
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
8 oz thawed frozen artichoke hearts, quartered if large
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1 cup pitted medium green olives
lemon wedges (optional)

Directions:
Cut chicken thighs into 2 or 3 chunks and combine in a resealable plastic bag with the flour, salt, and pepper. Shake to coat. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add chicken in a single layer, and cook, turning once until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer cooked meat to a plate. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, capers, and lemon zest and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and simmer, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add broth, potatoes, and chicken and return to a simmer. Lower heat slightly to maintain simmer, cover, and cook 10 minutes. Add artichokes to the pot and stir. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir in parsley, lemon juice to taste, and olives. Serve hot.

Serves 4

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