Byzantine Chicken Nouveau Recipes

CHICKEN BOUILLABAISSE

Steps:

• Mix the olive oil, garlic, saffron, lemon zest, salt, pepper, fennel seeds, herbes de Provence, onion, celery, and carrot in a large bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to cook (at least 20 minutes). This step can be done up to 8 hours in advance.
• Transfer the contents of the bowl to a Dutch oven or a stainless steel pot and add the tomatoes, wine, water and potatoes. Cover, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and boil gently for 25 minutes. Add the sausage and cook for 5 minutes longer. If adding Pernod, stir it in now with the tarragon.
• Remove half a cooked potato and 1/4 cup (60 ml) liquid from the pot and place in a food processor with the garlic, cayenne and paprika. Process for 10 seconds. Add the egg yolk. Then, with the processor running, slowly pour in the oil and process for a few seconds, or until incorporated. Taste for salt and add some, if needed.
• Serve the bouillabaisse in warmed soup plates with a spoonful of the rouille drizzled on top.
• Recipe Credit: Adapted from Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pépin.

BYZANTINE CHICKEN NOUVEAU

Steps:

• Set a side a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish.
• Season Panko or bread crumbs with salt and pepper to taste.
• Heat olive oil in large frying pan or skillet.
• Dip chicken in the beaten egg and then in the Panko or bread crumbs; frying as many cutlets at a time as you can do with enough room to turn the pieces over.
• Fry about 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through; drain on paper towels.
• Fry the sliced mushrooms in the skillet you fried the chicken in, adding more olive oil if needed; fry until tender but still firm not mushy.
• Place the frozen chopped spinach in a pot and cook it using the the can of chicken broth and the juice from the lemon instead of any water, until tender.
• Stir in the romano cheese until it dissolves into the broth; the cheese will also thicken the broth a bit.
• Place the drained fried chicken in the 13 x 9 inch pan; place a layer of the fried mushrooms on top.
• pour the chicken broth/spinach mixture over the top, spreading the spinach out evenly.
• Serve with white rice, using the lemon/cheese/spinach mixture from the bottom of the baking pan as gravy for the rice.
• Using the glass baking pan as a serving plater both simplifies holding the gravy for you but also allows you to hold it in a warm oven if you can't serve it immediately.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH BIBB LETTUCE AND ROASTED CHICKEN VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the chicken: In a small bowl, mash the rosemary, thyme, sumac and lemon zest with enough olive oil to get a smooth paste. Rub this paste all over the chicken. Season the chicken from high above (to ensure even distribution) with salt and pepper. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Place the chicken on a baking sheet (or large pan) with a rack. Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature for 1 hour (this will allow it to cook more evenly).
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pour 1 cup of water in the bottom of the baking sheet and roast the chicken until it is deep golden brown and caramelized, and the thickest part of the leg registers 160 degrees F on a thermometer, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Allow the bird to rest for 20 minutes (the temperature will continue to rise to 165 degrees F out of the oven).
• For the vinaigrette: While the bird is resting, pour 4 tablespoons of the juices (depending on how rich you want the vinaigrette, you can reduce the juices first before measuring) into a large bowl along with the vinegar, shallots, mustard and tarragon. Drizzle in the olive oil. Toss in the lettuce and season with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 plates.
• Carve the bird by removing the breast and legs from the carcass. Cut the 2 breasts into 4 pieces and separate the thighs from the drums on the legs, leaving you also with 4 pieces. Divide the chicken among the plates with the lettuce and serve.