Lee Bros Country Captain Recipes

THE LEE BROS. COUNTRY CAPTAIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Pour the stock in to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat
• Put the currants in a small heatproof bowl and pour the hot stock over them
• Set aside to plump
• In another small bowl, combine, curry powder, garam masala, 1 teaspoons salt, and teaspoon black pepper
• Scatter the bacon in a 4 to 6 quart enameled cast iron pot or Dutch oven set over medium high heat
• Stir the pieces around occasionally until the bacon is firm and just golden brown, about 5 minutes
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pot, reserving the excess fat in a small bowl
• Brown the chicken thighs, in batches, over medium high heat, taking care not to crowd them in the pot, until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes per side
• If the pot becomes too dry, add a little of the reserved bacon fat, 1 teaspoon at a time
• Remove the chicken to a medium bowl
• Add 2 teaspoons of the reserved bacon fat to the pot (if there is none left us canola oil)
• Add the chile and toast until very fragrant, about 30 seconds per side
• Add the carrots, bell peppers, onions, and garlic, and cook until slightly softened, about 6 minutes
• Add the tomatoes, curry powder mixture, ginger, and the currants and their stock
• Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the tomatoes have cooked down to a puree and the sauce has thickened around the vegetables, about 8 minutes
• Nestle the chicken thighs gently in the sauce so that the skin side faces up and is above the surface of the sauce
• Tent the pot loosely with foil and transfer it to the middle rack of the oven
• Bake until the country captain resembles a roiling stew around the chicken thighs, about 20 minutes
• Remove the foil and bake until the sauce has thickened further and the chicken skin is just beginning to crisp, about 15 minutes
• Remove from the oven, skim any excess fat from the surface, and season to taste with salt and pepper
• Discard the chile
• Spoon 1 cup hot white rice into each of 4 wide, deep bowls
• Use tongs to arrange 3 thighs on top
• Spoon the sauce over the chicken and rice, and garnish with the reserved bacon, almonds, and parsley

THROWDOWN'S COUNTRY CAPTAIN CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the coconut rice with green onions:
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains in the butter. Add the coconut milk, water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil, stir once, cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until tender, about 16 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let the rice sit, covered for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff with a fork and fold in the green onion. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a large, high sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the butter and 1 tablespoon of canola to the rendered bacon fat in the pan and heat until it begins to shimmer.
• Put the flour in a shallow bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, dredge in the flour and tap off any excess. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown. Remove to plate.
• Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the serrano and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until reduced by 3/4. Add the chicken stock, bring to a simmer and reduce slightly. Stir in the tomatoes, currants or raisins, thyme, 2 teaspoons of honey and season with a little salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Nestle the chicken thighs into the pan, cover with a tight fitting lid and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Remove the lid after 35 minutes and continue to bake an additional 15 minutes.
• Remove the chicken to a platter and tent slightly to keep warm. Put the pan and sauce back on the burner over high heat and bring to a boil. Let the sauce reduce slightly, then season with salt, pepper, and honey, to taste. Stir in the parsley. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and top with the bacon, almonds and more parsley. Serve with Coconut Rice with Green Onions.
• Combine all the spices in a small bowl.

ZIP-QUICK COUNTRY CAPTAIN

Steps:

• Heat bacon drippings in large, deep skillet over moderate heat 1 minute. Add onion and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, until onion is limp and golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Mix in garlic, curry powder, marjoram, thyme, and cayenne and cook and stir 2 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, chicken, currants, salt and black pepper; adjust heat so mixture bubbles gently, cover, and cook, stirring now and then, until flavors mingle and chicken is heated through-about 15 minutes. Mix in parsley, taste for salt and pepper, and adjust as needed.
• Mound rice in heated, large, deep platter, ladle chicken mixture on top, sprinkle with almonds and serve.
• Bring water to rapid boil in large (4 1/2-quart) heavy saucepan over high heat. Add rice, stir well, then return to rapid bowl. Adjust heat so water stays at gentle but steady ripple and cook uncovered until all water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Do not stir. Fluff rice gently with fork and cool 1 hour. Do not cover. Fluff rice gently again, then spoon lightly-do not pack-into plastic storage containers, snap on lids, label and date. Set in refrigerator or freezer.
• To reheat refrigerated or frozen rice, pile rice in large fine sieve, fork lightly to separate, and balance sieve on top of large, heavy saucepan over 2 inches boiling water. Cover loosely with lid or foil and steam just until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes, but times will vary according to amount of rice being reheated and whether it's refrigerated or frozen. Fluff with fork and serve.

30 MINUTE SOUTHERN CLASSIC: COUNTRY CAPTAIN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add butter and rice and return water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover the pot. Cook rice 20 minutes or until tender. Turn off heat and fluff rice with a fork.
• Combine flour and paprika in a shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cut each chicken breast and thigh in 1/2 on an angle. Coat chicken pieces in paprika seasoned flour. Wash your hands and chicken work surfaces thoroughly.
• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to the pan. Brown chicken pieces, 3 minutes on each side, and remove from the skillet. Add butter to the pan, then stir in peppers, onions and garlic. Season the veggies with salt and pepper and saute them 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Add curry, stock, tomatoes and raisins. Slide chicken back into the skillet and simmer over moderate heat for 5 minutes to combine flavors and finish cooking the chicken through. Place skillet on a trivet and serve the chicken from the pan. Garnish the Country Captain's chicken with sliced almonds. Transfer rice to a serving dish and garnish with chopped scallions.

COUNTRY CAPTAIN CHICKEN FRICASSEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the almonds and toast swirling the pan until golden. Remove almonds and set aside, reserve skillet.
• Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in flour and shake off any excess. Heat the oil and butter in the skillet over medium high heat. Cook the chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a dish and set aside.
• Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, curry powder, thyme, and cayenne to the pan. Stir to loosen up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and nestle the chicken pieces in the sauce, bring the sauce up to a simmer and then transfer to the oven and cook until the chicken is cooked through and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove skillet from the oven and transfer chicken to a serving dish. Spoon any oil off the surface of the sauce and discard. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, add the currants and simmer to thicken slightly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and scatter the toasted almonds on top. Serve with a dollop of cool yogurt and herb sauce.
• In a bowl combine the first 4 ingredients, season with salt and pepper, to taste.