Orzi e Pisi al Limone

If you mention orzo in Canada most people will think you has the pasta in mind.  However, the pasta shape is named after the grain its named for, namely barley.  Another surprise is that barley (or orzo) substitutes readily for rice.  When prepared in the manner of risotto the creamy texture is familiar, while the nutty flavour and "al dente" texture of the barley makes for a delicious variation on a familiar theme.  Enjoy with a glass of sparkling wine!

Over medium heat in a small saucepan bring
4 cups chicken stock (unsalted)
1/2 teaspoon salt
to a simmer.  In a frying pan or dutch oven over medium-low heat melt

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Add the whites and pale green parts of :
3 medium leeks, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
and sautee until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Add:

1 cup pearl barley
and stir until coated with the oil and butter. Add:
1/2 cup of white wine
and stir until absorbed.  Add:
1/2 cup of warm stock
and stir until absorbed, approximately 4 minutes.  Adjust heat if too fast or slow. Repeat until you have a half cup of stock left and add:
1/2 cup of stock
1 cup of frozen or fresh peas
Stir until the liquid is mostly absorbed and then add:
2 tablespoons of whipping cream
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 to 1 cup of parmesan cheese
Blend in and serve immediately sprinkled with:
Chopped mint leaves
Parmesan cheese.

Quantities can vary, so watch the stock to ensure it does not evaporate too quickly from the side pot.  Add a little water if it is reducing too quickly.  Also, towards the end of the stock start tasting between rounds, and stop when the barley reaches the desired texture.

Arroz con Pollo Anyone?

Along with Julia Child's Beouf Bourginon this is one of the greatest dishes we've ever made. While we follow Julia's Beouf recipe religiously, we've introduced a few variations to this classic Spanish dish to both make it a bit more authentic and flavourful.  Remarkably, the subtle aroma of the basmati rice not only survives but combines with the saffron and paprika into a delightful whole.

Separate:
1 whole chicken (approximately 6 lbs)
into serving sized parts.  Season with:
Salt
Pepper
Heat in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat:
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Brown the chicken on all sides in batches, then remove to a bowl.  Pour off all but:
4 tablespoons of fat 
from the pan.  Reduce the heat to medium and add:

2 large onions, chopped
6 ounces of sliced Serrano ham (or prosciutto) cut into small squares
Sautee until tender but not brown (approximately 5 minutes) and add
3 cups basmati rice
Stir until the grains are coated with fat.  Add:
3 cloves of minced garlic
2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
2 teaspoons of Spanish paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoons of ground pepper

Cook for one more minute.  Add:
5 cups of chicken stock or broth
3/4 teaspoon of oregano
3/8 teaspoon of saffron threads
Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping the bottom of the dutch oven to remove any brown bits.  Return the chicken and any juices to the pot.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 30 minutes.  Check to see if the rice is ready.  If it is not, give it 5 more minutes. When the rice just about right, stir in:
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup of roasted red peppers cut into strips
1/2 cup of triple rinsed whole green olives stuffed with pimentos
Cook five minutes more and remove from the heat.  Do not be concerned if all of the liquid has not been absorbed.  Let stand covered for 15 minutes and the remainder of the liquid will be absorbed. Share and enjoy!

For the stock we recommend using extra giblets and necks as it's much more strongly flavoured than what you can buy off the shelf.  This balances the potent effects of the saffron and paprika.  

How to Flatten a Chicken in Three Easy Steps

I have seldom seen a flattened chicken served. This is a shame, as while a little messy, it is a quick and easy process.  It also eases marinating a whole bird, dramatically reduces the cooking time, and makes a great impression when served at a dinner party.  While tonight's big cook will be Arroz con Pollo, which requires that I dissect our six pound bird from Fresh from the Farm into parts, it seemed like a good opportunity to document the process.  All that is required is a cutting board, a sharp knife, and a good pair of kitchen shears.  The high carbon steel knife and shears are two of the most used implements in our kitchen, and both are courtesy of Lee Valley Tools. We usually buy our birds frozen, and then thaw them.  If the bird is still partially frozen it makes managing and cutting it easier.

The first step is to remove the bird's backbone  Flip it over on its breast bone and score the skin with the knife.  Then, take the shears and cut along the lines an pop out the backbone.

Spread the body until you hear a crack as the breastbone loosens. You will now see the the bottom of the breastbone under a membrane.  Score the membrane with the knife on both sides, then use the knife to separate the white meat from the breastbone.  The only trick is to avoid cutting through the skin. You can do this by making smooth angled cuts.  The fat will help keep the knife from going through as well.

Towards the neck hole there are some bigger bones.  Take the shears and cut through them, pop out the breast bone.  Flip over the bird and you're done!

You can avoid wasting the bits if you make stock at the same time.  The fresh chicken and giblets make for the best flavour.  Just make sure to strip off the skin first so the stock isn't too fatty!

Enjoy!