GREEK: Cinnamon Stewed Chicken

This is a recipe from Cat Cora’s visit to Oprah. I didn’t see the show, but I found the recipe recently when I wanted to use up some orzo I had in the cupboard.

• 1 chicken (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), cut into 8 pieces (legs, breast and thighs)
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cloves garlic , peeled and minced
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion , peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. dried Italian herb seasoning
• 1 cup orzo , cooked according to package directions
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preboil water with sea salt.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. A wet chicken will cause the oil to splatter while the chicken is sautéing. Mix the cinnamon, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the chicken pieces on all sides with the seasoning.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large, nonreactive, deep skillet over high heat. A 12-inch skillet with sides about 2 1/2 to 3 inches high will allow you to brown all the chicken at once. If you don’t have a skillet large enough, brown them in two batches using 1/2 the oil for each batch. What’s important is that the chicken isn’t overcrowded, which would cause them to steam rather than brown.
4. Add the chicken to the oil and brown for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn the pieces using a metal spatula, as they have a tendency to stick to the pan. Remove the pieces when they are well browned on all sides.
5. Mince three of the garlic cloves. Lower the heat to medium-high, and add the onions and minced garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the onions have softened and are a rich golden brown. Add about 1/2 cup of the water and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula or spoon to deglaze the pan, loosening any particles stuck on the bottom.
6. When the water has evaporated, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of water, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and remaining 2 garlic cloves, minced.
7. Return the chicken to the pan. The liquid should cover about 3/4 of the chicken pieces. Cover the pot and simmer over medium-high heat for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and thoroughly cooked. If the sauce becomes too thick, it can be thinned with a little more water. Season the finished sauce with kosher salt and pepper to taste. Serve over orzo, cooked according to package directions, and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

GREEK: Classic Greek Spinach

I originally got this recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/. However, I have modified it to suit my taste.

¼ to ½ cup olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 (10 oz) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 ½ cups water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBSP tomato paste
1 TBSP Bill’s Best Beaf Seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup uncooked long-grain brown rice

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook until they are tender. Then mix in the spinach and tomatoes. Let the vegetables simmer about 5 minutes.

Pour 2 cups of the water into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Mix in the garlic, tomato paste, Beaf seasoning, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat and cook at a low boil for about 15 minutes, until the water is reduced by half.

Stir the rice and the remaining ½ cup of water into the spinach mixture. Return to a boil, reduce head, and simmer covered until the rice is tender and fluffy.