Chicken Legs With Braised Peas And Onions Food

CAL PETERNELL'S BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Season chicken legs with salt and pepper and let them sit for a while, 15 minutes to an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a cup or two of flour in a large bowl, add half the chicken and tumble the legs around to coat.
• Set a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in 2 tablespoons oil or butter and allow to melt and foam. Shake excess flour off the chicken legs and slide them into the hot pan in one layer; adjust the heat so the legs are sizzling nicely. When the legs begin to brown, after about 5 minutes, turn them over to brown the other side, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a platter and repeat with remaining legs, adding more oil or butter if the pan seems dry.
• Pour off the grease in the pan and add the wine or other liquid to the skillet, scraping at the sticky bits. Let simmer over medium heat until pan is completely deglazed. Pour that liquid into a small bowl and set aside.
• Add remaining oil or butter to the pan and allow it to heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened nicely, approximately 10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and bay leaf and cook for a minute or so, then return all the chicken to the pan, skin side up, along with the reserved glazing liquid and between 1 and 3 cups stock or water, enough to come up the sides of the chicken but not to get them swimming. Bring to a simmer and then put the skillet in the oven.
• After 5 minutes or so, reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees and cook until chicken is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. (Test for doneness by inserting a slender-bladed knife into the meat. It should pull out easily.) Remove the skillet from the oven, lift the legs from the skillet and put them aside again. Pour the liquid contents of the skillet into a small bowl and allow it to sit for 5 minutes or so, letting the fat rise to the surface. Use a small ladle to skim off and discard the fat, then return liquid to the pan, along with the chicken. Bring back to a simmer on the stovetop, then return to the oven for 5 minutes or so before serving, sprinkled with the chopped parsley, or save to reheat later.

FRENCH-STYLE CHICKEN WITH PEAS & BACON

Steps:

• In a large frying pan, dry-fry the bacon over a medium heat for 3 mins until the fat is released and the bacon is golden. Transfer the bacon to a small bowl, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the chicken and brown for 4 mins each side.
• Push the chicken to one side of the pan and tip in the garlic and spring onions, cooking for about 30 secs, just until the spring onion stalks are bright green. Pour in the chicken stock, return the bacon to the pan, cover and simmer for 15 mins.
• Increase heat under the pan. Tip the peas and lettuce into the sauce and cook for 4 mins, covered, until the peas are tender and the lettuce has just wilted. Check chicken is cooked through. Stir in the crème fraîche just before serving.

BAKED CHICKEN WITH ONIONS AND PEAS

Steps:

• In large bowl soak chicken in water, and vinegar for about 10 minutes. Rinse well, trim excess skin and pat dry. This step is optional it's just how I clean chicken.
• Place chicken in a large zip lock bag or large bowl. To chicken add 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons salt (or to taste) and 1 teaspoons black pepper, garlic, oregano, lime juice, soy and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well, let marinade for at least an hour (overnight is best).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• Place chicken skin side down in casserole dish large enough to leave some space between the chicken pieces. I bought one large aluminum tray. Pour remaining marinade over chicken. Bake for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place peas and onions in a large bowl. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt (or to taste) and 1 teaspoons pepper, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Toss to coat.
• After 20 minutes, remove chicken from oven and add the peas and onions. Turn chicken so that the skin side is up, and make sure the chicken is sitting on top of the peas so that the skin can brown. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees and Cook for about 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. I served this with my white rice recipe http://www.food.com/recipe/white-rice-503045.
• Hope you enjoy!