Chicken With Caramelized Baby Onions And Quinces Food

CHICKEN WITH CARAMELISED BABY ONIONS AND PEARS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a non-stick pan over a medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil and sauté the pear quarters until they are lightly coloured, then set aside.
• Blanch the eschalots or baby onions in boiling water for 5 minutes, and drain. When they are cool enough to handle, peel the eschalots and trim the root ends.
• Sauté the eschallots in a little sunflower oil, in a non-stick pan (you can use the same pan as you used to sauté the pears) over a medium heat, shaking the pan and turning the eschalots until they are browned and caramelized on all sides.
• Remove the eschalots from the pan and drain them on paper kitchen towelling.
• Add 3-4 tablespoons of oil to a casserole pot large enough to include the chicken pieces, pears and eschalots, and sauté the chopped onion over a medium heat until it begins to soften; then add the chicken pieces and lightly brown them on all sides. Season to taste.
• Add 1 cup of water, and stir in the saffron threads, ginger and cinnamon, and cook, covered, over a low heat, turning the pieces over several times, for 10-15 minutes or until the breasts are cooked.
• Remove the breasts, set aside and keep warm.
• Add the caramelised eschalots to the pot.
• If the pear quarters are still firm (see also step 14), add them to the pot now and continue to cook, covered, over a low heat, for 25 minutes or until the remaining chicken pieces are very tender, turning occasionally, and adding a little more water if it is needed.
• Lift the chicken pieces out, set aside with the breasts, and keep warm.
• Stir the honey into the pot and check the seasoning. You will need quite a bit of pepper to balance the sweetness.
• Cook uncovered to reduce the sauce if necessary, until the sauce has the consistency of thick jam.
• Return all the chicken pieces to the pot and heat through.
• If the pears were soft enough after they were sautéed, add them at this point. A few minutes heating should be enough.
• If you are serving this dish with blanched almonds, lightly toast the almonds under the grill or dry sauté them in a non-stick pan (or you can add a drop of oil).
• Serve over rice, noodles or couscous.

CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED BABY ONIONS AND QUINCES

Steps:

• Start with the quinces, as they take a long time to cook. Wash and scrub 2 quinces, then boil them whole for about 1 hour, or until they feel soft. The time varies greatly depending on their size and degree of ripeness, so watch them and don't let them fall apart. Drain them, and when the chicken is nearly ready, cut them into quarters and cut away the cores, but do not peel them. Then cut each quarter in half so you end up with fat slices.
• Fry the slices in shallow sunflower or vegetable oil until they are brown on the cut sides. This gives them a delicious caramelized taste. Lift them out and drain on paper towels. Serve the chicken surrounded by the quince slices.

ROASTED GARLIC CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the top off the head of garlic, place on a piece of foil, sprinkle with salt, and drizzle olive oil over top. Roast about 30 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic into a small bowl and mash with a spoon into a paste.
• Melt the butter in a pan and saute the onions over medium heat for about 45 minutes. You want the onions to caramelize in their own sugars and take on a nice golden brown color. This may take up to an hour, depending on how dialed your heat is. If they turn black, it was too hot!
• Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and thyme on both sides. Saute in olive oil over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes per side. You only want a nice golden crust here.
• Spread the roasted garlic paste over top of the chicken breasts and finish them in the 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest on your cutting board for 5 minutes while you prepare the sauce from the pan drippings.
• Drain the excess olive oil from the pan and place over high heat. Deglaze with chicken broth and the optional wine, scraping the browned bits off the pan with a wooden spoon. You want to boil this rapidly and reduce it down to about a third of what it was (or until it's a nice sauce consistency). Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.
• To plate, slice the breasts diagonally, lay the slices one atop the next, drizzle with the sauce, and top with the carmelized onions.

CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Heat Oil in pan. Sprinkle spices on both sides of each chicken breast. Add chicken breasts to hot oil and turn to medium high heat. Brown on both sides until golden (approx 4-5 minutes).
• Add 1 tablespoon bacon drippings, diced onion and brown sugar. Stir well then turn heat down to medium and cover. Cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Turn chicken over and cook an additional 15-20 minutes or until chicken is completely done (when juices run clear).
• Move chicken to a baking dish and pour caramelized onions and brown sugar sauce over chicken. Drain excess grease. Cover and put off to the side. Using same pan you just cooked the chicken in fry diced bacon until crisp. Sprinkle over chicken. Top with cheese (1 slice per chicken breast) and place in oven. Bake until cheese is completely melted (approx 1-2 minute depending on how thick you get your cheese. I get mine sliced very thin). Remove from pan and place on plate making sure to place any fallen bacon pieces back on chicken before serving.

CARAMELIZED ONION CHICKEN

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Spray the onions and a large frying pan with kitchen spray.
• Saute the onions for 2 minutes, then add chicken to the pan.
• Continue cooking an additional 8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
• Remove both onions and chicken from the pan.
• Add the jam and remaining ingredients to the pan, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Return chicken and onions to the pan and continue cooking for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED BABY ONIONS AND HONEY

Steps:

• To peel the shallots or baby onions, blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain, and when cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and trim the root ends.
• Sauté the chopped onion until softened in the oil over a medium heat in a pan or casserole large enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer. Stir in the saffron, ginger, and cinnamon, then put in the chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper, and turn to brown them lightly all over.
• Add about 1 cup water and cook, covered, over a low heat, turning the pieces over, for 15 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are done. Lift out the breasts and put them to one side. Add the shallots or baby onions and continue to cook, covered, for about 25 minutes, or until the remaining chicken pieces are very tender. During the cooking, turn the chicken pieces and stir the onions occasionally; add a little water, if necessary.
• Lift out the chicken pieces and set to one side. Stir the honey into the pan. Check the seasoning. You need quite a bit of pepper to mitigate the sweetness. Cook, uncovered, until all the water has evaporated, and the onions are brown, caramelized, and so soft that you could crush them, as they say in Morocco, "with your tongue."
• Return the chicken pieces to the pan, spoon the onions on top of them, and heat through. A few minutes should be enough. Serve, if you wish, sprinkled either with blanched almonds fried in a drop of oil until they are lightly golden, or with toasted sesame seeds.

CHICKEN W/ CARAMELIZED BABY ONIONS & HONEY (DJAJ BIL ASSAL)

Steps:

• To peel shallots or baby onions, blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain, and when cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and trim the root ends.
• Sautee the chopped onion until softened in the oil over a medium heat in a pan or casserole large enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer. Stir in the saffron, ginger, cinnamon, then put in the chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper, and turn to brown them lightly all over.
• Add about 1 cup of water and cook, covered, over a low heat, turning the pieces over, for about 15 min or until the chicken breasts are done. Lift out the breasts and put them to one side. Add the shallots or baby onions and continue to cook, covered, for about 25 minutes, or until the remaining chicken pieces are very tender. During the cooking, turn the pieces and stir the onions occasionally; add a little water, if necessary.
• Lift out the chicken pieces and set to one side. Stir the honey into the pan. Check the seasoning. You need quite a bit of pepper to mitigate the sweetness. Cook, uncovered, until all the water is evaporated and the onions are brown, caramelized, and so soft that you could crush them.(As they say in Morocco, "with your tongue".).
• Return the chicken pieces to the pan, spoon the onions on top of them, and heat through. A few minutes should be enough. Serve, if you wish, sprinkled either with blanched almonds fried in a drop of oil until they are lightly golden, or with toasted sesame seeds.

SKILLET CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, the honey, mustard, red-pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt; whisk until smooth. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper, then add to the mixture, coating it well. Set aside at room temperature, stirring it once while you make the onions.
• Heat a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high until very hot, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then add the onions in an even layer. Season with salt, then cook, mostly undisturbed, for 4 minutes more, stirring every minute or so. Add the mushrooms, season with salt, and stir to combine. (It will look crowded, and that's OK.) Allow to cook mostly undisturbed until the mushrooms shrink and start to brown, about 4 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
• Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and allow the onions to cook until they start to color, stirring and lowering the heat as necessary to avoid burning, about 2 minutes. Push the onions and mushrooms to the edges of the skillet, then add the chicken pieces to the center. Pour any remaining marinade (there will be very little) over the onions and mushrooms. Cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes, then combine the chicken and vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes more. (Reduce the heat to medium if the onions look like they are burning at any point.)
• Add the remaining 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, stirring and scraping up anything on the bottom of the skillet. Season to taste with salt.
• Remove from the heat and top with the parsley and cheese, if using. Serve with bread or pasta.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring garlic cloves and milk to boil in heavy medium saucepan over high heat. Drain. Discard milk. Transfer garlic cloves to 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Add 3 tablespoons oil and toss to coat. Roast until golden, about 13 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer garlic with its cooking oil to processor; blend to form paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Garlic paste can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Melt butter and 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Add vinegar, thyme, and bay leaf. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°F. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, add chicken, skin side down, to skillet and cook until skin is golden brown (do not turn), about 4 minutes. Place chicken, skin side up, on large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with knife, about 20 minutes. Spread garlic paste atop chicken halves, dividing equally. Bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes longer.
• Rewarm onions over medium-low heat, stirring often. Spoon onions in center of 4 plates. Place chicken halves atop onions. Sprinkle with parsley; serve.