Craig Claibornes Smothered Chicken Food

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S SMOTHERED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Craig Claiborne believed a black iron skillet to be essential for the authentic preparation of this dish. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Select a skillet large enough to hold the chicken comfortably when it is opened up as for broiling. Fold the chicken wings under to hold them secure.
• Melt half the butter in the pan and add the chicken skinside down. Cover the chicken firmly with a plate that will fit comfortably inside the pan. Place a heavy can, stone or brick on the top of the plate to weight it down. Cook over low heat, checking the skin side of the chicken, until it is nicely browned, approximately 25 minutes.
• Remove weight and plate and weights. Pour off most of the fat from the pan and add the remaining two tablespoons of butter. Turn the chicken skin-side up.
• Scatter the mushrooms over the chicken. Scatter the onions around it. Add the bay leaf, thyme, wine and chicken broth. Replace the plate and the weights and continue cooking over low heat about 45 minutes longer.
• Remove the chicken to a warm platter. Spoon the mushrooms and onions around the chicken. Cook down the pan liquid until reduced by half. Pour this over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Craig Claiborne believed a cast-iron skillet to be essential for the authentic preparation of this dish. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Select a skillet large enough to hold the chicken comfortably when it is opened up, as for broiling. Fold wings under to secure them.
• Melt the butter in the pan and add the chicken, skin side down. Cover chicken with a plate that will fit comfortably inside the skillet. Place a heavy can, stone or brick on top of the plate to weigh it down. Cook over low heat, checking the chicken skin, until it is nicely browned, about 25 minutes.
• Remove weight and plate. Turn chicken so skin side is up. Replace plate and weight and continue cooking for about 15 minutes more.
• Remove chicken and pour off fat from the skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the flour to the fat, stirring with a wire whisk over medium heat. Gradually add the chicken broth and, when thickened, return chicken to the skillet, skin side up. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the plate and weight and continue cooking over low heat about 20 to 30 minutes longer or until the meat is exceptionally tender. Spoon the sauce over it.
• Cut chicken into serving pieces, and serve with the sauce and fluffy rice on the side.

SMOTHERED CHICKEN, CREOLE STYLE

Steps:

• A black iron skillet is essential for the authentic preparation of this dish. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Select a skillet large enough to hold the chicken comfortably when it is opened up as for broiling. Fold the chicken wings under to hold them secure.
• Melt the butter in the skillet and add the chicken skin-side down. Cover the chicken firmly with a plate that will fit comfortably inside the skillet. Add several weights, approximately five pounds, to the top of the plate. Cook over low heat, checking the skin side of the chicken, until it is nicely browned, about 25 minutes.
• Remove the chicken to a warm platter. To the skillet add the onion, celery, green pepper and garlic and cook, stirring, until onions are wilted.
• Sprinkle with flour and stir to blend. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, salt and pepper, stirring rapidly with the whisk. Bring to a boil.
• Return the chicken to the sauce skin-side up. Cover with the plate and weights and continue cooking over low heat 45 minutes longer. Remove the chicken to a warm platter and cook down the sauce briefly, stirring. Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Place chicken, with giblets, in kettle. Add chicken broth to cover and salt to taste. Bring to boil and simmer until chicken is tender without being dry, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool. Remove chicken from broth and take meat from bones. Shred meat, cover, and set aside. Return skin and bones to kettle and cook broth down 30 minutes or longer. There should be 4 to 6 cups broth. Strain and reserve broth. Discard the skin and bones.
• Meanwhile, put tomatoes in saucepan and cook down to half original volume, stirring. There should be 1 1/2 cups.
• Melt 3 tablespoon butter in saucepan, add flour, stirring to blend with wire whisk. When blended and smooth, add 1 cup of reserve hot broth and the cream, stirring rapidly with the whisk. When thickened and smooth, add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• If the mushrooms are small or button, leave them whole. Otherwise, cut them in half or quarter them. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in small skillet and add mushrooms. Cook, shaking the skillet occasionally, and stirring mushrooms until golden brown. Set aside. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in deep skillet and add onions. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Add celery and bell peppers. Cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook. Vegetables should remain crisp-tender. Add garlic, beef and pork. Cook, stirring, breaking up the meat. Cook just until the meat loses it red color. Add bay leaf. Add tomatoes and the white sauce made with chicken broth. Add the mushrooms.
• Cook spaghettini in boiling salted water until just tender. Do not overcook. Remember that it will cook again when blended with chicken and meat sauce. Drain spaghettini and run under cold running water.
• Spoon enough of the meat sauce over the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart casserole to cover it lightly. Add about 1/3 of the spaghettini. Add about 1/3 of the shredded chicken, a layer of meat sauce, a layer of grated Cheddar cheese and another layer of spaghettini. Continue making layers, ending with a layer of spaghettini topped with a thin layer of meat sauce and grated Cheddar cheese. Pour in up to 2 cups reserved chicken broth, or enough to almost but not quite cover the top layer of spaghettini. Cover and let casserole stand 4 hours or longer. If liquid is absorbed as the dish stands, add a little more chicken broth. When dish is baked and served, sauce will be just a little soupy rather than thick and clinging.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place casserole on top of stove and bring it just to boiling. Cover and place it in the oven. Bake 15 minutes and uncover. Bake 15 minutes longer or until casserole is hot and bubbling throughout, and starting to brown on top. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan on the side.