North Carolina Chicken Stew Food

SOUTH CAROLINA STYLE CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• Remove the skin from the chicken breasts (or start with boneless skinless breasts) and place them in a dutch oven or a soup pot. Add the chicken stock and enough water to cover the breasts and have at least 3" of liquid over them.
• Bring the liquid to a simmer and then poach the breasts for 15 minutes. Remove and set them aside until cool enough to handle.
• While poaching the chicken, slice the onions in half "pole to pole" and cut off both the root and tail ends. Peel the onions. Slice the onions pole to pole into 1/4" slices.
• Separate the onion slices and then add them to the liquid in the pot (the chicken has been removed by this time). Continue simmering to cook the onions until translucent.
• When cool enough to handle slice the chicken breasts into 1" cubes. When the onions are done cooking add the chicken cubes back into the pot.
• Add the evaporated milk.
• Cut the butter into 1 T pieces and add to the pot and let it melt.
• Do not boil the stew or the milk will separate!
• Serve with hot sauce.

NORTH CAROLINA FISH STEW

Steps:

• Spray the inside of a large, stockpot with nonstick spray.
• Cut bacon into small pieces and place over the bottom of the pot. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes.
• Add a layer of onion, followed by a layer of potatoes, then of fish. Repeat the layers until you run out of one ingredient. Continue to layer the remaining two ingredients until used up. Add cold water to cover everything. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes, occasionally shaking the pot gently back and forth to agitate the contents and keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Don't stir or the fish will break into small pieces.
• Place tomato paste, one spoonful at a time, into the stew until it falls off the spoon. When the stew color changes to red, crack eggs, one at a time, into the stew, dropping them in different places. Let eggs cook until they are completely done, cutting into a yoke to make sure it is cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper and serve.

NORTH CAROLINA BRUNSWICK STEW

Steps:

• Put chicken, beef and pork in very large pot and cover with water.
• Bring to boiling point, reduce heat and simmer until meats are tender.
• Remove any bones and grind meat in food processor or on coarse blade of food chopper.
• Remove any foam from cooking liquid or strain through cheese cloth.
• Cook rice in strained liquid for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
• Add corn, tomatoes and butter and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
• Add ground meat and seasonings as desired and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
• Add water or canned chicken broth if mixture is too thick.
• Serve with cornbread.
• This is a very hearty stew and does not need additional menu items.
• The stew can be frozen--will yield about 20 pints for freezer.

OLD-FASHIONED CHICKEN AND CORN STEW

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat butter and oil in a 4- to 5-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then lightly brown chicken in 2 batches, turning over occasionally with tongs, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken as browned to a bowl using tongs.
• While chicken is browning, peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Add onion, garlic, and 1 teaspoon thyme to pot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes, then add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and water and bring to a boil, whisking.
• Add potatoes and corn to onion mixture, then cover and simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are barely tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in chicken (along with any juices accumulated in bowl) and cream, then simmer, covered, until chicken is just cooked through and potatoes are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Season stew with salt and pepper and sprinkle with remaining teaspoon thyme.

CAROLINA CHICKEN BOG

Steps:

• Put fat or oil in a deep skillet or large casserole over medium-high heat. A minute later, add gizzards and hearts and cook until quite brown and sticking to pan, at least 3 minutes. Stir once, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then brown other side. Add peppers, onions, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add red wine and tomatoes, bring to a boil, and adjust heat so mixture simmers; cook for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture turns quite brown, about 10 minutes. Add this roux to simmering stew; cook 5 minutes.
• Add meats, stock, thyme, red pepper flakes and bay leaves; cook at a lively simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes. Add chicken meat and cook another 15 minutes or more (this can sit on stove, simmering, for hours; add a little water or stock if it threatens to dry out).
• Heat remaining butter in an 8- or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When butter foam subsides, add livers, 1 or 2 at a time, and cook until quite brown on one side; sprinkle with salt and pepper as they cook. Turn and brown on other side.
• Stir vinegar and mustard into stew. Add livers and stir. Serve over white rice.