ManCave Test Kitchen

Winter brings snow, and snow brings awesome stews from my slow cooker.  In Italian, “Cacciatore” means “Hunter”.  ChicKen Cacciatore is a traditional Italian dish made from items hunters would find in the wild, like mushrooms and herbs, and a few things they would bring with them , some dried meat, or some jarred tomatoes. (italians can’t go anywhere without tomatoes).  They would usually cook a wild bird or whatever they found in a big cast iron pot over a fire.  Chicken Cacciatore you see now couldn’t be further from the truth.  It’s some mass-produced egg-washed or breaded piece of chicken with some half-ass sauce, some canned mushrooms, and some stunads even melt cheese on it (Nay I say, I say NAY).  This recipe has a bit of modification to it, but it still follows the old school methods (I mean, you can’t have an open campfire in most kitchens) Here’s what you’ll need to feed 4-6:

• 1 whole roaster/fryer chicken, cut into eighths (leg, thigh, brest cut in to two piece)  Have you butcher leave the bone in.
• 1 c. whole San Marzano tomatoes, hand crushed
• 6 cloves of garlic, whole
• 1/2 c. medium diced onion
• 3/4 c. medium diced roasted peppers
• 1 /2 c. quartered assorted mushrooms (any wild mushrooms you find in the store will work)
• 1 tbsp each chopped rosemary, thyme, oregano, and basil
• 2 tbsp chopped parsely
• 1 oz. diced sopresetta
• 1 oz. diced pancetta
• 1/2 c. white wine.
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

1. In a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron), get a medium heat going and add your oil, pancetta and sopresetta.  Render these down about 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.  when the meat is crispy, add it to your slow cooker, but keep the fat in the pan.
2. Now we brown the chicken.  Turn the pan up high, until he fat is barely smoking. You’re not going to be able to get a super hard sear like you’ve seen me do before.  There is already fond (or yummy scrapin’s) in the pan from the dried meats, which is preventing full contact with the bottom of the pan.  (We’ll use those later.) When the pieces are golden brown on one side, turn them, and brown them on the other.  This could take about 5-7 minutes each side. When the chicken is done, shingle it in the slow cooker.
3. Turn the heat back down, drain off 1/3 of the fat and add your mushrooms.  We don’t want to caramelize them, we want to sweat these mushrooms out and use the liquid from them to start pulling up that fond that the chicken and dried meats left.  Scrape the pan as much as you can.  If it doesn’t all come up, don’t worry, there will be another chance.
4. Add the onions, garlic cloves, and peppers and sweat these out until the onions are translucent.  Now add your wine.  Scrape the pan again.  Let the wine reduce by half.
5. When the wine is reduced, add your tomatoes.  Scrape the pan again.  This time try to get up all that you can (by the way, you should be using a wooden spoon for this).  Let this cook again for about 5 minutes.
6. Add the liquid to you slowcooker, over the chicken and turn it on.  Cover it for the first hour.  Teh last 3 hours you want to leave it uncovered, so braising liquid reduces and starts to form a sauce.
7. After 3 hours, your chicken should be ready.  At this point add your herbs and gently stir in.  I like to take the chicken out, thicken the sauce a bit in another pot, then put it back over the chicken. This is a matter of presence, not necessity.

This dish takes some time, but is still very simple.  The ingredients speak for themselves.  If you buy cheap tomatoes or not so great chicken, it’s not going to be great.  Make sure your ingredients are top notch for this recipe (They should always be).  I like to make this on a Sunday and eat on it all week during the cold months.  This freezes well in a Tupperware as well.

Some people have told me “Doc, you cook with a lot of greens”.  Yes…yes I do.   I LOVE greens, and I LOVE gourds and guess what else….PASTA!!!   So I came up with something that knocks out all 3 cravings at once.

***Warning: Culinary rant ahead

Really, there is so much more to gourds than the big 3  your see in grocery stores (Butternut, pumpkin and spaghetti squash).  Head on out to a farmer’s market and you’ll come across beauties like the Red Kuri we’re cooking.  They look funky, but I promise you’ll love them.

***End Rant

You can substitute any gourd or any green you happen to find.  This will make 4 -6 portions

• 1 half recipe pasta dough
• 2 lb red kuri squash, medium dice
• 2 c. ricotta cheese, well drained (like hang it in cheese cloth overnight)
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 tbsp. parmesan cheese
• 6 c. arugula
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 2 cups lobster bisque (Do yourself a favor and get it take out forma nice restaurant)
• 1 cup White Cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Get an oven up to 450.  Toss your butternut squash in the butter.  Season with salt and pepper and throw it in the oven.  This is going to roast for about 25 minutes.  You’re going to want to get a big pot of salted water boiling too.
2. While the squash is roasting, roll your pasta dough out to the thinnest setting.  Cut itinto 18″ to 24″ lengths.  Blanch the pasta dough in the boiling water.  After 1 minute, drop the pasta sheets into an ice bath and remove them after about 5 seconds.  Lay the sheets out between oiled parchment until you’re ready to use them.
3. Add one tbsp of olive oil to a skillet and add the garlic.  Sweat out the garlic for 2 minutes.  Add the arugula to the pan and wilt the arugula.  Transfer the arugula out of the pan and chill it.

   

4. Mix the cottage cheese, parm, eggs, squash, and arugula.
5. Lay out the sheets on a non-stick surface.  Spoon or pipe the cheese mixture into the pasta.  Rolle the pasta around the mixture.  Cut the manicotti 2 1/2″ – 3″ long.

   

6. Line a baking sheet with a thin layer of the lobster bisque (or other sauce).  Place the manicotti over the sauce and coat it again with sauce.  At this point, you can top it with any cheese you like, or leave it plain.

   

7. 45 minutes before you’re ready to eat, heat up the oven to 400 degrees.  Cook the manicotti for 35-40 minutes, then serve.

   

This manicotti is so versatile, you can literally use any sauce and cheese you would like.   I’ve switched out the bisque for alfredo, simple cream sauces, and old school tomato.  I’d also suggest  blue cheese, cheddar and briefor cheese as well.  Go ahead and play with this, leave your combination in the comments.  Oh almost forgot,  this makes a great alternative side for Thanksgiving!!!

I have friends…friends who have kids…who wont’ eat fish outside of fishsticks…BLECCCHH!!!  this recipe put the Gordon’s Fisherman on layoff, and gives your kids (even the ones over 30) a healthier and tastier alternative.  This was a crowd favorite on the kid’s table at sunday brunches I’ve run all over the country.  This will server 4.

• 4, 6 oz. Salmon filets (Or any fish really)
• 1 c. panko breadcrumbs, ground fine (Like use a coffee grinder, works like a charm)
• 2 tbsp. ranch dressing
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp .chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp. melted butter

1. Pre-heat your oven to 450.
2. Season your salmon with salt and pepper.
3. Mix the ranch dressing and dijon mustard together.  Spread the mixture over the top of each piece of salmon, about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Season the breadcrumbs, and mix the cilantro into the. Dip the coated piece of salmon into the breadcrumbs and lay it, crumb side up on a sheet tray.
5. Drizzle the salmon with the butter and bake for about 8-10 minutes.  the crumbs should be nice and brown, and the salmon should be about medium to medium well.

This recipe isn’t limited to just salmon.  I’ve done it with Mahi Mahi, Halibut, Rockfish, and Flounder.  If you use a flatter fish, just fold the fillet once or twice until it’s about 3/4 to 1 inch thick.  This really doesn’t need a sauce, but it any butter sauce will work.  I like to eat this with Sriracha, but that’s just me.  How do you like it.

Happy Eating,

-The Doctor