Arroz Con Pollo

Rice and beans are a favorite here in the tiny kitchen.

I've heard the combination is quite nutritious, a face I pretend not to know while enjoying one of my favorite comfort foods.  Also, if you're into this sort of thing, I can think of no better vector for hot sauce than rice and beans.

Like tomato sauce, rice and beans is absurdly flexible.  I'll often neglect to buy a lot of the ingredients before starting dinner and it still comes out great.  The only ingredients that are absolutely necessary are the rice, the beans, and maybe the onion.  The chicken, garlic, and optional ingredients make this a centerpiece for a very filling dinner, but even without them you're left with a pretty great side.  If you're feeling adventurous add some salsa, cheese, tortillas, and a bit of fancy folding and you'll have a homemade burrito.

You Will Need:
8 chicken pieces
1.5 cups rice
2.5 cups water
14 oz can crushed tomato
14 oz can pink beans

1 small onion

4 cloves garlic

salt 

pepper

cayenne pepper (optional)

green olives (optional)

Steps:
1.  In a large pot, heat a small amount of olive oil over moderately high heat.  Season the chicken (1) with salt and pepper and then place it in the pot.  Cook the chicken until well browned on both sides, then remove and set aside.  Do not pour off the remaining chicken fat (2).
2.  Add the onion to the pan and reduce the heat to medium.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When the onion is translucent, add the garlic and cook for about a minute longer.
3.  Dump the tomatoes, beans, rice and water all into the pot.  Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge any tasty bits of onion, then arrange the chicken pieces on top of an even layer (3).
4.  Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce heat and let simmer until all the water is absorbed.  Stir occassionally to prevent burning.
5.  Serve when rice is sufficiently cooked.  The chicken should also be ready, but you may want to cut into a piece to make sure you aren't poisoning yourself and others (4).

Notes:
1.  I use chicken thighs and drumsticks.  Another good thing about rice and beans is that the ingredients are reasonably priced.  I suppose you could use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.  But I think it wouldn't taste quite as good and it would cost a bit more.  If you aren't intolerant of spicy things, you can add a dash of cayenne to each piece of chicken.
2.  Part of the reason I like this recipe so much is because it only requires a single dish.  The chicken fat may slightly decrease the glorious health benefits of the rice and bean combination, but leaving it prevents the extra effort of dumping it out.  Plus, it tastes great.
3.  Add a cup or so of green olives at this point if you so choose.  I really like olives so I generally add a way more, but you should use your discretion not mine.  You don't need to drain the tomatoes, but you may want to drain the beans depending on the brand you have (I use Goya and I drain them).
3. I like to squeeze some lime juice over the rice and beans immediately before serving.  I think it adds a little lightness to the coming party.  If you have leftovers, I recommend re-heating on the stovetop instead of in the microwave.  Add a little olive oil when reheating and your leftovers will have a very satisfying crunch.

Arroz, Pollo, Plaintains, Paradise

Tomato Sauce

There is a short scene in The Godfather where Peter Clemenza gives Michael Corleone tips on what he should do in case he ever has to cook for 20 guys.  According to Francis Ford Coppola's commentary, he included the scene so that, in case the film was a flop, viewers would at least learn how to make a decent tomato sauce.  Well, it turns out Francis Ford Coppola got it backwards.  The Godfather turned out to be a huge hit spawning a great sequel (1), but now seemingly everyone buys their tomato sauce in jars at the supermarket.  To me, this is a little crazy.  Making tomato sauce at home is very easy and considerably cheaper and healthier than buying it.

I don't usually follow the recipe described in The Godfather because I don't usually follow any recipe.  In my opinion, the best way to make a good tomato sauce is to make it the way you like it with whatever you have on hand.  I've written out how I make a very basic sauce (with some notes about additions where applicable), but I wouldn't argue with anyone who does it differently.

This recipe is sufficient for 4 or servings depending on how many things you decide to add.

You will need:
14oz canned tomatos (crushed or whole)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons oregano
salt
pepper

You can add:
6 italian sausage links
1 roasted bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 head of roasted garlic
1 liberal splash of red wine

Steps:
1.  Heat the oil in a medium sized pot.  When oil is heating, dice onion and garlic.  Cook onions then garlic over medium heat until onions are translucent (2).
2.  Pour crushed tomatos into the pot, stirring to integrate garlic and onion.  Season with oregano then salt and pepper to taste (3).
3.  Cook for about 20-30 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  The sauce will be done when the tomatos have mostly disintegrated into sauce form (4).  Serve over pasta.

Notes:
1.  Shame that third Godfather movie never got made.  Oh well.
2.  If you decide to use roasted garlic, you don't need to add garlic at this stage.  Instead add the roasted cloves when you pour in the tomato.  Of course, you could also add garlic at both stages if you really love garlic (who doesn't) or really hate vampires (who doesn't).  If you are adding meat to the sauce, add it when the onions are translucent and brown the meat before adding the tomato.
3.  Add in the (chopped) roasted pepper at this stage.  Roasting a pepper is easiest with a gas stove and a pair of tongs, but you can also just place it in a heated pan, flipping occasionally.  If you are adding wine (and I only do when I have some on hand, which is not often) add it at this stage.  Don't add a wine you wouldn't drink and don't add too much.
4.  For best results make the sauce the day before serving and then reheat when you are making pasta.  If you decide to add it, mix in fresh basil immediately before serving.

Homemade Pasta

The first time I made homemade pasta was something of a revelation.  For some reason I've always thought that making pasta at home was exceedingly difficult, involving multiple arcane steps and fancy flour and equipment.  Except it isn't, it doesn't, and you can just use things you have at home.  If you want to impress people with your fresh pasta, just don't tell them how simple it is.

You will need:

2 cups flour (all purpose or whole wheat)

2 eggs

1/2 cup water 

1 tablespoon salt

Steps:

1.  In a medium sized bowl combine the flour, salt, and eggs.  Add sufficient water so that the dough combines but is not overly sticky (1).

2.  Place dough on a liberally floured surface.  Knead for about 5 minutes.  If you find the dough is sticking to the surface (or your hands) add more flour.

3.  Roll out dough until it is thin enough that you can see light through it when you hold it up to a window or light source (2). 

4.  Cut the dough into individual noodles.  I find just cutting the rolled out dough into strips to be easiest.  Spread noodles onto you floured surface and let dry while you boil water in a large pot.  Make sure noodles don't stick to each other.

5.  Place noodles in boiling water for about 3-5 minutes.  Then remove and enjoy.

Serve with anything.  I like roasted garlic, raw tomato, some basil, and a dash of balsamic vinegar in the summer and a homemade tomato sauce (3) in the winter, but there are no rules when it comes to accessorizing noodles. 

Notes:

1.  The exact amount of water needed will depend on the types of eggs, type of flour, or any of a million other variables.  Don't worry too much if you end up needing more or less water than called for by the recipe.  If your dough is falling apart, add more water.  If you add too much water, add more flour.

2.  I've never used a pasta machine to make pasta and I've only used a rolling pin once.  Most of the time I just use the closest clean jar and roll out the dough in batches.  

3.  Look for that recipe soon.  Homemade tomato sauce is even easier to make than fresh pasta.

Pasta with Tomatos and Fresh Basil

Tiniest Kitchen

Making pasta from scratch is not very hard, even in the tiniest of kitchens.

I've been cooking in tiny kitchens longer than I haven't.  I've lost chef's knives in dormitory kitchens, kneaded pasta dough in a kitchen that was also a bedroom, and made cheese in a kitchen that is also a living room.  The one thing that I've learned from all this is that cooking from scratch does not only result in better tasting and cheaper food, but can also be surprisingly easy.

I don't believe in a lot of rules when it comes to cooking and I don't believe in formal mission statements when it comes to blogging.  My hope for this blog is that it becomes a chronicle of my adventures cooking from scratch in a minuscule kitchen, nothing more and nothing less.

Fried Chicken!

Don't be afraid.

You can make fried chicken in a tiny kitchen without burning down the house.  You can also make it without potentially expensive or hard to find ingredients like seasoned salt and buttermilk.  It's easy, just maybe not on your arteries.

This recipe make a lot of chicken, so I recommend you invite some people over.

Fry Chicken, Impress your friends.

You will need:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

2 tablespoons salt 

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons paprika

0.5 teaspoon onion powder

0.5 teaspoon garlic powder

0.25 teaspoons tumeric (Optional)

About a 20 or so pieces of chicken (1) 

2 cups milk

1 egg

corn oil (For the frying)

A bunch of friends who like fried chicken (2).

Steps:
1.  Mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar and spices in a large bowl and set aside.
2.  Mix egg and milk in a separate bowl and set aside.
3.  Pour oil into a large flat bottomed pot.  Pour enough so that there is about 2 or 3 inches of oil.  Make sure there is plenty of room in the pot above the oil.  Begin heating oil over high heat.  The oil will be ready for frying when it starts to bubble consistently.
4.  Batter the chicken.  I like to dredge the chicken in the dry ingredients first, then dip into the egg/milk mixture, and then dredge again, but you can also dip them in the egg/milk first then the dry mix (3).
5.  Fry the chicken!   Carefully (with tongs to keep your hands burn free) place battered chicken into the hot oil.  Do not overcrowd the pot, I only fry 4 or 5 pieces at once.  The chicken should be completely covered in oil while cooking.  The chicken should be done when the crust becomes crispy and slightly red in color, but you should check the first few pieces at least to prevent poisoning your friends.
6.  Place successfully fried chicken on a cookie sheet (or anything similar) in a warm oven while you continue frying the remainder of your chicken pieces.

Serve with honey and hot sauce.

Notes:
1.  It is, theoretically, possible to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe, but you should really use drumsticks and thighs with the skin still attached.  Seriously, you're not making McNuggets here, you're making fried chicken.
2.  This will be the easiest part of the whole process.  You'll see.  Mention you're making fried chicken too loud in a crowded street and you'll be overrun with new best friends.
3.  Both methods yield really good chicken, but the first significantly increases your crust to chicken ratio.  It's also the method advocated by Alton Brown and others.

Fried Chicken, Yankee Cornbread, Coleslaw