Complexity breeds simplicity

There comes a point for everyone who spends time in the kitchen, where a recipe looks JUST TOO DAMN INVOLVED, or JUST NOT WORTH THE TROUBLE. And you know, frequently, that first impression is right. But it isn't always. And "too complex" is a relative term. How much time do you feel like spending making the dish? How much do you really WANNA taste it?

I've been thinking about this because I made something today that, at first blush, looked like it was too involved, and too complex for my purposes: which were an informal brunch with people who I didn't know that well. Now, I know them better, and I like them all much better. And I'm glad I made the dish, which was a big hit with me, and with everyone else. You know I love cooking for my friends, and if someone had asked me "would you make..... for me?" T here would have been no question about it. But when I'm planning a meal, for many people, with several options, very simple and very fast are very important things. Well, this turned out to be just that. Bear with me, because I'm going to run through the ingredient list, which may frighten you off; however, when you then see how quickly this came together, you may change your mind. And once you taste it, I believe it will be a keeper.

3 pounds of chicken thighs
1 pound of sausage, preferably chorizo
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, a yellow one
4 cloves of garlic
salt
a big tablespoon of your favorite dried Italian type spice or herb
a bay leaf
A jar of peeled red peppers
A package of frozen peas.
1.5 cups of long grain, brown rice
1/2 cup of white wine
3 cups of chicken stock

Now, let me give you some commentary here. I would have used fresh herbs, if I had them. I didn't. I had sage, which didn't feel right, nor did thyme. This was a Mexican flavored dish, and Mexican oregano would have been the right thing to use. Not everyone has this at hand. With the red peppers, I had a jar of spicy pickled red peppers from a local purveyor. A big jar. Not everyone has access to that kind of thing either. You're going to need about three peppers worth of the stuff, so guestimate what the jar contains, and get a second jar if you need it. It won't kill the dish. Finally on the peas: I had peas that we had frozen from last summer. Pea season is fast upon us, so it's time to use them up.

Ok, here we go. Preheat your oven to 375. Get the olive oil hot. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and when the oil is hot, put them skin side down, and cook at a fairly high heat until they get nice and brown. Don't skimp here. My recipe said eight minutes, but mine were done in five (never be a slave to a recipe). Then, remove them, and pour off that fat. You won't need it anymore.

While the chicken is cooking, slice the chorizo into bite sized chunks. I had fresh chorizo from a local farmer, and if you're f ortunate enough to have that, use it. If not, take the "temperature" of how spicy your guests can take a dish, and use an appropriate sausage. There will be enough fat left in the pot to start the sausage rendering. Brown this, and then take it out, too. Again, it took less time than my recipe said it would

While the sausage is cooking, slice your onion thin, but don't be surgical about it. Add it, and the four garlic cloves, which you will have smashed, to the pot and cook them just until the onion begins to soften. It won't take long. Add a good pinch of salt. Now, add that rice, and stir it. It will change color, and cook it for about two minutes. Add the half cup of wine, and cook it down until it looks like it's gone. Then add the spices, the peppers , cut into small bits, and then put the chicken and sausage back in the pot. Put the browned skin side up.Add the three cups of stock. It should just come to the point where the chicken is laying on the rice. Cover the pot, put it in the o ven, and go away for an hour. Read a book, make a dessert, have a tryst, do something.

But do you see how fast this came together? Let's face it, gathering your ingredients took longer than cooking them.

After an hour, your chicken with be very tender, the rice will have picked up MUCH but not all of the liquid, and the sausage and peppers will very much have disintegrated into the dish. Let it sit for ten minutes, during which time the rice will pick up more of the liquid. Then, stir in the frozen peas, and let them just thaw in the dish.

Here you have a complete, one pot meal. Yes, it DID take an hour to cook. But how long did it take you to put it together? Not long at all. Try it.

I was tempted, VERY tempted, to add saffron to this dish. I didn't because I wanted to taste the spices.

All I can say is that this was a very popular entree today. I even got some of it, and I loved it.
And at some p oint, I will be writing about how important the chemistry of a party is. This one was wonderful. I did not know most of these people well, but they made this brunch so special, and so sweet, and made me feel like Cinderella. So this recipe is dedicated to the boys of the brunch. Thank you all, you're all my new sweethearts