rememberance of things past

I still haven’t really talked about Paris.

I think I’m still absorbing it.

When I got back from my last big vacation – London a couple years ago – I hated being back in North America. I watched the BBC because all accents that weren’t British felt like they hurt my ears to hear.

I actually wanted out of Paris, bad by the last couple days – but not because I hated it.

I was sick with pandemic flu, exhausted, overwhelmed and wanted my own bed and North American drugs!

But being back now, living our lives here, every once in a while I am reminded of a moment, a view, a time on our honeymoon, and am transported back, quite distinctly.

Yesterday I was hit with a remembrance of perching on the edge of a crooked little cobblestone street – more of an alley, really – in the old Jewish neighborhood, with night time revelers, and scooters flying past us while we gobbled up some of the messiest and most delicious falafels of our lives.

I think that little trip of ours is going to carry us through our lives. Which I guess, is exactly what a honeymoon should be.

a chicken (and rice) in every pot

A couple years ago, there were a bunch of one pot wonder dishes floating around on the food blogs that involved chicken cooked in with rice. I usually have pretty specific methods of cooking rice, so the concept of just throwing it in a pot with a bunch of other stuff seemed pretty far out to me.

How did the chicken cook properly!?

How did the rice not stick!?

How did it all not end up one gloppy mess!?

Then I came across everybody like sandwiches version, and I knew I had to give it a try anyways.

And… it was delicious. Not gloppy at all. And the chicken was roasty and toasty and perfectly cooked!

Then I forgot about it for the last two years…

But I brought home a beautiful bright red Staub cocotte from Paris, and suddenly one pot dishes were on my mind. As were the rich, rustic flavoured foods of North Africa, like the Tagine I had in a little Tunisian restaurant in the Latin Quarter.

And I was reminded of that one pot chicken and rice that was so delish. And perfect for a dreary November.

So here’s my take on the dish – with a little bit of North African flair – although to be fair, they’d probably use cous-cous instead of rice. But since Liam actually said he liked this better than the food we had in Paris (high praise indeed) I recommend sticking with rice. But you could easily make this vegan, just like Kickpleat suggests by substituting chick peas (a very North African choice, by the way).

One Pot Chicken and Rice – with North African Flavours

Rub:
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Siracha (or equivalent of cayenne/hot sauce)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 clove Garlic (minced)
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (important for that extra olivey flavour kick)

• 2 pounds bone in chicken pieces, skin removed
• 1 onion
• 1 red pepper
• 1/4 cup green olives (chopped)
• 1/4 cup crasins
• 1 1/2 cup long grained rice (I use scented or Jasmine)
• 2 cups water

1. Mix “rub” ingredients and massage into chicken, leaving to marinate for 1/2 – 1 hour
2. Brown chicken in heavy bottomed, large, pot (a cast iron Dutch oven is best).
3. Remove chicken, and sauté peppers and onions in pot til brown.
4. Add rice, olives and crasins. Sauté for 1 minute.
5. Add (well salted) water. Sink chicken back in pot, and cover with lid. Cook until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through (apx 20 minutes).
6. Serve with a wedge of lemon and hot sauce on the side. Feeds 2-4.

twitter asides

Trying to get twitter working here for all of you who don’t keep up with my twittering otherwise (since I seem to keep up with that better than blogging – less pressure!).

I’m trying to make my “tweets” work as “asides,” (mini blog posts, in other words) but I’m not sure how well it’s working (it seems to keep dropping my first tweet).

Getting married, going to Paris and getting swine flu pretty much wiped out the net proficient part of my brain I think… But I am trying to get back into it so I can massively update things around here. It’s about time, don’t you think?

so much

So it’s been a while. And I have so much to share!

But I’m trying to get this (likely) pandemic flu out of me first. It’s set up shop in my respitory system, and it’s taking it’s sweet time moving on.

In the meantime, we bought a PS3 with some of our wedding funds, so I’ve been playing a lot of Fat Princess.

I also bought myself a copy of Julia Child’s mastering the art of French cooking so I can replicate some of the French food I had on my honeymoon – so much butter and cream, I hope I don’t myself become a fat princess!!! I get to use the beautiful Staub cocette I brought back from Paris, which makes everything a little yummier and a little easier.

Last night I recreated that scene from Julie and Julia where Amy Adams makes Beouf Bourguignon and pretty green gimlets. Except for I didn’t get drunk and burn it, of course!