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Living Up
Lessons to level up your life
Lessons to level up your life
What inspired me to write my version of this recipe is that every time I cook it, I change several things because I base my cooking on the things I have available, this type of versatile cooking is just being creative and having fun.
I find it easy, flavorful, healthy, fulfilling, and, best of all, everyone I know can eat it, that’s what versatile cooking is all about. I was asked on a college assignment to write a recipe for a friend who didn’t cook but had to prepare a first-time dinner for her in-laws. I thought about it.
Although steak, salmon, or other expensive proteins came to mind, I thought of the in-laws’ health, my friend’s cooking experience, and the tools she would have available in her kitchen, and I thought this was an easy enough recipe for her to follow, it has a nice presentation, it is fulfilling, and why not good for second helpings, besides, there will always be more dinners (surely…).
Guisado, to me is exciting, it means stew, and I tend to make them into ‘one-pot meals’ that include proteins (meat), carbohydrates (potatoes or rice), and vegetables simmered together in one pot. I sometimes include them all but mostly find that rice cooked separately adds texture to the dish. I think this meal qualifies as comfort food.
This pollo guisado (chicken stew) definitely falls into the versatile cooking category. Almost any combination of meat, vegetables, and spices can make great dishes. My American-style recipe on this occasion does not include vegetables, which gives it a somewhat lighter feel, but the reason was that it was meant to be a simple dinner where the salad brings the greens.
For this chicken stew (pollo guisado), I would use aromatic Jasmine Rice, cooked in a rice cooker, for ease. I would recommend a salad to go with this dish. While dinner is cooking, wines can be selected, and after the main course, a light dessert completes the meal. In this recipe, I include substitutions if necessary or if you feel adventurous, but I hope you find this recipe easy to follow.
You will need some basic equipment that you can purchase almost anywhere, but I have placed affiliate links if you are interested in obtaining them from Amazon, also you can find the options at the end of this post.
(pot image is linked to purchase from Amazon)
I recommend the 7-quart Nonstick Ceramic Coated Stovetop Pot.
The chicken stew will be cooked in a pot with a lid.
I have also cooked this in an instant pot (pressure cooker), which requires only 15 minutes.
(ot image is linked to purchase from Amazon)
The example to the right is the Hamilton Beach Instapot with an 8-Quart capacity.
The rice that is an important part of the meal in this chicken stew (pollo guisado) recipe, is best cooked in an automatic rice cooker.
(image is linked to purchase from Amazon)
The example on the left side is a Hamilton Beach Programmable Rice Cooker that yields 8 cups of cooked rice, it also allows for steaming vegetables or dumplings with a rinse basket.
The sample on the right is a set of 6 bamboo spoons (shown only 3 here).
The sample of the silicone heat-resistant spoons is a set that contains 15 pieces that you will find very useful (4 shown in this sample only).
If you are like my friend, and don’t cook often, measuring spoons, cups, and small spatulas to pour out of the small containers are a must.
My recommended choices include:
For cutting vegetables, a cutting board and knife. It is recommended to have a wood cutting board, especially walnut so that your knives won’t grow dull.
(image is linked to purchase from Amazon)
So, if you choose to use fresh onions, tomatoes, garlic, or add carrots and celery, you should invest in a set of good knives and a beautiful cutting board that will make your kitchen look amazing.
I have seen knives being bought and reviewed by thousands of buyers, but I bought a set of Henckels knives 30-plus years ago, and they’re still my favorite.
Another option is a garlic press. The sets being sold now have an easy-to-remove skin tool that makes it even easier to clean the garlic and pop it into the press for a truly delightful taste in your meals. You don’t have to discard the remnants of the garlic; you can toss them on your cutting board and chop them finely to add to your recipes.
(image is linked to purchase from Amazon)
Kitchen mitts and pot holders. A kitchen is not complete without a pair of mitts, pot holders, or thick cotton towels, all of which can be used to grab hot pots and pans. I like the mittens for the oven and prefer the mini oven mitts version of pot holders for the pots on the stove, they are less bulky, comfortable, quick to grab, and easy to wear for a short time while moving a pot or draining hot water from it.
Silicone tongs are a must if you have any nonstick pans. Most of the time they come in the sets of silicone cooking utensils, but you can venture and buy more separately. I think I have about 5 sets, they all get used all the time.
Serves: 4 – 6 people
Prep Time: about 10 minutes
Cook Time about 30 minutes
½ tablespoon of olive oil
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
2 pounds skinless, boneless, chicken
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried or powder thyme
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon in powder form
1 (14.5 ounce) can Fire Roasted diced tomatoes
Water for both the chicken and the rice (have a pitcher or container with 4 cups of water ready)
2 cups of raw Jasmine rice
A couple of fresh sprigs of cilantro for decoration
You’re now ready to start preparing the rice. If you bought a rice cooker, read the directions on how to use it. The following instructions apply to almost all of them. I have an old rice cooker that serves many people. It’s very easy to use, and I highly recommend it.
A word of advice: Remove the rice cooker cover carefully, let the steam out of your way, and use a wooden spoon to stir the rice gently. You may want to use a mitten in the hand you use to stir the rice to avoid burning from the steam. Cover the cooker again and let it rest.
For a richer recipe, you may want to make a few substitutions that require some extra steps in preparation. For example, using fresh onion and fresh garlic will require that you chop both in the preparation step, which calls for onion and garlic powder. If you’re not comfortable chopping, you can buy already chopped onion at the store and jarred chopped garlic, for the garlic I suggest “in olive oil” rather than brine because it changes the flavor. If you want to crush fresh garlic cloves with the garlic press gadget, it would make for a better tasting recipe.
👉 If chopping a fresh onion, select a small one (about the size of an egg) to make two tablespoons.
👉 The olive oil can be substituted with oil spray, but it’s not advisable to use store-bought oil sprays for pans coated with a non-stick surface. The spray should be held to a count of 2-3 seconds, moving to coat the bottom of the pot.
👉 You might find chicken packaged with a little more than 2 pounds. That’s okay, as is adding a piece of chicken with bone in to add flavor. Ensure the total number of chicken pieces yields a piece for each plate (a minimum of three large pieces).
👉 The dried herb thyme comes in powder form and dried leaves. Either is fine. If you wish to use fresh thyme, you need to wash it well, and you can just add the entire sprigs to the pot, but you should remove them prior to serving for better presentation.
👉 Any can of diced tomatoes will do; I do not recommend larger than 14.5 ounces. Also, the Fire-Roasted tomatoes have a unique flavor that enhances the recipe, and the charred pieces add texture and color.
👉 My choice of chicken bouillon is powder form, and I prefer Knorr, but either Mahler or Maggi will do. You can use cubes if they are small (1cm by 1 cm) and use three or four. If you have the larger cubes (1 inch by 1 inch) you could only use two.
🐔 Note that you may substitute steps 11 and 12 for store-bought chicken broth. You may need 1 cup and a half to ensure full flavor.
👉 My choice of rice for this and other dishes is Jasmine, as it is very aromatic and goes well with many dishes. But you can use any other rice you prefer. They do cook differently, and you need to follow the directions for cooking either on the stovetop or in a rice cooker. I would use a mix of brown and wild rice with this recipe, but it’s a little more complicated to prepare. I will show you how when you graduate from this recipe.
👉 The fresh cilantro that is used for presentation in this recipe can also be substituted with parsley. You may also add other toppings such as chopped green onions, chopped tomatoes, hot pepper flakes, etc.
I hope you had fun preparing this recipe, and the substitutions make it worthwhile to try other options.
My shopping list recommendations
As stated in the equipment required section above, the following are necessities for this recipe. Most of the items we already have at home are one version or another, but you can always buy a few gadgets or pots you didn’t have for future recipes.
Gotham Steel Stock Pot with Ultra Nonstick Ceramic and Titanium Coating. It comes with a Tempered Glass Lid and is Dishwasher Safe. This 7-quart Copper Black pot is great for making stews and soups. My pot came from a red set of pots; they are just as beautiful, and I’ve had mine for a few years now.
This Hamilton Beach Pressure Cooker, also known as an instant cooker, has 12 pre-determined cooking functions, including true slow cook technology. It sautés, steams, and even makes yogurt. It cooks a variety of foods including meat, poultry, grains, oatmeal, cheesecake, eggs, soups, and more. It also has a delay start feature to set cooking ahead of time. (Yes, I use mine all the time).
Hamilton Beach Digital Programmable Rice Cooker & Food Steamer. Yields up to 8 Cups of Rice Cooked (4 uncooked), with steams & rinse basket for vegetables or dumplings. Stainless Steel.
6-Piece Riveira Bamboo Wooden Spoons for Cooking. The Utensil Set Essentials include slotted spatulas and spoons, a slanted spatula, a straight spatula, and a noodle or rice spoon. The Nonstick Kitchen Utensil Set is a Premium-Quality Housewarming Gift. Wooden Utensils are Great for Everyday Use.
15-piece Silicone Cooking Utensils Set – 446°F Heat Resistant. Nonstick Cookware Kitchen Utensils Spatula Set includes Turner Tongs, Spoon, Egg-White Separator, Whisk, Cake Spatula, Brush, and Utensil Container. Dishwasher Safe BPA Free (color: Coffee).
Set of Measuring Cups and Spoons of 20 pieces. Includes 7 Stainless Steel Nesting Measuring Cups, 7 Spoons, 1 Leveler, and 5 Mini Measuring Spoons for Cooking & Baking.
Evelots Set of 6 Mini Silicone Spatulas for Kitchen, Great for Cooking & Baking. Silicone Cooking Utensils Set is Heat Resistant BPA Free – Up To 446 Degrees
Beautiful Made in USA from Sonder Los Angeles, Large Thick End Grain Walnut Wood Cutting Board with Non-Slip Feet, Juice Groove, and Sorting Compartments (compartment not shown) 17x13x1.5 in (Makes a beautiful gift. Gift box included.)
3-Piece Stainless Steel Garlic Press By Lechay, includes Garlic Press Tool, Cleaning Brush, and Silicone Garlic Peeler.
Rorecay Extra Long Oven Mitts and Pot Holders Sets. Heat Resistant Silicone Oven Mittens, Mini Oven Gloves, Hot Pad Potholders, Excellent for the Kitchen when Baking and Cooking. Quilted Liner, Pack of 6 – Colors include: Bermuda Teal, Black, Red, Bright Red, Gray, Lake Blue, Royal Blue, Pink, Yellow, and Milkshake.
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In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.
– Julia Child
Sources:
Julia Child quote thanks to BrainyQuote.com
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