Sunday, January 17, 2010

Emeril's Chicken Sauce Piquante





Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 (3 pound) fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
  • 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons bleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
  • 3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
  • 3/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 4 cups seeded and chopped plum tomatoes
  • 3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Emeril's Red Pepper Sauce or other hot pepper sauce
  • Hot white rice, for serving
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in large heavy nonstick pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the salt. In a bowl combine the Essence with 1/2 cup of the flour and stir to combine. Dredge the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour mixture and shake to remove any excess flour. Brown the pieces, in batches if necessary, until golden on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Stir in the onions, bell peppers, celery, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of the flour and cook, stirring, to cook the flour without browning, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, Worcestershire, and pepper sauce.

Return the chicken to the pot, increase the heat under the sauce to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fall-from the bone tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

To serve, spoon the rice onto plates, top with the chicken and sauce, and garnish with the green onions and parsley.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.