Experimental food corner: Harvest golds.

[rivka]

It's been a while since I've posted from the experimental food corner. I keep meaning to post my recipe for smoked gouda-stuffed hamburgers, for example, but their time has not yet come. I'm too excited by tonight's experiment.

A few weeks ago, I tried a side dish recipe from the New Joy of Cooking: carmelized sweet potatoes and apples. It was very, very good - intensely apple-y and not too sweet. I kept thinking that it would make a nice base for a one-pot supper. Tonight I gave it a try.

First, I fried up four slices of extremely thick-cut bacon in my biggest skillet. I put the bacon to drain on some paper towels and poured off all but a tablespoon or so of the grease. Then I browned about a pound of diced chicken in the remaining bacon grease.

When the chicken was just browned, I added three large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4" half-moons, and three gala apples, cored and cut into eighths but not peeled. I added a lump of butter (a little less than two tablespoons, I guess), about 1/3 cup of packed brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of water. Stirred everything around, covered it up, and let it cook down vigorously for about twenty minutes. The sweet potatoes and apples steamed, grew soft, and developed a rich golden-brown sheen. The chicken soaked up an intense apple flavor. The liquid boiled away into a light syrupy coating. Just before serving, I crumbled in the bacon. It added just the right touch of saltiness.

I wish I'd thought to take a picture of my plate before it was almost scoured clean. curiousangel and wcg also say: two thumbs up.

If I had it to do again, I would change... um, nothing. It was really tasty.

Comments

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Excuse me while I put this in my memories.

This sounds *wonderful*. Must try it soon!

[curiousangel.livejournal.com]

I think you meant to say that we voted for the dish with *four* thumbs up -- tastytastytasty!!!

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

That sounds wonderful! One question, though -- what size dice of chicken did you use? Was it pre-cooked?

I am definitely trying this. Soon.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

It was diced fairly small - it was thin-sliced boneless breasts to begin with, and then cut into squares about the size of actual playing dice. I might've left the pieces a little bigger - Michael's the one who actually cut up the chicken.

And no, it was raw. If using precooked chicken, I'd add it later in the process.

[crazysoph.livejournal.com]

Introducing myself, after adding your journal to my reading list; I've been "dropping by" for awhile, but now I'm finally giving in and just adding it to the stuff I read every day.

Good seeing all the words, about food, kid, work, home... looking forward to more, thanks!

Crazy(who? me? Er, eh, *shy smile*)Soph

[rivka.livejournal.com]

We certainly know enough people in common, huh? Hi!

[sashajwolf.livejournal.com]

Oh, I must try that too!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I am so sad that of the two people I live with, one dislikes apples and the other sweet potatoes. Because this sounds wonderful.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

I'm not the world's greatest fan of sweet potatoes, but in this case they worked out perfectly. If this person can imagine a situation where sweet potatoes *might* be worth eating, I'd encourage them to try it.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

I had no idea that you didn't like sweet potatoes! Didn't you always eat my sweet potatoes at Donna's? Or have I completely manufactured that memory?

[(Anonymous)]

I don't remember doing that, but I may have. I learned to appeciate that not all sweet potatoes are cloyingly sweet while on Okinawa, and have since gained an appreciation for them when not cooked with an entire bag of mini-marshmallows. My childhood experiences that put me off sweet potatoes involved the traditional thanksgiving recipe, which over sweetens them.

Besides which, I know you're a superb cook. If you offer me something, there's very little chance I'll turn it down untasted.

[minnaleigh.livejournal.com]

That sounds wonderful!!!

[silmaril.livejournal.com]

Added to my memories under "recipes"; I hope you don't mind.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Again with the yoinked for memories. This sounds _wonderful_.

Harvest golds

[sashajwolf.livejournal.com]

I made this on Monday evening, and it was delicious. I used applewood-smoked bacon steaks, which I then cubed, since they don't crumble. To up our vegetable intake, I also added half a pound of chestnut mushrooms, quartered, after adding the apples. For orangebird, who is vegetarian, I used two kinds of Quorn (a mushroom protein which unfortunately is not available in the US) - bacon-style rashers and chicken-style pieces. I thought both versions worked very well. Thanks again!

Re: Harvest golds

[rivka.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you liked it! Adding mushrooms sounds like a great idea - sadly, Michael won't eat them so I rarely cook with them myself.