Food & Wine, Quick from Scratch Chicken Cook Book, pg 24: Chicken Stew with Cider & Parsnips

Cook book of the week
Food & Wine 
quick from scratch chicken cookbook


Fry up some chicken and brown 'em:

Remove the bird thighs( I used all thighs....I truly cannot stand drumsticks.  I don't know why)

Whisk in the flour:

Add the cider and the stock, then add the finely sliced onion, chopped parsnips and carrots, thyme & salt.  There was a picture but it wasn't that great, but here are the veg (old banana's in the background for banana bread)

Pour it all in, bake in the oven for 20 min

Voila, c'est finis.  I thickened it up with flour and adjust the seasoning to your prefrence.  My toddler loved this.  I served it up over some egg noodles.

The Recipe

It's not a chilly fall evening but I was in the mood for something this!

The goods
2 tbsp of cooking oil
4 chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp flour
1 cup apple cider
1 1/2 cup of low sodium chicken stock
1 onion, cut into thin slices (phew!)
1 pd parsnips, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 tsp dried thyme

The deed 
Heat the oven to 400F.  In a large pot or Dutch ovens, heat oil over moderately high heat.  Season the chicken thighs and drumsticks with 1/4 salt & pepper.
Cook chicken until browned, turning, about 8 minutes in all.  Remove.  Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the fat from the pot.
Reduce the heat to moderate and stir in flour.  Whisk in the cider(yum!) and the broth and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot to dislodge any brown bits.  Add the onion, parsnips, carrots, thyme and salt.  Simmer, partially covered for 10 minutes.
Return chicken to the pot, bring stew back to a simmer, cover and put in preheated oven until the chicken is done and the veggies are tender, about 15 minutes.

Serve with boiled potatoes, egg noodles or rice.

Bet you didn't know this...Why to buy Farm Fresh eggs

 According Mother Earth News true organic free range eggs are more nutritious than commercial brands.  3 times more vitamin E and 7 times more beta-carotene.

Did you know a hens eggs shell is just as porous as our skin?
They are not impermeable as I once thought.
I was talking with my farmer where I buy my eggs from( I love visiting Farmers Markets)  and I asked him "how are your eggs washed?".
This whole topic also started with a co worker of mine as we were talking eggs and she mentioned an article she read about the chemicals used in commercial egg factories.
She also brings me farm fresh eggs when I can't make it to the market.
I also have a regular client of mine(who writes an awesome foody blog) that brings me farm fresh eggs and the eggs that she brings....wait folks; the farmer feeds her hens with Bee Propolis(she sells her own, royal jelly/beewax line) so I have super healthy fantastic eggs!
You can say I'm little eggstatic about farm fresh produce!
They taste so rich, they aren't thin and watery with a sad looking pale yolk.  There is a difference.
So back to my farmer, he was kinda surprised by my question because no one has ever asked him that he said just water with a little elbow grease.
However, you can't just submerge them and let them soak...bacteria will get into the egg itself, there is a method.
It works in the "same' way that when submerged in water the pores open and do you know what is used to clean commercial eggs?
Would you be surprised to know that chlorine is used and mineral oil?  Yep, mineral oil to give it that nice shine to make it more appealing to consumers.
I have been trying to find more information on this as it is quite hard!  However I found a great source from this website and please read it, it has valuable information and pretty much says what I would like to say.

Here is an excerpt from the site, Ukiah blog:

"Your Organic Eggs May Be Chlorinated or Rinsed in Lye
According to A Guide to On-Farm Processing for Organic Producers: Table Eggs, detergents and other chemicals used for “wet cleaning” eggs must either be non-synthetic or among the allowed synthetics on the National List of allowed non-agricultural substances (205.603 of the National Organic Standard).

These synthetics include:

• Chlorine (sodium hypochlorate)
• Potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide (lye)
• Sodium carbonate
• Ozone
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Peracetic acid (peroxyacetic acid) — a mixture of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide

These agents serve mostly as sanitizers, rather than washing agents"

Read his complete article here 

Definitely something to think about when you reach for that egg carton at the grocery store.  
What are your thoughts?  Have you ever thought of the chemicals used to wash the eggs you buy?

Beretta Farms supplies Chipotle!

I was just walking by Chipotle the other day and now that I know that one of my favorite farms is supplying the meat, well...enough said.  I have to go in!  I mean who else can say their food has integrity? Read more here

 

hormone/antibiotic free meats, healthy, fresh food!

Visit the new Toronto Chipotle at Yonge and Eglinton, I wish them all the best and much success come!  Canadians let's make this be successful, we NEED something like this.

Lets support them for their innovative, healthy approach to good food on the go!

Check out Steve Ells on Oprah speaking to Chipotle's mission of 'Food with Integrity'.

 

Another reason to visit:
Beretta Ranch is proud to be a 'farmer with integrity' and supply all Canadian Chipotle's with our Traditionally Raised Beef and Chicken.

Fresh Food Finder

Here's a great source for local food found in Ontario.
 Click here for the GreenBelt Resource and let enjoy fresh food!