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YOU CAN USE BUTTON, SHIITAKE, EVEN OYSTER MUSHROOMS—JUST MAKE SURE YOU USE FRESH (NOT CANNED) ONES. THIS MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE!
Family Kitchen BY JOEY DE LARRAZABAL-BLANCO
About the columnist Joey de Larrazabal-Blanco started cooking in earnest out of absolute necessity—a continent away from home with no one to feed her. She then promptly and totally flung herself into a one-woman love affair with food—procuring it, preparing it, and ultimately, consuming it. She carries no credentials except for her passion and is firm in her belief that anyone can learn to cook. She recounts her own gastronomic exploits in her blog, 80breakfasts.blogspot.com.
24
MARCH 2015 ĆŘWWW.YUMMY.PH
BAKED CHICKEN WITH CREAMY MUSHROOMS Serves 4 Prep Time 10 minutes Cooking Time 45 minutes to 1 hour 750 grams chicken thighs (about 6 to 8 pieces) salt and pepper, to season olive oil 6 cloves garlic, smashed but left whole 300 grams fresh baby portobello or Swiss brown mushrooms, or a mix of both 250 ml all-purpose cream 100 ml chicken stock parsley sprigs, leaves picked and chopped, for garnish 1 Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a couple of generous glugs of olive oil in an ovenproof casserole or pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, in one layer; do not overcrowd the pot and do this in batches if necessary.
Sear chicken for a couple of minutes on both sides until golden brown. Remove chicken from pan; set aside. 2 Remove oil from pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon and taking care not to lose the brown bits that have stuck to the bottom (this is where all the flavor comes from!). Add garlic; sauté for under 1 minute or until fragrant. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until mushrooms release their liquid. Scrape the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Stir and scrape until mushrooms have reabsorbed the liquid, lost a lot of volume, and taken on a dark, caramelized color. Add cream and stock; mix well. Season to taste. Tuck in all the chicken pieces over the mushrooms; cover. 3 Place covered pot in a preheated 350°F oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done. Garnish with parsley.
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIGUEL NACIANCENO AND PATRICK MARTIRES (PORTRAIT). STYLING: PAULYNN CHANG AFABLE. HAIR & MAKEUP: VIDA NON-JAUCIAN.
I still remember when the first issue of Yummy came out. I was happy to see a new local food magazine and was excited to flip through its pages. I was not disappointed. I felt then, and still do now, that Yummy spoke to me. I immediately connected with the magazine and identified with its easy, casual, fun way with food…very much like how I approach cooking. So when they asked me to do a feature, all those years ago, I was thrilled! Since then, the occasional story has turned into this monthly column and editors have turned into friends. The talented Yummy staff are such a joy (and so much fun!) to work with, and putting together dishes for this column has become one of my favorite things to do. To celebrate Yummy’s birthday, I’ve made a hearty one-pan meal of savory baked chicken nestled in a sauce of creamy mushrooms. It takes a little more effort, with the initial searing of the chicken and sautéing of the mushrooms, but it’s worth it as these steps allow extra flavor and depth to develop. Happy birthday, Yummy! You have brought the magic of cooking into so many kitchens for the past eight years. I’m looking forward to what you have in store for us in the years to come!
