Sunday, September 19th - Green Chile with Cannellini Beans and..... chicken

Green Chile with Cannellini Beans with Chicken

Regular readers and friend will know that the only 'meat' I eat is seafood and you will know I choose to do that for purely aesthetic reasons, meaning for the taste.  Frankly, while there may be 1 or 2 dishes in the world, I might eat, it is simply easier to not than explain to whomever, why I won't eat chicken they way THEY DO IT.  Can you imagine explaining that to mom?  or your boss?  Plus it hijacks any possibility of conversation at dinner from any other topic if that were to come up. Boring.

Anyhoo, last year, I gave D small window, no, transom of an opportunity.  Convince me otherwise.  But only once a quarter max.  so far he's only taken advantage of it once it didn't work out so much.  What he didn't understand was that I don't like meat because I don't like the taste or the texture.  He was taking this from the typical male, conquerer approach of I will change your mind.  Wrong.  It's not that I was being stubborn but you don't open with the hard stuff.  He made what I am sure was a stellar of Braised Filet or some large, tender hunk of meat on a bed of Chiarello's cream-ariffic, Polenta.  To even swallow the tinies tidbit of the beef I had to take a huge scoop of the Polenta.  Then there was the 'tendons' or whatever you call the webbing material between the strands of protein.  It just wasn't working for me.  He said I didn't know what I was talking about.  I said, he didn't understand the challenge.  You don't try to recruit someone to the Conservative party by taking them to a gunshow.

I think he got the idea this time.  When I used to eat meat when it was Korean only, really or cooked by a Korean.  What does that mean?  It is heavily sauced.  It is heavily flavoured.  It is always well done.  The actual taste of the meat is not a part of the equation.  The quality is but not the actualy aroma of the animal itself.  For the Chili he chose, that he has made many times, he made further adjustments for me.  The recipe is a classic growth one.  There are scribbles, notes, strikeouts, edits all over it.  He'll had to add new ones in green ink indicating the steps needed to cook it for the likes of me.  1. Choose a lean piece of Chicken.  The fat as most of the Chickeny flavour.  2. Remove the skin.  Same reason as number 1.  3. Drain any fat from the cooking of the chicken.  Same reason as number 1.  4. Use lots of other strong flavours.

It was nice.  Dom also cut the chicken up quite small so I wouldn't be hit with any big hunks.  As well, when he served, he purposefully avoided giving me too much meat.  Easing me into the tub this time.  I had to add a dash of Green Salsa though.  I wouldn't add red because it clashes or rather bullies the Chile.  I think the Green Onions as a garnish are a mush.

Green Chile with Cannellini Beans and... chicken

6 Anaheim Chiles
1-2 T Peanut Oil
2 lbs Skinless Chiken Thighs
2 c Onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced
4 c Vegetable Broth (or half Vegetable half Chicken Broths)
1/2 c Water
1 1/2 t ground Cumin
1 t Coriander Seeds, crushed
1 t fresh Oregano, chopped
2 15 oz cans Cannellini Beans, drained
3 T Flour
1 t Salt
1/4 c Shredded Cheddar or Jack
Lime slices when serving
Cilantro leaves and Green Onion, chopped as garnish

Turn your BBQ or broiler on high. Place on the BBQ or under the broiler whole.  You want to close the lid or door.  Turn after a few minutes after it is charred, black.  Keep turning until it's black all over.

Place in a bowl and cover with foil and set aside to steam for 15 minutes.  Then the charred skin will lift/rub off with your hands.  It's best to do this over a sink.

Get rid of the stems and tough core bit.  Chop up and set aside.  D kept the seeds for a bit of heat.  Heat with Anaheims is a bit hit and miss.  Normally they're as mild as Bell Peppers.  They look like elongated bell peppers but a pale Green hue.  They do have a different flavour so substituting Bell Peppers won't quite work.

In a Dutch Oven / Creuset or large heavy bottom pot, heat some Peanut Oil.  Brown on all sides.  5 minutes on each side.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly or if you have asbestos fingers, chop up or tear up into small pieces.  Drain the Dutch Oven.  You don't have to but with the goal in mind, D wanted to remove as much offensive, gaminess from the equation.  He's heard me say time and time again, that it is the fat that holds the flavour that turns me off.  So he got rid of all the Chicken fat and then heated more Peanut Oil.

Sautee the Onions, Garlic and the Chicken pieces until the Onion is browned, 5 minutes.  Add the Broth, Herbs and Spices and bring to a Boil and immediately reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the Chiles and Beans.

Whisk the Flour and Water.  While stirring the Dutch Oven, drizzle in the flour slurry.  Let simmer for at least another 20 minutes. 

Serve in a nice deep bowl over rice or Quinoa, top with a couple T of Cheese, Cilantro and Green Onion.

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