One-Pot Ginger Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken thighs (bone-in)
3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 large shallots, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 two-inch piece of ginger, peeled & chopped
2 cups basmati rice, rinsed
1 tablespoon soy sauce

1.  Pat chicken dry and season with salt.  Arrange, skin side down, in a cold, dry medium dutch oven and set over medium heat.  Cook, undisturbed, until skin is golden brown and crisp and easily releases from the pot, 8-10 minutes.  Move thighs around to different spots and continue to cook until deeply browned, 3-5 minutes longer.  Transfer chicken to a plate.  Let pot cool for two minutes.

2. Set pot over medium-low heat; add shallots, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes.  Stir in rice and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.  Stir in soy sauce, pinch of salt, and 3 cups of water.  Nestle chicken back into rice mixture in the pot, skim-side up.  Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer.

3. Immediately cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook 25 minutes.  Remove from heat and let the chicken and rice sit for 10 minutes.

Lamb Ribs with Honey and Wine

Ingredients
3 1/2 lbs lamb ribs
2 onions, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
3 tsp honey
3 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup white wine
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix Marinade: Place lamb in 9 x 13 inch baking dish and combine remaining ingredients. Pour over lamb ribs; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees, cover dish with foil and bake ribs for 70 minutes. 

Chicken with Ginger

This recipe is courtesy of Mark Bittman of The New York Times.

We were lucky to get lots of fresh ginger this season from Dan of The Lone Acre farm in Southold. I use our cast iron skillet to make this dish.

Yield 4 servings
Time 40 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 pound ginger, the fresher the better
1 Tablespoon of sugar, optional
1 Tablespoon of sesame, peanut or olive oil
1 3-4 lb chicken, cut into pieces
salt and pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
1 Tablespoon of soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees. Peel ginger, and mince 1 Tablespoon; set aside. Thinly slice remaining ginger. (If extremely fibrous, put it in a small saucepan with sugar and 2 cups of water , and bring to a boil; simmer 10 minutes then drain.)

2. Put oil in an ovenproof skillet large enough to hold all the chicken, and place on stove over med-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook, rotating pieces and adjusting heat as necessary, until chicken is well-browned on one side -- about 10 minutes. season with salt and pepper, then scatter sliced ginger around pieces; turn and season again. Transfer pan to oven; cook 20 minutes, or until all pieces cooked through.

3. Return skillet to top of stove, drain off any excess fat and add stock or water along with soy sauce. Cook over med-high heat until sauce is slightly reduced, then stir in lime juice and minced ginger. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish and serve.