Favorite Holiday Recipes
We tapped a few of our Chefs to see how they are keeping the bellies of their nearest and dearest full this season.
Chef Kyle's Chicken & Mushroom Rice
Perfect for a midweek meal with the family, an easy dinner with friends or something that can be prepared on a Sunday and the leftovers can keep you going throughout a busy week. This chicken and rice dish is something I lean on when the weather gets a little chilly. When I serve this dish at home we’ll often eat it with a simple green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil on the side. - Chef Kyle Mendenhall
Chicken & Mushroom Rice (Serves 4 people)
Ingredients:
1 ea whole organic chicken
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
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½ cup shallot (small diced)
2 Tablespoons garlic (minced)
2 ea bay leaf
8 oz sliced button mushrooms
1 Tablespoon fresh sage (chopped)
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
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1 ½ cups jasmine rice
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
Procedure:
- preheat your oven to 400 degrees
- butcher the chicken into eight pieces with the skin on (2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breasts)
- season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside
- place a large oven proof pan on the stove at med-high heat
**I use a 4qt rondo (a shallow 2 handled pot)
- add the butter and oil to the pan
- when the butter has melted and the oil is hot, add each piece of chicken to the pan skin side down to sear
- cook the chicken until the skin is golden brown about 7 mins
- turn the pieces of chicken over and continue cooking for another 5 mins
- remove the chicken from the pan and set aside
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- using the same pan (while still hot) add the shallots, garlic, bay leaf, mushrooms, sage, thyme and salt to the pan
- continue cooking for about 5 mins stirring frequently until the shallots turn translucent
**be sure to scrape up all the tasty brown bits left from searing the chicken. It will make your rice even more delicious!
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- add the rice to the pan and continue cooking for another 3 mins (stirring frequently)
- add the chicken stock and the heavy cream to the pan.
- while stirring frequently bring the liquid to a boil
- turn the heat off
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- place the seared chicken on top of the rice skin side up (still using the same pan)
- place the pan in the oven at 400 degrees uncovered for about 20 mins or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. You should notice that the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and is tender.
Chef Sheila's Jax Fish House Clam & Sunchoke Chowder
Everyone gets down on turning the clocks back, but I see it as a sign that opening day is around the corner and it's time to hit the slopes. This Clam & Sunchoke Chowder is the perfect bowl to come back to after a day of riding or something I like to pull together when friends and family are over during the holidays. As elegant as it is easy and goes well with crunchy bread and hot toddy or two. Chef Sheila Lucero
2 pounds cleaned little neck clams
¼ pound smoked bacon, diced
½ cup minced yellow onions
½ cup diced celery
1 cup diced sunchokes
1 cup potatoes, diced
½ cup diced carrots
1 cup clam juice
Sunchoke Cream:
¾ cup butter
¾ cup flour
1 cup peeled, diced sunchokes
1 quart half & half
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Cream— in a medium sized pot melt butter. When the butter is melted whisk in flour. Turn heat down to a low and stir flour until flour and butter mixture is smooth and fully combined. Add the half and half and sunchokes. Bring to a simmer, and cook until sunchokes are tender. About 30 minutes. Place mixture in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
In another medium sized pot, cook bacon until slightly crispy. Remove bacon and set aside. Drain off excess fat and add the rest of the vegetables. “Sweat” or saute vegetables until translucent. Add clams and clam juice. Cover and cook until clams open. Using tongs, remove clams and set aside. Add Sunchoke Cream to the pot, bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender. Pull clam meat from shells and add to chowder with bacon. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and serve with crusty bread. Makes about four to six servings.