I love food.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Because it’s my blog and I’m allowed to say/do whatever I want.
…I’m gonna do it. Say whatever I want. Ready? READY?!
Butts.
(Grow up, Bethany.)
ANYWAY. I love food. And I love people who love food. And one of the people in my life who loves food is my friend Emily. About once a day one of us asks the other one, “What should I eat for dinner?”
And when I did this last Wednesday, Emily sent me a drool-worthy meal from Food 52: Braised Moroccan Chicken and Olives.
Um, yum.
Emily introduced me to Food52. It’s a site focused on bringing the people who create the recipes and the people who make the recipes together. It’s really a food community. And by the way, it’s a lovely website. Clean design, easy to browse, easy to search. I wish they had an app, though. (Hey, Food52, make an app!)
So when I asked Emily, “what should I eat for dinner?” She said chicken. And then she sent me this recipe. It’s one of her go to meals, easy enough to do on a weeknight. The Braised Moroccan Chicken and Olives was a contest winner (“Your Best Stew with Olives”…a bit specific, but I’m not mat at it.)
I can see why it’s one of her go-to meals. The meal comes together quickly, easy enough to make when you get home from work. A little bit of prep and a whole lot of reward. Tender chicken, a spicy sauce that just don’t quit, and every once in awhile, a briny olive. Israeli cous cous is the perfect vessel for all the elements, soaking up the sauce and cooling your mouth down (if you are a spice wimp, like me.)
When someone loves food and you love food, you listen to them. They’re never going to steer you wrong. Let you down. Run around. Desert you.
#rickroll via ultradragonball.wikia.com
I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist. I do what I want.
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Braised Moroccan Chicken and Olives from Food52
- 4 tablespoons canola oil
- 2.5 pounds chicken legs and thighs
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 ½ cup small diced onion
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2- 3 cups chicken stock | I used 2.
- ¼ teaspoon saffron
- ½ cup green olives, rinsed
- 2 preserved lemons, pulp removed; rind cut into strips | I didn’t have this, so I just zested two lemons into the sauce. Which worked just fine!
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet or over medium high heat. Dry the chicken pieces and season them with salt and pepper. Place them in the skillet in batches and brown on all sides. Remove the chicken and place on a plate.
- Add the onion to the skillet and cook until slightly softened. Add the ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric and cayenne pepper and stir together. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat with the spice mixture. Pour the chicken stock into the skillet so that 2/3 of the chicken is submerged. Add the saffron and stir to combine. Bring liquid to a simmer, cover the skillet and simmer on medium low heat 20-25 minutes. Add the olives and preserved lemons. Cover and cook another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and turn the heat to high. Cook for another 6-8 minutes until sauce reduces slightly. Stir in the cilantro. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve chicken on a bed of couscous. Spoon sauce over the top. Garnish with cilantro.
my fake food blog 
Answering Fan Mail: Bean and Chicken Sausage Stew
One of my loyal readers sent some fan mail with a question to the My Fake Food Blog Fan Club.
(Note: One of my existing, real life friends posted a comment on Facebook asking for me to share a recipe.)
Since I am so benevolent, I won’t disappoint the public. I HAVE to post for Micheal.
(Note: I already emailed her the recipe. But I thought if she wanted the recipe, maybe somebody else might.)
All y’all know I love soup. #SOUPCLUB
I like soup forever and always. I like soup in the fall, winter, spring and yes, even the summer.
I’ve had the Real Simple No Time to Cook app for a long time, but hardly use it. But I was bored with my usual sites for cooking inspiration and I remembered why I downloaded it in the first place. The app looks like this.
via Real Simple “No Time to Cook” app (Duh)
Just plug in what main ingredient you have and how much time you have and at your fingertips is a list of quick meal ideas.
With no ingredients in the house, I plugged in poultry and 20 minutes and came across this recipe for Bean and Chicken Sausage Stew. And then I went shopping for stew ingredients on an 80+ degree day.
But, it’s the kind of thing that you can eat all year long. The broth is light, but this stew is full of delicious, and frankly, healthy stuff. It has tons of kale, which is full of vitamins or whatever. (Actually, kale has calcium and vitamins A, C and K, according to WebMD.) White beans have a ton of protein and fiber. And bread has delicious, delicious carbs.
#SOUPCLUB
One thing to note about this recipe is it requires extra salt. Hardly any is called for and as we all know, food needs salt. Like Matt Saracen needs Julie, like Coach needs Mrs. Coach, like Jason Street needs his wheelchair (#spoileralert), this stew needs salt.
So, loyal readers, please. Go forth and make this stew. And download the Real Simple app. And be sure to write in your questions, comments, compliments whenever you have them.
My assistant will be happy to answer each and every one of them, just as soon as he’s done drawing my bath.
—
Bean and Chicken Stew, adapted from Real Simple
Ingredients
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring once, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the beans, broth, and tomatoes and their liquid and bring to a boil. Add the kale and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Serve with the bread, if using.