RERUN Episode 5: Arroz con Pollo, Fennel-Orange Salad and Raspberry Clafoutis

This week, I make a hearty dinner of Arroz con Pollo–saffron rice with chicken–with a crunchy fennel salad on the side. And there’s time to make dessert: an eggy, fruity clafoutis with raspberries.

Shopping list

* Chicken thighs* Rice (short- or long-grain–your call)* Yellow onion* Garlic* Red bell pepper* Frozen peas* Lemon* Fresh fennel bulb* Orange(s)* Olive oil* Eggs* Milk* Vanilla* Flour* Sugar* Chambord (or some other fruit-flavored booze–see recipe)* Frozen raspberries* Salt

Arroz con Pollo

The name “rice with chicken” is deceptive–it doesn’t mention the delicious saffron that really makes this dish. Pretty much every country in the Spanish-speaking world has a variant recipe, but those from outside Spain often leave out the saffron–making it, in my mind, another dish entirely. Don’t forget the squeeze of lemon at the end–it really makes the dish.

For 2 dinner servings, and generous lunch leftovers

3 chicken thighs

1 medium yellow onion

1/2 large red bell pepper

Salt

3 or 4 cloves garlic

Large pinch saffron

1 1/4 cups short-grain rice (long-grain works too, but has a fluffier texture)

2 cups water or (optionally) chicken stock

About 1 cup frozen peas, or more if you like (I like!)

1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350. Heat a large, heavy Dutch oven or similar pot over med-high heat and add just a bit of olive oil. Set the chicken thighs in to brown, skin side down. When skin is good and crispy (you’ll know it’s getting there because it will no longer stick to the pan), flip them and brown the other side.

While the chicken is browning, slice up the onion in thin slices lengthwise. Cut the red pepper into half-inch-or-so dice. Peel the garlic and crush or chop into coarse pieces.

When the chicken is nicely browned on both sides, remove it from the pan and set it aside on a plate. Pour off just about all the accumulated chicken fat from the pot (have a small bowl ready for this), then add another small drizzle of olive to the pot. Add the onions and red peppers, plus a couple of pinches of salt, and stir and fry–still over med-high heat, though you might want to turn it down just a bit, as the pan will have gotten quite hot by the end of the chicken-browning.

While the onions and peppers are frying, remove the skin from the chicken and discard–it should come off easily in one piece.

When the onions and peppers are softened (as in the photo), and the onions translucent (this takes a couple of minutes), add the saffron and stir to distribute it. Add the crushed garlic and fry for another 30 seconds or so. Then pour in the rice and stir until nicely coated with oil. Pour in the water (or stock, if using) and scrape around the bottom of the pan to get up all the nice browned bits and work them into the mix.

Finally, nestle the chicken thighs in with the rice, and make sure to pour in any chicken juices that have accumulated on the plate. Put the lid on the pot and slide the whole thing into the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, then gently stir in the frozen peas (straight from the freezer–no need to defrost). Bake for another 10 minutes or so, until rice is soft (with short-grain rice, it will also be a bit sticky) and the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with wedges of lemon,