Lee Bros Country Captain Throwdown Recipes

LEE BROS. COUNTRY CAPTAIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pour the broth into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Put the currants in a small bowl and pour enough broth over them to cover. Set aside. In another small bowl, combine the curry powder, garam masala, salt, and black pepper and reserve.
• Scatter the bacon in a 4 to 6 quart enameled cast-iron pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir the pieces around occasionally until the bacon is firm and just golden brown, about 5 minutes. With the slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl and reserve.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot, reserving the excess fat in a small bowl. Brown the chicken thighs in batches over medium-high heat, taking care not to crowd them in the pot, until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Add the reserved bacon fat, 1 teaspoon at a time, if the pot becomes too dry. Remove the chicken and reserve in a medium bowl.
• Add 2 teaspoons reserved bacon fat to the pot (if there is none left, use 2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil). Add the chile and toast the chile in the fat, about 30 seconds per side, until very fragrant.
• Add the carrots, bell peppers, onions, and garlic and cook until slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spice mixture, ginger, and the currants and their broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatoes have cooked down to a puree and the sauce has thickened around the vegetables, about 8 minutes.
• Nest the chicken thighs gently in the vegetable sauce so that the skin side faces up and is above the surface of the gravy. Tent the pot loosely with foil and transfer to the middle rack of the oven. Bake until the country captain resembles a roiling stew around the chicken thighs, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the sauce has thickened further and the chicken skin is just beginning to crisp, about 15 minutes more.
• Remove from the oven, skim any excess fat from the surface, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the chile. With tongs, transfer 3 thighs to each of 4 wide, deep bowls filled with 1 cup hot white rice. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and the rice and garnish with the reserved bacon, almonds, and parsley.

THROWDOWN'S COUNTRY CAPTAIN CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the coconut rice with green onions:
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains in the butter. Add the coconut milk, water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil, stir once, cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until tender, about 16 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let the rice sit, covered for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff with a fork and fold in the green onion. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a large, high sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the butter and 1 tablespoon of canola to the rendered bacon fat in the pan and heat until it begins to shimmer.
• Put the flour in a shallow bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, dredge in the flour and tap off any excess. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown. Remove to plate.
• Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the serrano and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until reduced by 3/4. Add the chicken stock, bring to a simmer and reduce slightly. Stir in the tomatoes, currants or raisins, thyme, 2 teaspoons of honey and season with a little salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Nestle the chicken thighs into the pan, cover with a tight fitting lid and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Remove the lid after 35 minutes and continue to bake an additional 15 minutes.
• Remove the chicken to a platter and tent slightly to keep warm. Put the pan and sauce back on the burner over high heat and bring to a boil. Let the sauce reduce slightly, then season with salt, pepper, and honey, to taste. Stir in the parsley. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and top with the bacon, almonds and more parsley. Serve with Coconut Rice with Green Onions.
• Combine all the spices in a small bowl.

ZIP-QUICK COUNTRY CAPTAIN

Steps:

• Heat bacon drippings in large, deep skillet over moderate heat 1 minute. Add onion and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, until onion is limp and golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Mix in garlic, curry powder, marjoram, thyme, and cayenne and cook and stir 2 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, chicken, currants, salt and black pepper; adjust heat so mixture bubbles gently, cover, and cook, stirring now and then, until flavors mingle and chicken is heated through-about 15 minutes. Mix in parsley, taste for salt and pepper, and adjust as needed.
• Mound rice in heated, large, deep platter, ladle chicken mixture on top, sprinkle with almonds and serve.
• Bring water to rapid boil in large (4 1/2-quart) heavy saucepan over high heat. Add rice, stir well, then return to rapid bowl. Adjust heat so water stays at gentle but steady ripple and cook uncovered until all water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Do not stir. Fluff rice gently with fork and cool 1 hour. Do not cover. Fluff rice gently again, then spoon lightly-do not pack-into plastic storage containers, snap on lids, label and date. Set in refrigerator or freezer.
• To reheat refrigerated or frozen rice, pile rice in large fine sieve, fork lightly to separate, and balance sieve on top of large, heavy saucepan over 2 inches boiling water. Cover loosely with lid or foil and steam just until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes, but times will vary according to amount of rice being reheated and whether it's refrigerated or frozen. Fluff with fork and serve.