Tomato-forward chicken fricase is warm and hearty

By CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL

It whitethorn person a French-sounding name, but this homey, hearty, tomato-forward chickenhearted braise, made with sofrito arsenic its basal and with aureate rum arsenic portion of the cooking liquid, is Caribbean successful essence and flavor.

In this look from our cookbook “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” we adapted San Juan cook Jose Santaella’s look from his publication “Cocina Tropical.” Instead of a full cut-up chicken, we usage lone bone-in thighs, arsenic acheronian nutrient stands up amended to braising than much delicate bosom meat.

We besides simmer the potatoes and carrots for astir 10 minutes successful a small water, giving the basal vegetables a caput commencement connected cooking earlier the tomatoes, vino and rum are introduced. If added earthy to an acidic liquid, the vegetables necessitate extended cooking to afloat tenderize. You volition request 1 cupful of sofrito for this recipe, truthful beryllium definite to navigator up a batch successful advance.

The braising liquid is rather acidic. Be definite to usage a nonreactive pot, specified arsenic stainless alloy oregon enamel-coated formed iron, truthful the metallic does not respond to the acidity and origin “off” flavors. After returning the browned chickenhearted to the Dutch oven, screen the cookware lone partially. A small evaporation is desirable truthful the braise isn’t excessively watery. Serve with atom and, if you’re truthful inclined, with fried saccharine plantains.

Chicken Fricase with Tomatoes, Potatoes and Carrots

Start to finish: 1¼ hours (30 minutes active) Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients: 1 tablespoonful dried oregano Kosher brackish and crushed achromatic capsicum 2½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chickenhearted thighs, trimmed 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive lipid 1 cupful sofrito ½ cupful pitted greenish olives 4 bay leaves 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces 1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch heavy connected the diagonal 14½-ounce tin crushed tomatoes (1½ cups) 6-ounce tin herb paste 1 cupful adust achromatic vino ½ cupful aureate rum Chopped caller cilantro, to service Directions: In a tiny bowl, disturbance unneurotic the oregano and ½ spoon each brackish and pepper. Season the chickenhearted connected each sides with the mixture. In a ample Dutch oven implicit medium-high, vigor the lipid until shimmering. Add the chickenhearted and cook, turning erstwhile oregon twice, until browned connected some sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chickenhearted to a ample plate; acceptable aside.

Add the sofrito to the cookware on with the olives and bay; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir successful the potatoes, carrots, 2 cups h2o and ½ spoon each brackish and pepper. Bring to a simmer, past screen and simmer until the vegetables are tender-crisp, astir 10 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes to the cookware on with the herb paste, vino and rum; disturbance to combine. Return the chickenhearted to the pot, nestling the pieces into the mixture, past adhd the accumulated juices. Return to a simmer, screen partially and cook, stirring erstwhile oregon twice, until the vegetables are tender and a skewer inserted into the chickenhearted meets nary resistance, 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove the cookware from the heat, past region and discard the bay. Taste and play with brackish and pepper. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

Sofrito

Start to finish: 30 minutes Makes astir 2 cups

Ingredients:

½ cupful extra-virgin olive lipid 2 mean yellowish onions, finely chopped 10 mean ail cloves, minced 1 tablespoonful herb paste ¼ cupful finely chopped smoked ham 8 ounces ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped 1 ample cubanelle capsicum oregon 1 mean red, yellowish oregon orangish doorbell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped 3 tablespoons drained capers 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoonful dried oregano 1 tablespoonful annatto lipid (optional)

Directions: In a 12-inch skillet implicit medium-high, vigor the olive lipid until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until opening to brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add the ail and herb paste; cook, stirring, until fragrant, astir 1 minute. Add the ham and cook, stirring, for astir 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, pepper, capers, bay, oregano and annatto lipid (if using). Cook, stirring often, until the substance begins to instrumentality to the pan, 6 to 8 minutes; trim the vigor if it begins to brown. Transfer to a tiny bowl.