Recipe Chicken Shallot Stew

[flyinglentris]

Chicken Shallot Stew:

NOTE: This Stew generates a great marriage of warm spicy and sweet flavors to a mix of soft, fibrous and crunchy textures.

Ingredients:

1) Chicken - 1 Half Breast
2) Shallot - 2
3) Carrot - 1 medium sized
4) Potato - 2 Baby Potatoes

NOTE: It's ok to use Dutch Yellow, Gold or Red Potatoes.

5) Rye Berries - 1/8 Cup
6) Dark Rye Flour - 2 to 3 Tblspns.
7) Malt Syrup - 2 Tblspns.
8) Rosemary - 1 Tspn.
9) Marjoram - 1 Tspn.
10) Thyme - 1 Tspn.
11) White Pepper - 1 Tspn.
12) Lime Juice - 2 Tspns.
13) Olive Oil - as required
14) Water - as required.



Procedure:

NOTE: Start early as it takes a while to pre-cook Carrots and Potato.

1) Cross Cut Carrot.
2) Halve lengthwise and cross cut Potatoes.
3) Boil Carrot, Potato and Rye Berries in a Pot.

NOTE: Don't use excess Water, just enough that none needs to be drained off when done boiling the Carrot, Potato and Rye Berries to softness.

NOTE: Ensure that the Rye Berries are not boiled to softness; leave them somewhat crunchy.

4) Cross Cut the Shallot.
5) In a sauce pan, caramelize the Shallot.
6) Set aside in a separate bowl.
7) Mix Lime Juice and Malt Syrup in a Bowl.
8) Pour into the same Sauce Pan used to caramelize the Shallot.
9) Caramelize Potato, Carrot and Rye Berries in Malt and Lime Juice.
10) Cross cut and then halve the Chicken Half Breast into pieces.
11) Add Chicken and all caramelized ingredients to slow cooker.
12) Add Water, just enough Water to cover the contents.
13) Simmer and stir until Chicken is cooked.
14) Add Spices.
15) Slow Cook for about one hour, stirring occasionally.

NOTE: Add Water as needed, but allow the Stew to remain close to thick.

16) Add Rye Flour and stir it in to thicken the Stew.
17) Simmer until consistent.
18) Serve.

 

[mjd]

Couple of questions.

1. What temperature for the slow cooker - low or high?
2. Do you precook the carrots and potatoes to shorten the cook time in the slow cooker?

Thanks in advance.

 

[flyinglentris]

Couple of questions.

1. What temperature for the slow cooker - low or high?
2. Do you precook the carrots and potatoes to shorten the cook time in the slow cooker?

Thanks in advance.

This Stew is thick, so the slow cooker is set to low.

Yes, as the recipe shows, you pre-boil the Carrots and Potatoes, after slicing them up. It doesn't take long.

 

[mjd]

This Stew is thick, so the slow cooker is set to low.

Yes, as the recipe shows, you pre-boil the Carrots and Potatoes, after slicing them up. It doesn't take long.

OK.

What I'm not understanding is why you don't put all of it in the slow cooker and let it cook that way?

 

[flyinglentris]

OK.

What I'm not understanding is why you don't put all of it in the slow cooker and let it cook that way?

Because I wanted to caramelize the ingredients first. The Shallots in Oil and the Potato, Carrot and Rye Berries in Barley Malt Syrup and Lime Juice. Doing this enhances flavor and texture.

 

[mjd]

Because I wanted to caramelize the ingredients first. The Shallots in Oil and the Potato, Carrot and Rye Berries in Barley Malt Syrup and Lime Juice. Doing this enhances flavor and texture.

Got it. Thanks.

 

[flyinglentris]

mjd

I didn't mention it in the recipe, but I cut the Carrot and Potatoes very thin. This was to help get them caramelized. You'll note from the photo how the Carrot slices broke up into bits, because of how thin I sliced them.

 

[Morning Glory]

An intriguing use for malt syrup here. I applaud you for experimenting with this ingredient. I can imagine it would produce a deep savoury yet sweet note to this stew.

Rye Berries - 1/8 Cup

I had to look up this ingredient but I learned its simply what I know as rye grain. Another nice addition.

My feeling is that this dish really doesn't need to go in a slow cooker. Everything, it seems is already cooked before it goes in, so why not let it simmer a little on a stove top. A chicken breast most certainly doesn't need cooking for so long. Had you been using a tough cut of meat then the slow cooker would be perfect.