Porro's one pot olympic poultry

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
Ingredients:
Chicken or Turkey parts to match servings desired.
1 quart Chicken Broth or Chicken Soup
1 teaspoon Cilantro
1 teaspoon Ground Correander Seed (only if you don't use Cilantro!)
1 tablespoon Oregano
¼ small Onion chopped
1 Clove garlic minced
¼ cup Cooking wine (bitter orange or other fruit is best)
1 teaspoon Ground White pepper
1 tablespoon Crushed Red pepper (subst. Cayenne)
1 teaspoon Sweet Basil (optional, I like it)
¼ Lemon with rind on
1 cup Rice uncooked (I don't use pre-cooked type, but either works)

Directions

Choose your large cast iron pot (my usual) or in my case now with no stove, a West Bend electric fry pan.

Set to simmer and add chicken soup. (I use egg drop by the way, but that's another step) While broth is warming, wash chicken as you usually do. Add all seasonings except the peppers. Squeeze the lemon for it's juice and toss it in without the seeds. When you can see that the broth is just starting to boil every time the light goes out, you know it's just right, below boiling temp. You don't want this to boil unless you are in a hurry, want to do lots of pot watching or you like tough chicken. No need to add salt or sugar since there is usually more than enough already in the soup. The chicken should not be covered in liquid, this is not intended to be soup when you get done.

When you have the temp. fine tuned to true simmer, place the poultry parts in the broth, meaty side up as possible. Sprinkle on the white and red pepper, cover the pot and ignore it for as long as you wish the longer the better, I usually shoot for at least 4 hours. Before serving at least 20 min. before you want to eat, flip the meat and add the rice. Check to make sure there is enough water, bring up to original level if necessary. This should turn out fairly thick, and not soup because the rice absorbs most or all of the liquid. Stir it in well and cover again. When the rice is done it's finished. Spoon out rice onto plates and place poultry on the side of it. I like to serve this with a large tossed salad, using Olive Oil, 1 T lemon juice, 2T Oregano, and 1 clove garlic, or garlic powder. (See Porro's Italian Salad for details)

I use Cajun seasoning, but wanted this to have a more general appeal, if you like it hotter, go for it. Sort of a Cajun/Italian recipe.

Some other notes and options. 2 t of parsley won't hurt. Also optional: (it's not cast in stone, add what you like) fresh sliced mushrooms. I confess, I never measure any of the above, it's all done by taste, do the same please! Anytime you use fresh spices it will taste better.

Why I make and eat this. 1) For sporting events, one never knows for certain when it will be time to eat. Also if you have company that shows up late on a regular basis, this type of cooking and be on hold for extended periods of time, without harm. 2) No stove. 3) The slow cooking will make even a laying hen edible. 4) For a whomped up one pot, one plate dinner it actually has some taste to it. 5) Sometimes I want something that is easy and doesn't need tending, this is it.

Probably best for family cooking rather than guests. 6) When I was cooking for three teens I never knew if any two would every be at home for dinner at the same time. It keeps well for hours after adding the rice.

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