Sunny's Kitchen (25 page)

1
Prepare the pasta.
Boil the manicotti shells in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water. Pour the pasta on a tray or baking sheet to cool, so the shells don’t stick to each other while you prep the filling. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2
Make the filling.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. When it begins to swirl, add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the chicken, tomatoes, cilantro, and sour cream. Set aside.

3
Make the tomatillo sauce.
Place the tomatillos, onion, jalapeño, and garlic in a small baking dish. Toss with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until the edges of the tomatillos caramelize and the flesh becomes soft, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and scrape everything in the dish, including the drippings, into a blender. Blend until smooth. Use just enough reserved pasta water to thin the sauce to a pouring consistency. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

4
Make the cheese sauce.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat without browning. Add the nutmeg and flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Taste the sauce and season with salt.

5
Assemble the casserole.
Reduce the heat to 350°F. Stuff the manicotti tubes with the chicken mixture and assemble in a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with the open sides facing up. Pour the cheese sauce over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and a few bubbles are golden brown.

6
Make your plate!
Drizzle tomatillo sauce on the maniladas before serving.

c
asseroles usually make a debut in my kitchen at the start of what I know will be a busy week. I can count on the leftovers and if I stumble on a great casserole combo, I jot it down and keep it in mind for special occasions. Because the real purpose of a casserole is to share it—the size implies it. I simply love the warm, woodsy notes from the cinnamon and rosemary; together with the cranberry topping, it all smells like it would warm up a cold night in a forest cabin. The chicken stays moist from the poach, and feeding an entire family with just two chicken breasts is magic. Guests will love it.
SERVES 6 TO 8

1
Prepare the chicken.
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 × 13-inch casserole dish and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine 5 cups of water with the thyme, bay leaf, salt, and chicken. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce to a simmer and cook until the juices run clear or the internal temperature reaches 160°F., about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. Reserve the poaching liquid in the pot. When cool enough to handle, dice the chicken into ½-inch cubes and set aside.

2
Cook the rice.
Return the poaching water to a boil, add the wild rice, and cover. Cook over medium heat until the rice grains split, 40 to 45 minutes. Drain the excess water, transfer the rice to a bowl, and set aside.

3
Make the topping.
In a small pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the brown sugar, cranberries, rosemary, bread crumbs, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring to mash the cranberries, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is uniform, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

4
Make the filling.
In a large straight-sided pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the mushrooms, onion, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Sauté until the mushrooms are browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the heavy cream and the cinnamon, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer about 2 minutes to thicken slightly. Add the Gruyère and mix to incorporate. Add the rice and chicken to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

5
Bake the casserole.
Transfer the filling to the prepared casserole dish. Spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the top of the casserole and bake until golden and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot.

 

tip!
The chunks of juicy poached chicken are divine here, but in a pinch you can shred half a rotisserie chicken to speed up preparation. Just use chicken stock to cook the rice.

s
ure, I’ll wait for the slow ’n’ low of real BBQ, but sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants, fast. This recipe is perfect when you see that pack of chicken legs or thighs on sale. It will turn a dark meat hater into a devotee. All you have to do is slow-roast, shred, and douse the juicy legs and thighs in one of my go-to sauces, and no one will miss the breasts. Team it with the fastest slaw ever and you can have the feel of summertime BBQ year-round in your kitchen, smoker or hot weather need not apply.
SERVES 6 TO 8

1
Make the slaw.
In a large bowl combine the cabbage, carrot, sugar, vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Massage the cabbage with your hands until it is tender and wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the relish, sour cream, mayonnaise, and raisins. Toss to combine, then taste and season with more salt, if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate before serving.

2
Prepare the roasting pan.
Preheat the oven to 225°F. Put the garlic, tomatoes, scallions, and honey in a roasting pan.

3
Make the rub.
In a small bowl, combine the allspice, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, thyme, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to mix well.

4
Cook the chicken.
Coat each chicken thigh all over with the rub. Arrange the chicken over the tomato mixture, covering it as much as possible. Some tomatoes are going to peek out and that’s fine; let those bad boys get caramelized later on! Shake any excess rub over the top. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and apple cider vinegar. Drizzle
over the chicken, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and roast for 1½ hours. Remove the foil, then roast for 30 more minutes.

5
Shred the chicken.
Remove the chicken from the oven to a cutting board, gently shaking off the pan juices before the transfer. Remove the meat from the bones using a fork, tongs, knives, fingers, whatever works! Shred the meat with 2 forks and set aside.

6
Make the pan BBQ sauce.
Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat and add the honey, brown sugar, and ketchup. Using a potato masher, smash the tomatoes still in the pan, then stir everything, allowing it to simmer and reduce until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken back to the pan and stir to coat. Serve with the slaw on bread.

 

tip!
This chicken is great on a homemade pizza with shredded cheese, onions, and barbecue sauce in lieu of pizza sauce, or on top of grits for a Southern breakfast.

i
f you’re frying chicken without brining, you’re missing a chance to get it flavorful down to the bone. I’m all for crispy and delicious skin being the star, but there are many more bites beneath it, so brining is necessary. It’s like the bit of salt in a good chocolate chip cookie. Sure you’ll eat one without it, but to have that extra touch is to love it. Brining also keeps it juicy. Why not soak a Southern dish in a Southern drink before frying it the Southern way? It makes sense to me and my taste buds.
SERVES 4