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The INDEPENDENT, January 7, 2010
Food for Thought
by Leslie Barnes
Creating delicious food for your family and friends doesn’t have to be difficult
with impossible to find ingredients. Knowledge is power in the kitchen. Understand-
ing what the caper will add to the dish will allow you to substitute another ingredi-
ent similar in flavor or eliminate it all together. The recipe is only a suggestion, you
choose where you want the flavors to go. This is the fun part of cooking. Enjoy.
“What are capers?” They are the preserved flower buds of
a shrub or bush that originated in the Mediterranean area.
They are named for the bush, Capparis spinosa L. After the
buds are picked, they’re pickled in either a vinegar brine or
simple salt. The pickling process leads to the development of
a mild (but distinctive) mustard-like flavor, in fact, I’ve used a
pinch of dried mustard as a substitute for capers in a sauce.
Brined capers also contribute a tart, vinegary slightly-salty
flavor, while salted capers add a good dose of salt to a dish
– even when rinsed.
in the fridge.
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in
the pan, skin side down, when the oil is hot. Cook until the skin is crispy and gold-
en, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook the same way on the other side.
Turn the heat off the pan and reserve. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish, skin
side up, and finish cooking in the oven, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile return the same pan to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter.
When the butter has melted, add the onions and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pep-
per. Cook until tender and golden in places, about 7 minutes. *See below. Add the
chicken broth and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden
spoon. Add the snap peas and mushrooms. Simmer over low heat until the vegeta-
bles are tender and the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Season with
salt and pepper, if necessary.
Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon the vegetables onto a serving platter
along with the chicken. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately.
* For an added layer of flavor, add 1/2 cup dry white wine with the chicken broth.
Serves 4-6.
CHICKEN CACCIATORE
1 whole chicken cut up
2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
(I add about an 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper to the flour)
3 T olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp drained capers
1-1/2 tsps dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
PORK CHOPS WITH DIJON SAUCE
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
4 center-cut rib or loin pork chops, bone in (preferred), about 1-1/4 inch thick
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions or shallots
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T chopped parsley (optional)
Melt the butter in the oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Season
chops with salt and pepper and brown them, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Re-
duce heat slightly if the chops brown too quickly.
Remove chops from the pan and pour off most of the fat. Add the green onions
or shallots and cook on med. high heat until softened, about 1 minute. Add wine
and bring to a boil, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the
stock and return chops to the pan. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook until chops
are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the chops to a warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Raise the
temp of the pan to boil the pan juices, reduce the juices by half, about 2 minutes.
Add cream and boil 2 minutes more, until sauce reduces and thickens. Remove
from the heat and whisk in mustard and parsley. If you want, add more mustard to
taste. Spoon sauce over chops and serve.
Serves 4.
Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 tsp of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chick-
en pieces in the flour to coat lightly.
In a large heavy sauté pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chick-
en pieces to the pan and sauté just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the
chicken does not fit in the pan, sauté it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate
and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and sauté over
medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pep-
per. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the toma-
toes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the
pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue sim-
mering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30
minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it
thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from
atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle
with the basil and serve.
Equal parts chicken broth can be substituted for the white wine.
N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE C HURCH
Serves 4-6.
Church Directory
HERBED CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 T dried thyme leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves or 1 T dried parsley leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 whole chicken, cut up
3 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
4 to 6 carrots, peeled and trimmed
1 cup chicken broth
6 oz snap peas, trimmed
4 oz button mushrooms
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a small bowl combine the thyme, parsley, garlic, fennel
seeds, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to
combine. Place the chicken pieces on a work surface. Gently
loosen the skin of the chicken and push the herb mixture under
the skin. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
An alternative method: In a large bowl combine the thyme,
parsley, garlic, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt
and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the chicken pieces in the bowl
and cover with mixture. Let marinate for 30 minutes or over night
Gary Taylor, Pastor
Grant & North Streets, Vernonia
503 429-5378
Sunday School 10:00 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Nursery available
Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m.
V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH
Carl Pense, Pastor
850 Madison Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-1103
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.
Children’s Sunday School
C HURCH OF J ESUS C HRIST
OF L ATTER D AY S AINTS
Marc Farmer, Branch President
1350 E. Knott Street, Vernonia
503 429-7151
Sacrament Meeting, Sunday 10 a.m.
Sunday School & Primary 11:20 a.m.
Relief Society, Priesthood and
Young Women, Sunday 12:10 p.m.
S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST
F IRST B APTIST C HURCH
Gary S. Walter, Pastor
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St., Vernonia
503 429-8301
Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m.
Sabbath School 9:30 a.m.
359 “A” Street, Vernonia
503 429-4027
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m.
A SSEMBLY OF G OD
S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH
Wayne and Maureene Marr
662 Jefferson Ave., Vernonia,
503 429-0373
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m
Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator
960 Missouri Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-8841
Mass Sunday 12:00 Noon
Religious Educ. Sunday 10:30 a.m.
V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH
V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH
Sam Hough, Minister
410 North Street, Vernonia
503 429-6522
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m.
(meets in Youth & Family Center)
Home Group Meeting
throughout the week
at various locations
Grant Williams, Pastor
957 State Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-6790
Sunday Breakfast 9:00 a.m.
Morning Worship 9:45 a.m.
Children and Nursery 10:00 a.m.
Youth Group 6:00 p.m.
Preschool Mon. & Wed. 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday Prayer 6:00 p.m.
Tues. & Fri. Adult Volleyball 7:00 p.m.