Arroz con pollo

It may not be the prettiest dish that we serve at Oakland Feather River Camp. But arroz con pollo is packed with flavor (the link takes you to my Dutch oven version). Two weeks ago, five 12 by 20 by 2-1/2-inch pans fed 135 campers and staff at the family camp. Simmered black beans, succotash with kale and chocolate bread pudding rounded the menu.

Mexican rice on the griddle

Earlier this week my sous chef and I wanted to use up two pans of leftover rice. In order to re-purpose the rice into a new dish, I prepared a sauce from canned tomatoes, poblano chilies, onion and garlic. The rice was poured onto a oiled griddle and stirred several times. I then folded the sauce into the rice and brought it up to temperature.

The rice looked just like Mexican restaurant rice. It even had one or two obligatory pieces of tomato in the mixture! Here's our new process for cooking Mexican rice at Oakland Feather River Camp:

1. Combine 2 quarts white or brown rice with 4 quarts chicken or vegetable stock in a 12x20x4-inch hotel pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and lid. Two pans of rice will feed around 100 campers at Oakland Camp.
2. Bake in a 325-degree convection oven until tender. White rice takes 20 to 30 minutes. You need 45 to 50 minutes for brown rice. 
3. Cool rice overnight in the walk-in refrigerator.
4. Pre-heat griddle to 350 degrees.
5. Saute 4 large pobleno chilies (diced), 1 or 2 jalapeno chilies (minced), 2 onions (diced) with a couple tablespoons minced garlic until soft and slightly charred. Roasted poblano chilies work as well.
6. Puree 1/2 #10 can diced tomatoes with the sauteed vegetables in a blender or food processor.
7. Pour one pan of rice onto griddle. Stir to break up clumps and heat rice.
8. Pour half the puree mixture over the rice. Stir quickly to ensure even distribution of the sauce. Cook until mixture reaches 165 degrees or higher.
9. Check seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Portion into serving pans.
10. Repeat the process for additional pans of rice.

Mexican brown rice cooks on the griddle at around 350 degrees. 

Deep dish pizza rice casserole for 24

I have posted this recipe several times in the history of 'Round the Chuckbox. The first time I prepared deep dish pizza rice entree was at a 2006 family camping near Fortuna, California. My son mumbled "This is good" over and over as he shoveled multiple helpings into his face. I then set the recipe aside for several years.

In 2010 on a camping trip to South Lake Tahoe, Jacob asked for "that pizza stuff." I obliged by sneaking baby spinach into the dish. I posted a pictorial recipe of my reworked deep dish pizza rice.


Since I left work an hour before the residents served dinner on Friday, I asked a staff member to snap this picture of deep dish pizza rice casserole on her cell phone. Thinking back, I should've asked then to save me a serving for my lunch today! This dish was baked with cheddar-jack cheese mixture.


Last fall, the residents at work were asking that I prepare some new dishes in the evening. This gave me the opportunity to re-work the recipe from a 10-inch Dutch oven to a 12 by 20 by 2-inch hotel pan. I first prepared the deep dish pizza rice casserole for 24 in mid-December.

The first meal gave me the opportunity to fine tune the recipe for larger portions. I prepared the casserole for the second time last Friday.

DEEP DISH PIZZA RICE CASSEROLE FOR 24

Use the drained tomato juice as part of the chicken stock. You need 2 quarts total chicken stock and tomato juice for the recipe.

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups diced yellow onion
1-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
10 ounces Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 quart long grain rice
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 quarts chicken stock, boiling
2 cups pizza sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
10 ounces sliced pepperoni

Heat oil in saucepan or brazier over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sweat until soft. Do not brown or burn. Stir sausage, tomatoes, rice, garlic and herbs into onion and garlic mixture.

Spread mixture evenly into bottom of greased 12 by 20 by 2-inch hotel pan. Evenly pour stock over mixture; cover tightly with foil or lid. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Remove pan from heat and fluff rice mixture with fork. Gently smooth out top of rice. Top with layer of pizza sauce, then layers of both cheeses. Top with pepperoni. Continue bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese melts.

Remove from heat. Let stand at least 10 minutes before dishing up. Cut or score pan 4 by 6 for 24 servings. Serve equal portion of rice and topping.

Dave Herzog's Dutch oven paella

Last Sunday, Dave Herzog posted this picture of Spanish paella on his Facebook fan page, Cast Iron "Covered Wagon" Cookin'. He posted the recipe after receiving 30 private messages this week.

Dave entered the paella in the Dutch oven cookoff at the 2007 Nor Cal Boat, Sport and RV Show in Anderson, California. He walked away with first place in the main dish category. For the three-pot competition, Dave prepared German chocolate ice cream topped cake and cheddar sourdough bread for his other two dishes.

This recipe and others are found in Dave's cookbook, Cast Iron "Covered Wagon" Cookin' for Crowds in BIG Ovens. BIG Ovens is the fourth cookbook in a series of five dedicated to cooking in cast iron cookware. It's ideal for the outdoor cook who regularly cooks for groups of 20 or more.

"This book covers recipes for those outdoor cooks with a serious case of castironitis!" Most recipes are written for Maca branch deep Dutch ovens, including the massive 22-inch oven, which tips the scale at over 150 pounds and holds 45 quarts of food!

To purchase, contact Dave at The Official Cast Iron "Covered Wagon" Cookin' website. It costs $10 plus $5 shipping for the paper copy of the book. Discounts apply when purchasing multiple books. The cookbook can also be downloaded for the Cook'n Recipe Organizer software for $7.95. The software must be purchased separately.

You can do paella in a Dutch oven lid or Dutch oven. Dave Herzog cooked this paella in the lid of a 20-inch Cabela's Dutch oven. The cast iron works for the Spanish dish without having to buy a paella pan.

DUTCH OVEN PAELLA

This recipe may be doubled by cooking in the 20-inch Dutch oven by using the oven right-side up.

In the intervening years, Dave has adjusted one or more ingredients. "I also now use 5 pound wing sections instead of chicken thighs," Dave wrote on Facebook. "The wings are easier to divide between people, even though I prefer the thigh meat." Substitute Mexican Chorizo if you can't locate Spanish chorizo.

1/2 cup olive oil, divided
12 chicken thighs
3 tablespoons Emeril’s Essence
2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 pounds Spanish chorizo, diced into 1/4-inch half moons
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups red bell peppers, chopped (about 2-3 peppers)
2 cups green bell peppers, chopped (about 2-3 peppers)
4 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons saffron threads
2 quarts chicken stock
1 quart medium grain rice
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, shells and tails on, back split
1 pound mussels, cleaned and de bearded
1 pound steamer clams, cleaned
2-1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

In a large mixing bowl or tub season the chicken with 2 tablespoons Emeril’s  Essence and 2 teaspoons salt. Toss the thighs to cover with seasonings. Heat a 20-inch Cabela’s Dutch oven lid over a checkerboard pattern of charcoal briquettes. Add 1/4 cup oil to the lid. Once the oil starts to smoke cook the thighs on each side for 4 minutes per side to sear. Remove the chicken from the lid, and set aside.

Add remaining oil and chorizo and brown, stirring occasionally until well browned, about 7 minutes. Add onions and peppers. Continue cooking until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and saute 3 minutes, then add garlic and saffron. Spread this mixture evenly across the lid then place the chicken thighs across the top of the mixture in a single layer.

Pour about 1 quart stock into the lid or as much liquid it will hold without over flowing. Cover with bottom and add more stock as needed in 15 to 20 minute intervals, adding as much as possible without over flowing until all the broth is used up.

When the last of the broth is added, place the shrimp, mussels, and clams around the entire dish and cover. Cook 15 minutes, remove cover and sprinkle peas over the top, cover and remove from heat, let rest 7 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve from the lid on a lid trivet in the center of a table.

Serves 8 with two chicken thighs per person or 16 with one thigh each.

Recipe and photograph used with permission.

Dutch oven arroz con pollo

Late last week I roasted two chickens in the oven. After they cooled, the meat was picked and and divided between several zipper top bags. I then roasted the bones with mire poix. A pot of stock bubbled on the range all night as we prepared for a family trip.

I prepared a large pan of arroz con pollo for the residents at work Monday evening. As often happens, I came home and cooked the same dish in a deep skillet. It was the prefect way to some of the chicken and stock. Chicken stock from the roasted bones and the onions, carrots and celery gave the rice a nice rich flavor.

I last featured chicken and rice in January 2011. In the pictorial recipe, I used chicken thighs on a family camping trip to Kit Carson Campground in Humboldt-Toyable National Forest. I wrote: "The marriage of rice, tomato sauce and chicken thighs makes one of the best Dutch oven dishes that I can think of. Sprinkle a healthy dose of hot pepper sauce over the rice and you have created a dish that qualifies as pure comfort food."

In need of pictures, I though a second helping of my favorite rice dish was in order. To prepare the dish again doesn't bother me as I enjoy it at home and in camp. It's pure comfort food for my family. I can easily eat two helpings, then feast on leftovers for lunch the next day.

DUTCH OVEN ARROZ CON POLLO (SPANISH CHICKEN WITH RICE)

If desired, 1 cup canned diced tomatoes can be used in place of the tomato paste. Use tomatoes and their juices. Reduce stock to 2-1/2 cups and proceed with recipe.

2 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno chile pepper, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups long grain rice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups chicken stock
1 pound cooked diced chicken
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Heat fat in 10-inch Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute onion, chile pepper and garlic over until nearly tender. Add rice and paprika. Stir until the grains are coated with fat. Add tomato paste, stock and chicken. Bring to a boil. Season liquid with salt and pepper to taste.

Place lid on Dutch oven. Bake with coals for 350 degrees (about 6 under oven and 14 on lid) until rice cooked, about 20 to 30 min. Garnish with cilantro and serve. Serves 6 to 8.

Low fat buttermilk ranch dressing

I introduced a low fat version of buttermilk ranch dressing to the residents at work last month. Even though I let news of the new recipe slipped out the week before, the changeover occurred little fan fair. I replaced the bottled ranch with my scratch prepared version just before the dinner meal.

This approach has worked in the past. Two years ago I introduced brown rice unannounced. The residents didn't miss white rice. I didn't hear the first comment until a week after the switch. The current residents accept brown rice as a standard menu offering.

The menu on January 24 was routine: baked chicken quarters (drumsticks and thighs), barley and brown rice pilaf, braised baby carrots and roll. It was the ideal meal to introduce the ranch dressing. Since I didn't offer a sauce or gravy this evening, it gave them the chance to dip their chicken in the dressing.

Of the 20 residents in the house, only three noticed the difference. The first comment came just as the last resident got her plate. "This looks different," she said. I held comment and smiled. Later, another said, "It's good."

My favorite comment came from a resident that smothered everything in ranch dressing. "You made this 'cause it's not from the big bucket," she said, pointing to the refrigerator. "It has green stuff in it. It's good!"

At that point, I knew that I had made a good decision.

LOW FAT BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING

So-called light mayonnaise and sour cream each contain around half the calories of the traditional condiments. Based on the nutrition labels of the products that I purchase, the dressing contains approximately 50 to 60 calories per serving. By comparison, the nutrition label on Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing has 140 calories per serving.

16 ounces low fat sour cream
16 ounces low fat mayonnaise
32 ounces low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill weed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Stir together sour cream, mayonnaise and buttermilk until combined. Stir in remaining ingredients. Adjust for seasoning and refrigerate.

Makes about 2-1/2 quarts. Serving based on 2-tablespoon portion.

Christian Chefs International Conference in Canby, Oregon

What do a group of chefs do when they gather for a conference? We cook!

I'm grilling grape tomatoes on the flattop for Chef Bob Vaningan's Grilled Vegetable and Black Quinoa Salad.

We grilled fennel, red onion, red, green and yellow bell peppers, pears and green apples on the flattop for the salad. After chilling the vegetables, Chef Bob diced them. The salad will be served to conference attendees at lunch tomorrow.

Chef Bob prepares a mire poix for a vegetable stock. He used the stock to simmer the quinoa in.

Chef Ira Krizo sautes onions and mushrooms for a dish. Chef Ira is the chef for the Canby Grove Camp and Conference Center.

Baked Dutch oven chicken and rice

On a warm Sunday afternoon last July, I baked chicken and rice for my wife, son and granddaughter in a 12-inch deep Dutch oven. We were camped at at the Kit Carson Campground in Toyable National Forest.

Since we had just spent the day in South Lake Tahoe, I wanted to cook a dish that assembled quickly. So I picked up a package of chicken thighs at the market. A one-pot meal, like chicken and rice, would be ready within the hour.

The marriage of rice, tomato sauce and chicken thighs makes one of the best Dutch oven dishes that I can think of. Sprinkle a healthy dose of hot pepper sauce over the rice and you have created a dish that qualifies as pure comfort food.

Here's how I prepared the dish:

Heat 1 or 2 tablespoons bacon grease (from the morning breakfast) in skillet over a bed of hot coals. When hot, brown 4 seasoned chicken thighs on both side. This is one of those times when I can't tell you how long it takes to crisp the skin and give the chicken a head start.

Meanwhile, dice a medium onion (I use sweet onions), mince 3 cloves garlic and chop 1 or 2 small chili peppers (jalapeno or Serrano). Heat some bacon fat in a 12-inch Deep Dutch oven and sweat until soft and translucent. Add 1-1/2 cups long grain rice. Stir to coat with the oil. Cook for the next several minutes, stirring frequently. I like to quickly fry the rice until it takes on a light brown color.

Add 3 cups chicken stock with 2 tablespoons tomato paste mixed in. Stir, then place the lid on top of the Dutch oven. Add a shovelful of coals from the campfire to the lid and cook until rice and chicken are done.

Prepare a side dish or two while the rice and chicken bake in the Dutch oven. Try a tossed green salad with a light drizzle of your favorite vinaigrette. I enjoy cilantro lime dressing. We enjoyed a tossed salad with blue cheese crumbles that was dressed with extra virgin olive oil and a spritz of fresh lemon juice. As pictured here, broccoli was the side.

In the real world, you need 18 minutes to cook white rice until tender. Allow extra time in camp. How much time depends on the ambient temperature, number of coals on the lid and under the oven and the amount of heat generated by the coals.

Dutch oven chicken enchiladas with cilantro lime rice and cucumber relish

Here's a recipe series from September 2000:

I've never been very good at rolling enchiladas. I don't know what happens –– they just fall apart. Since my enchiladas resemble a casserole more than tortilla wraps from south of the border, I figure: Why not build a casserole in the first place?

You'd think that with 30 years experience in Navy galleys and institutional kitchens, I'd be able to roll thousands of enchiladas in an afternoon. But unlike Mexican restaurants, institutional kitchens often purchase pre-rolled enchiladas. Cook a red chili sauce, chop a handful of yellow onions and grate a brick of sharp cheddar cheese and you have the makings of a pan of enchiladas.

You have two choices when camping: roll enchiladas or prepare a casserole. You could heat a pan of oil, dip corn tortillas and fill them fill beef or chicken. But why bother? My goal is to keep things simple. Unless you're worried about plate presentation, Dutch oven enchilada casserole is a straightforward approach to preparing this Mexican favorite.

DUTCH OVEN ENCHILADAS

This chicken enchilada recipe uses a mild cream-based green chili sauce that's a refreshing change from the heavier red chili sauce. For a creamer texture, substitute half-and-half for the milk in the recipe. Imitation crab can also be used in place of chicken for seafood enchiladas.

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1-1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
2 (4-ounce) cans diced green peppers
1-1/4 pounds diced pre-cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
5 corn tortillas
Cilantro leaves and sour cream for garnish

Use a 12-inch Dutch oven for this recipe. Ignite 25 to 30 charcoal briquettes and let them burn until they are barely covered with ash, about 20 minutes. For a 350-degree oven, you'll need 8 briquettes underneath and 17 on top of the oven. You may need several extra briquettes underneath the oven while preparing the sauce.

Arrange 14 briquettes underneath oven in a circle. Melt butter in the oven. Add onions and sweat. Add the garlic and sweat until you smell them. Stir in flour and spices; cook roux about 5 to 10 minutes, but do not brown. Add stock and milk; cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add chicken and half of the cheese to the sauce; simmer until cheese melts. Remove half of the meat and sauce mixture into a bowl. Tear or cut tortillas into wedges. Arrange half of the tortilla wedges over the meat mixture in the oven. Spoon the remaining meat mixture over the tortillas. Arrange remaining tortilla wedges over meat mixture.

Place lid on oven. Remove 6 briquettes from underneath oven and place them on lid. Place 11 additional briquettes on lid and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, until sauce bubbles. (You will have 8 briquettes underneath and 17 on top.) (Or bake in a 350-degree oven.) Sprinkle remaining cheese over enchiladas. Cover; bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes to melt cheese. Garnish each serving with cilantro leaf and sour cream dollop. Serves 5 to 6.

Serve enchiladas with cilantro lime rice and cucumber relish (recipes follow).

CILANTRO LIME RICE

If you tire of eating Mexican or Spanish rice that's made with a hearty red sauce, you'll enjoy cilantro lime rice. Simply cook a dish of white rice. When it's nice and fluffy, toss in lime juice, chopped cilantro and lime zest. You can use you favorite recipe for white rice or this recipe.

1 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup minced onions
2 cloves minced garlic
1-1/2 cups medium grain rice
2-7/8 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoon lime juice (or the juice of 1 lime)
1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Use a 10-inch Dutch oven for this recipe. Ignite 21 charcoal briquettes and let them burn until they are barely covered with ash, about 20 minutes. For a 350-degree oven, you'll need 7 briquettes underneath and 14 on top of the oven.

Arrange 7 briquettes underneath oven in a circle. Pour oil in oven and heat. Add onions and sweat. Add garlic and sweat until you smell them. Add rice and coat with oil. Add water, salt and pepper.

Place lid on oven. Arrange 14 briquettes on lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until done. Fluff rice and mix in cilantro, juice and zest. Serves four to six.

CUCUMBER RELISH

Cucumber relish can be used in place of salsa or served on the side as a salad.

2 peeled and seeded cucumbers
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 fluid ounces white wine vinegar
3 fl. oz. water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 diced shallot or 1/4 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Mix all ingredients together. Add additional sugar if you desire a sweeter relish. Chill in cooler until ready to serve. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.

Still want to roll tortillas?

C.W. "Butch" Welch, author of Cee Dub's Dutch Oven and Other Camp Cookin' and More Cee Dub's Dutch Oven and Other Camp Cookin', has a simple method for rolling enchiladas. He uses burrito-sized flour tortillas instead of corn.

Cee Dub –– as he affectionately known by his readers –– says: "To roll my enchiladas, I place the lid of a 12-inch Dutch oven with handle towards the burner on my propane cookstove. I turn the stove on low. After the lid heats up, I place each tortilla on the lid to warm them up. Ten seconds to the side should be about right. Once warmed, they are quite pliable.

"Then I place two to three tablespoons of filling in a line a couple inches from one side. First, I fold the side over the filling. Next, I tuck each end in before rolling it the rest of the way closed. I lay them with the exposed flap down on a plate or cookie sheet for a few minutes to cool. I put enough enchilada sauce in the bottom of the Dutch oven before I place the enchiladas in. On occasion, I've done two layers, but I prefer to just use one layer. Then I pour the remainder of my sauce over the enchiladas."

You can order Cee Dub's books and videos from www.ceedubs.com.

I adapted these recipes from other sources. Sunset Magazine originally published the recipe for Dutch oven chicken enchiladas in its June 1985 issue. The recipe is attributed to Salmon River Outfitters from Columbia, Calif. The recipes for cilantro lime rice and cucumber relish were adapted for Dutch ovens from the New Professional Chef, 6th edition.

Spinach and rice gratin

I prepared this spinach and rice gratin last week at work as a side dish. I enjoy it because the flavor of the spinach predominates.

SPINACH AND RICE GRATIN

Press as much liquid from spinach as possible before combining with egg, rice and Bechamel sauce. Top with Gruyere cheese for additional flavor. Bake a half recipe in greased 9x13-inch pan.

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup diced onion, small dice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart milk, heated
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 bay leaves
1 cup Parmesan cheese
6 large eggs, whipped
1 quart cooked rice
6 pounds frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add onions and sweat until translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour to form roux. Continue cooking for 2 additional minutes.

Add milk and stir to combine. Add ground clove, nutmeg, bay leaves and Parmesan cheese. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and cool.

Meanwhile, combine whipped eggs and cooled rice in large bowl. Slowly add cooled Bechamel to rice mixture, stirring constantly. Fold in pressed and drained spinach.

Transfer spinach mixture to greased 12x20x2-inch hotel pan. Bake in 350-degree oven, uncovered, until hot and bubbling, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan cheese. Evenly sprinkle bread crumb mixture over spinach. Return to oven and continue baking until bread crumbs brown.

Cut each 12x20x2-inch hotel pan into 24 squares (4x6). Serve 1 square per portion.

Deep dish pizza rice revisited

I first made my Dutch oven deep dish pizza rice on a camping trip to the North California coast in July 2006. My then 14-year-old son Jacob devoured two hefty helpings as he mumbled "This is good!" over and over.

Now that he's 18 and growing. He asked for "that pizza stuff" several times this week on our camping trip to South Lake Tahoe. I prepared the dish in a 10-inch Dutch oven for the second time last night.

Here's my revised recipe. I didn't change too much from the original recipe that was posted on July 26, 2010. I added half of a 3-ounce bag of baby spinach and used prepared pizza sauce in place of pesto.

Heat 1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 10-inch Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sweat until translucent.

Add rice and stir to coat with oil. Fry rice while stirring frequently until it takes on a light-brown color. Add 4 ounces each pre-cooked Italian sausage and peperoni. Cut the peperoni into quarters or chop as desired. Reserve 13 peperoni slices for the final step.

Add about 3 ounces of washed and dried baby spinach to the rice. Continue cooking for several minutes to wilt the rice. Many other green vegetables will work in place of spinach. I'd like to try broccoli rabe, cut into 2-inch pieces next time.

My three-year-old granddaughter didn't flinch at the sight of cooked spinach last night! She matched her uncle bite-for-bite (adjusted for age, of course!).

Combine 2-1/2 cups chicken stock, 1/2-cup prepared pizza sauce and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Pour into rice mixture and stir. Cover with lid. Bake 20 minutes or until rice is done. Use coals for approximately 350 degrees (5 charcoal briquettes under the oven and 16 on lid in temperate weather).

When done, spread 1-1/2 cups shredded cheese over the rice. Arrange the reserved 13 peperoni slices over the rice. Return lid to oven and continue baking until cheese is melted.

Enjoy! Serves a family of four to six. Multiply the recipe one and one-half times for a 12-inch Dutch oven.

To Lib: Use a three or four-quart home Dutch oven for the casserole. Sweat onions on the burner, saute rice, wilt spinach, then add pizza sauce and stock and bring to a boil. Cover and place in a 350-degree oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Top with cheese and peperoni and finish in oven.

Camp 2008 -- Menu for the senior banquet

The theme for this years Thursday-night senior banquet at camp is safari. I've been working on a menu that will appeal to the high school-aged campers and give them the look and feel of a meal they could receive on an African safari.

Authenticity isn't a big concern. My main concern is to give the kids familiar foods. My goal is to take common American food ingredients, like chicken breasts, and flavor them with spices and ingredients that are commonly found on a safari.

While writing the menu, I envisioned safari meals being cooked by a native chef who uses familiar African flavors to spice up meals that safari-goers know and love. I've built the menu on common African ingredients like long-grain rice, peanuts (or groundnuts), yams and chicken. Spices like curry, coriander and cardamon will booth the flavor-profile of the menu.

Here's the basic menu. Although I may change a few things before July, the basic menu for the banquet will remain.

• Safari chicken -- I've adapted the common African stew with peanut sauce for the banquet. Instead of making a stew, I will pound and run a mixture of salt, pepper, curry and garlic on each chicken breast. After grilling on the barbecue, the chicken will be finished in the oven (until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.). If we serve family style, I may plate the breasts over a bed of sauteed spinach.
  
• African red sauce -- The sauce will be a combination of aromatics (onion, garlic and green bell peppers) sauteed in olive oil, fresh tomatoes, stock, peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil and hot pepper sauce. I'll spoon it over the chicken breasts and place bowls on the table.
  
• Jollof rice pilaf -- "Jollof rice," according to Wikipedia, "is a popular dish all over West Africa. Its base consists of rice, tomatoes and tomato paste, onion, salt, and chili pepper, to which optional ingredients can be added such as vegetables, meats, and other spices." I may add black or red beans to the dish.
  
• Roasted yams -- Since this common African food may not be as popular with campers, I'll prepare it in smaller quantities. A butter and honey simple glaze will add a wonderful flavor to the yams.
  
• Dessert -- Even though I haven't fully landed on a dessert yet, one chef on another website suggested something made with pumpkin, another common ingredient. He said that a pumpkin cheesecake tart may hit the spot.

These are just a few ideas among many that I could use. I'll report back later in July after the banquet. In the meantime, please leave your comments and any additional ideas for the meal.

Chicken with Rice

Blog no. 16 is eradicating the teenage I'm-so-hungry-I-could-eat-a-cow blues ...

If I were looking to put some weight on my 16-year-old son, I'd feed him a steady diet of tacos, rice and pizza. Jake's slemder waist could stand a few more inches.

My menu has proven an effect weapon against teenage hunger more than once. Serve these foods to him and he's a happy camper.

Like many teenagers, fish tacos are out. I take few chances. Three or four ground beef tacos piled with shredded cheddar or pepper jack will satisfy him for an evening.

And the pizza must be pepperoni. He'll tolerate sausage. But mushrooms, olives and peppers are out.

Jake has never been a potato eater like his sisters. He's always favored rice. Any pilaf-style rice catches his attention.

"Dad, that was good," Jake remarked as he finished his second helping when I served baked chicken and rice last week. I barely had enough for my lunch the next day.

This evening I prepared chicken with rice recipe in my grandmother's old fry skillet. The recipe, adapted from Sunset Magazine, had been sitting in my clipping file since May 2004. It's identical to the dish that I often cook for the family.

Chicken with rice is a versatile one-pot meal. You saute the chicken in the pot first, set it aside and prepare the rice. After adding chicken broth and flavorings, set the chicken in a single layer on top. Everything bakes together. The poultry imparts a rich chicken flavor to the casserole.

So, if you need a dish to satisfy teenage hunger pains, or just have a family to feed, chicken with rice will fit the bill.

CHICKEN AND RICE

Use about 2-1/2 pounds diced pre-cooked chicken in place of the thighs if desired. This is a good way to use leftover chicken. To prepare, skip the first two steps. Proceed with the onions, chilies and garlic. Stir chicken in with the broth and tomatoes. Bake as instructed, being careful not to overcook the chicken.

8 chicken thighs (about 6-ounces each)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 fresh jalapeno chilies, seeded and sliced
1-1/2 cup long-grain rice
2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with chilies
1-3/4 cups frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Remove skin from chicken. Trim and discard excess fat. Rub chili powder all over chicken. Heat oil in 7-quart Dutch oven (or 12-inch camp oven) over medium-high heat.

Add chicken in a single layer and turn as need to brown both sides, about 10 to 12 minutes. Brown in 2 batches, if necessary to avoid over-crowding. Transfer to a plate.

Add onion, garlic and chilies to pan. Stir often until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add rice and stir until opaque. Add broth, tomatoes, corn and cilantro. Bring to a boil over high heat. Season with salt to taste.

Lay chicken over rice in Dutch oven. Cover and bake in a 350-degree oven until chicken is tender and chicken is done, about 30 minutes. Serve 1 or 2 pieces of chicken to each diner. Save leftover rice for lunches and late-night snacks.

Rice Pilaf

Rice pilaf is the perfect accompaniment to many Dutch oven entrees. It’s easy to prepare and the cast iron Dutch oven adds an element of forgiveness. You can forget the rice for a few minutes, and it’ll still come out light and fluffy.

To cook wonderful pilaf, lightly browning rice in hot oil. The browned grain gives off a nutty flavor that compliments the stock that’s used to cook the rice. For perfect rice, boil the stock before adding it to the browned rice and sauteed vegetables.

I rarely cook this dish the same way twice. I often use use my basic rice pilaf recipe to get rid of leftover condiments and salsa from the refrigerator.

Today at the El Dorado Western Railway engine house, I added two chopped roasted red peppers from a jar that's been in the cooler for several months. I will often replace up to one-third of the broth with a liquid-based flavor enhancing condiment. My favorites are salsa, tomato sauce and sundried tomato pesto.

RICE PILAF

This recipe prepares enough for 12 persons. Figure about 1/4-cup raw long-grain rice per serving.

3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large roasted red peppers, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2-1/2 cups long grain rice
4-3/4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Pour oil in 12-inch Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Add onions and sweat. Add garlic and sweat until soft. Add rice, coat with oil and lightly saute until rice is a light brown color. Add broth, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Place lid on oven. Arrange 7 charcoal briquettes under the oven and 15 on lid. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until done. Fluff rice. Serves 12.

Deep Dish Pizza Rice Entree

Three times during dinner my son pronounced, "This is good!" He backed his words with action and ate two hefty portions.

Deep dish rice pizza grew out of a desire to bake a pizza in the Dutch oven last night. But a dead laptop battery prevented me from searching for a recipe.

The recipe that I could find was one for 100 servings on the Palm Pilot. That wouldn't work. The recipe was written for weights, not measures. And I didn't want to break the dough recipe down to one pie.

Also on the Palm Pilot was a "pizza" recipe that I clipped from Food Management magazine several years ago. Thomas Long created this dish for the Milton Hershey Schools in Hershey, Penn.

Give it a try. This deep dish "pizza" is good. You find yourself reaching for seconds.

DEEP DISH PIZZA RICE ENTREE

Don't add any additional oil to the recipe. Pesto has sufficient oil to sweat the onions and garlic.

1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups long-grain rice
4 ounces sliced pepperoni, cut into quarters
4 ounces Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2-1/2 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Use a 10-inch Dutch oven for this recipe. Ignite 21 charcoal briquettes and let them burn until they are barely covered with ash, about 20 minutes. For a 350-degree oven, you'll need 5 briquettes underneath and 16 on top of the oven.

Arrange 16 briquettes underneath oven in a checkerboard pattern. Pour about 1 tablespoon of pesto oil into oven and heat. Add onions and garlic and sweat until translucent. Add rice and stir to coat with oil.

Add pepperoni, sausage, pesto, oregano and broth. Stir. Place lid on oven. Remove 11 briquettes from underneath the oven and set aside. Arrange remaining 5 briquettes underneath oven in a circle. Arrange 16 briquettes on lid. Replace lid and cook for about 20 minutes, until done.

Top with cheeses and bake an additional 5-7 minutes, until cheese melts. Top cheese with additional pepperoni slices before baking if desired. Serves 6.

Grilled Leg Of Lamb With Rosemary, Roasted Pears, and Black Pepper Polenta

Unlike Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner was a little more adventuresome, but not by much. Those in attendance -- my parents and brother David's family -- all enjoy a good leg of lamb, especially one that's roasted over a fire.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB WITH ROSEMARY, ROASTED PEARS, AND BLACK PEPPER POLENTA

Have your butcher butterfly the lamb for you. I added the juice from one lemon to the oil and garlic mixture.

1 head garlic, cloves removed and peeled
2 fresh rosemary sprig, needles stripped from stem, plus 8 sprig
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
5 to 7 pound leg of lamb, boned butterflied and surface fat removed
Salt and pepper
8 red-skinned pears
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 fresh rosemary sprig
Black Pepper Polenta, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a blender, combine the garlic, rosemary, and 3/4-cup of oil; season with salt and pepper. Puree until everything comes together to form a paste; set aside for a few minutes to let the flavors marry.

Lay the lamb out flat, open like a book. Score the surface lightly with a paring knife. Rub the lamb with the garlic paste, being sure to get in the incisions. Roll up the lamb and tie with butcher's twine to hold the roast together.

Prepare an outdoor gas or charcoal grill. Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper, and then place it on the hot grill (put it on the top rack if you are using a gas grill). Sear the outside of the meat, turning, until brown all around, but do not char. Close the grill cover and roast for 30 minutes. The lamb is done when the center is still pink and the internal temperature reads 135 degrees. Allow the lamb to stand 10 minutes to let the juices settle before cutting off the twine and slicing.

To prepare the pears, halve the pears lengthwise and cut out the cores. Place the pears face down on a baking pan. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons of oil, toss the 8 rosemary sprig on top, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pears are fork tender.

To serve, spoon some polenta on the base of the plate and lay a few slices of the lamb on top; drizzle with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Put a pear on each plate, face up, and drizzle them with balsamic vinegar. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.

SOFT POLENTA WITH PARMESAN AND BLACK PEPPER

2 quarts chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups polenta or yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, bring the chicken stock and salt to a boil. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal in a slow steady stream. The liquid will be absorbed and the cornmeal will lock up; don't freak, just whisk through it. Lower the heat and continue to whisk until the polenta is thick and smooth, about 20 minutes. Add the cream and butter; continue to stir until incorporated, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, fold in the Parmesan and black pepper and serve.

This recipe by Tyler Florence was adapted from the Food Network website.

Spicy Polenta Lasagna

The El Dorado Western Railway Foundation held its annual Christmas party and pot luck dinner last Thursday. We offered spicy polenta lasagna, made from Italian sausage and store-bought polenta. Spicy polenta lasagna is adapted from an Associated Press recipe in the October 19, 2005 Sacramento Bee Taste section.

SPICY POLENTA LASAGNA

Use a 12-inch Dutch oven for a double recipe.

8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
1 medium onion, diced
1 (14-1/2 ounce) diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons butter
1 (18-ounce) tube prepared polenta, cut into 1-2-inch thick slices
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook sausage until well-browned in 10-inch Dutch oven medium heat. Break up sausage as it cooks. (Remove casings from meat first if using links.) Remove sausage to bowl.

In drippings remaining in Dutch oven, cook onion until softened over medium heat. Add to bowl with sausage. Stir in tomatoes and their liquid, hot pepper sauce and parsley.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet. Cook polenta, half at a time, until browned on both sides. Repeat with remaining butter and polenta slices. Set polenta aside on plate.

Spoon half of the sausage mixture into Dutch oven. Top with half of polenta slices and half of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat layer again, ending with Parmesan cheese.

Bake 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling. Serves 4.