Chicken Marbella & Frozen Lemon Meringue Pie

I am always asked for chicken recipes. I completely understand! Chicken has so much potential and is probably one of the most versatile foods out there because of its ability to take on flavors and different types of cooking methods. The sad news is, once we have a recipe we like, we stick with it over…and over…and over again. And we all know what happens when we eat the SAME food constantly, no matter how much you like it, it will become boring. More than any other food out there, I probably can say that I have the most fun inventing new types of chicken recipes. I call it “whatever you can find in the fridge put it in the chicken.” I usually always include a little leftover wine from Shabbat because it gives the chicken such a nice savory flavor. One of my all time favorite recipes is Chicken Marbella. The olives, wine, and prunes gives it that sweet and salty flavor making it incredibly juicy and savory. Enjoy all the flavors this chicken has to offer!

This recipe is great eaten alone, with rice/orzo or potatoes. And don’t worry if you have leftovers (which you most likely won’t), it is actually better, in my opinion, the day after when reheated or eaten cold.

On another note, I am having this tonight for dinner at my Shabbos table. This is a sneak peak for anyone coming tonight 🙂

Chicken Marbella

2 Chickens (16 pieces)

1 Head of Garlic, minced

¼ C. Dried Oregeno

S+P

½ C. Red Wine Vinegar

½ C. Olive Oil

1 C. Prunes (Or as i like to say, dried plums)

½ C. Spanish Green Olives

½ C. Capers and a bit of juice

6 Bay Leaves

3/4 C. Brown Sugar (or 1/2 C. Agave)

1 C. White Wine

¼ C. Fresh Cilantro or Parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients together (except last 3) and marinate overnight. Put in pan and sprinkle on the brown sugar and wine. Bake for 1 hour, basting with the juices. Sprinkle on the garnish.

FROZEN LEMON MERINGUE

One day, in a very tiny apartment in NYC, my sister and I were enjoying a fabulous piece of fresh lemon meringue pie.  Savoring each bite, we thought “It couldn’t get better than this!”  The tangy lemon filling, contrasted by the sweet meringue top, finished off by the flaky buttery crust. Suddenly an idea popped in our heads…the only way this could be ANY better was if it were FROZEN!! Genius!

It might be a Barnett thing, but the rule is, (almost) any dessert is better frozen.  Chocolate chip cookies (or any kind of cookie), gushers (that ones for my sis Becca), chocolate…
The only thing we regret is not thinking of this sooner.

Lemon Meringue Pie
Pastry for single pie crust (on bottom)

3/4 C. Fresh Lemon Juice (5 lemons) and 1 T. Peel, zested (1 Lemon) 

1/3 C. Cornstarch

Pinch of Salt

1 C. Sugar + 1/2 C. Sugar

1 ½ C. Water
2 T. Earth Balance Butter

3 Egg Yolk

4 Egg Whites

¼ t. Cream of Tarter

Make dough and chill.  Preheat oven to 425.  Meanwhile, take a 9X13 pan and cover the bottom with foil till it overlaps on all edges (this will make taking the bars out the pan easy).  Spray the foil with Pam.  Take the dough out of the fridge and press it into the bottom of the foil lined pan till it covers the bottom.  Bake 20 minutes till lightly golden.  Turn oven to 400.

Zest the lemon peel and squeeze the lemon juice, reserve for later.  In a 2 QT. saucepan, mix cornstarch,   pinch of salt, and 1 C. Sugar; stir in water.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, stir in small amount of the hot cornstarch mixture until blended; slowly pour egg-yolk mixture back into the hot cornstarch mixture in the saucepan, stirring rapidly to prevent curdling (no scrambled eggs!).   Place saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes, until thick.  Remove from heat and stir in butter, lemon juice and peel.  Pour into cooled pie crust.

In a small bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted.  Gradually sprinkle in remaining ½ C. Sugar, 2 T. at a time, beating until sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites stand in stiff peaks when beaters are lifted. 

Spread meringue over filling to the edge of the crust (meringue shrinks when cooked).  Swirl the meringue with the back of a spoon to make an attractive top.  Bake 10 minutes, until meringue is golden.  When pie is cool, freeze.  When ready to serve, take the foil out of the pan and cut into bars. 

Best Pie Crust in The World
Makes 1 Pie Crust (I usually make a few batches at a time and freeze them.  They freeze great!)

1 ¼ C. Flour

¼ t. Salt

6 T. Earth Balance Shortening

3-5 T. Ice Water

Process the flour, salt, and shortening in a blender or with a pastry blender.  Sprinkle in ice water till a ball is formed.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. 

Frozen Lemon Meringue Pie…Mission accomplished!

On another note: In the culinary world….I finished Module 1!!  Aced my test and I am 1/5 of the way to becoming Chef Ali!