Even as we planned the Food Bloggers for Texas event week before last, Hurricane Irma started bearing down on the Caribbean and Florida. By the time we posted, she had arrived and wreaked her damage. As a group we all agreed that another recipe post was in order, along with the added links to ways we can all help in the recovery from Irma.
It was easy to choose a recipe to share for the Texas post. After all, I grew up in Houston. I know quite a few Texas recipes, like the Four-Alarm Texas Chili I ended up sharing. For a Florida recipe I turned to my new favorite cookbook, Orange Appeal, written by my friend, Jamie Schler, and photographed by her alter ego, the very talented Ilva Beretta.
Jamie grew up among the Florida citrus groves the state is so rightly proud of and her recently released book is filled with delicious family-friendly recipes using all things orange.
So far, in addition to this fabulous baked chicken, I have tried the orange rosemary boule – a crusty French-style loaf, her rich Chocolate Orange Brownies, the mouthwatering Mediterranean Meatballs and, talk about fresh, the orange salad with sliced fennel, onions and carrots. If you haven’t bought your copy yet, here’s an Amazon affiliate link: http://amzn.to/2fiOKjQ Go buy Orange Appeal. You will not regret it!
Here are some links to organizations who need your help with Irma recovery efforts:
- Volunteer Florida
- Miami Diaper Bank
- Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida
- South Florida Wildlife Center
- Heart of Florida United Way
- All Faiths Food Bank
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
- Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
- Fondos Unidos
- Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
- St. John Community Foundation
- Anguilla Beaches
Jamie very kindly gave me permission to share the following gorgeous marmalade-glazed baked chicken recipe with you, in honor of relief efforts in her home state. Thanks, Jamie!
Ingredients - Serves 6
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large shallots, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine vinegar
2/3 cup (156 ml) light soy sauce
1 cup (12 1/2 ounces / 350 g) orange marmalade
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large whole chicken, cut into pieces, or 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and legs
Method
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, and cook the shallots over medium heat until soft and golden, 3–5 minutes. Stir in the ginger until dissolved then stir in the vinegar and boil vigorously until reduced by half, 2–3 minutes.
Add the soy sauce, marmalade, salt, and pepper and stir until smooth and the jam has dissolved.
As soon as the marinade comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. (This makes about 1 3/4 cups or 414ml marinade.)
Rinse and pat the chicken pieces dry, removing excess skin and fat pockets. Place chicken in a wide shallow bowl or a large sealable plastic bag. Pour the cooled marinade over the chicken, making sure the pieces are completely submerged. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, or seal the plastic bag tightly. Place in the refrigerator for several hours, or overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Prepare a large, shallow baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil, overlapping 2 extra-strong pieces of foil and folding over two or three times then pressing the seam flat. Oil the foil to keep the cooked chicken from sticking.
Arrange the chicken in 1 layer in the pan then spoon the marinade over the pieces. To avoid having too much marinade pooling in the bottom of the pan, spoon some over the chicken and spoon or brush more over the chicken once or twice during baking.
Bake for 35–45 minutes, until cooked through and beautifully glazed and browned. Keep an eye on the chicken toward the end of the baking time, as the marmalade will go from crispy to burned in a matter of minutes.
While the chicken is baking, place the remaining marinade in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until reduced to 1/2 to 2/3 cup (125 to 170 ml) and thickened.
Jamie's end note: For a wonderful variation on this recipe, prepare the marinade as indicated and set aside. Pan fry bone-in pork or lamb chops in olive oil. When the chops are done to your liking, remove them from the skillet to a plate and deglaze the skillet with a couple of tablespoons of sherry or orange juice, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom. Lower the heat under the pan, add the marinade and simmer until reduced and thickened, and then spoon over the chops to serve.
Enjoy!
Check out all of the recipes my fellow food bloggers are sharing today.
Pin it!
