Monday, January 4, 2010

Chicken Thighs with Balsamic Onion & Leek Relish

Your long nutritional nightmare is over, I have returned.

Now, I could tell you that I have come back from roaming the desert, hirsute and messianic, but that wouldn't be exactly accurate. I could tell you that I've been on a sabbatical, contemplating ways to redesign and improve this page, but that would be a lie as well.

The truth is that for the last few weeks I've been throwing the internet equivalent of a hissy fit. That's right, I've been sitting in the corner with my pot and pan and pouting. For over 200 hundred posts, I've given you stories and recipes, trivial entertainment and food. What have I gotten in return?






That's right - Nothing.

No love. No hate. Barely a word. Ever!

I'm not doing this for the spare change that traffic generates. I'm obviously not doing it for the fame or else I'd let you know who I am. No, I do this because I like to write and I like to cook. But here's the catch - I can do all that without coming here! I don't have to post, I'll still have stories, I'll still eat. Without some feedback from CrabNation it feels like I'm just shouting at the ocean.

Well that changes today! I may be your Doyen of the Dinner Table, your King of the Cuisinart, but I am not simply some Pretty Pooh-Bah of Pot Roast. I need feedback. I don't care if you love the recipes or hate them. I don't care if you find my stories humorous, touching or offensive. I do care if you are breathing.

I am all things Crabby! I am Lord and Master of all I survey. I am your Suzerain of The Saute Pan. I am a benevolent tyrant but I still expect fealty. My initial idea was to demand annual tribute in the form of a jewel encrusted bird, a falcon, but SSSal felt that excessive. So instead I have deigned to give you one more chance. I will write, you will comment. That's the deal. Google accounts are free and anonymous. If you possess the computer expertise to visit this site then you possess the technical ability necessary to leave a note.

In an effort to show that I am merciful, today I give you a recipe that is easy and comes with a touch of sweetness. Chicken Thighs with Balsamic Onion & Leek Relish was a huge hit with CC2. Please enjoy...


Chicken Thighs with Balsamic Onion & Leek Relish
adapted and adjusted by Crabby from Cooking Light

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 leek, white & some light green parts, thoroughly cleaned and chopped
1 pound sweet onion such as Vidalia, diced
4 ( 6 ounce ) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar, divided
Chopped parsley, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat.

When hot, saute the onions until they are soft and golden, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken and seasonings to the pan and sprinkle with 4 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until chicken is done.

Uncover, increase heat to high and cook until liquid is nearly evaporated.

Remove from heat, sprinkle with the last teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and serve over steamed Jasmati or Texmati rice.


There, that wasn't so bad was it.

Alright, now it's your turn. Even after all this time, remember, you can do it, you can cook.


8 comments:

Robina said...

Okay, I confess... I have been a member of the Silent Majority. But no more!
I have also been lazy about cooking. I know I have a lot of other things going on at the moment, but lazy about cooking still stands.
I am going to drag out a recipe I've not yet tried from the RSS feed pile (I have all of them) and take a swing at something new. And I will post my opinion, joys of success or diatribes of failure...
Robino

Vicki said...

I'm sorry, O Crabby One! I read, I appreciate, yet I hold my tongue. I humbly beg your forgiveness. (Leek relish? Yes, please.)

Mags @ the Other Side of 50 said...

Your absence was definitely noticed. I missed reading your posts! Had I known all that was required was consistent commenting, I'd have made you #1 on my speed comment dial months ago.

Welcome back! And how about returning the favor and commenting on my little piece of the blogosphere as well?

Anonymous said...

Crabby! Oh Pretty Poobah of the Pot Roast! You're back! You were missed. I've been pondering the possible reasons for your absence. Just yesterday I looked up your Meyer Lemon Buttermilk Pudding Cake, and made it, and also printed out your mushroom soup recipe to gather ingredients next time I shop ... Thank you for returning. Pull up a chair, have a glass of wine, stay a while ...

Yesica N. Cook said...

Please don't be mad at us, we're just lame! Anyone who writes a food post that includes "hirsute" and "messianic" is to be treasured. All my (non) commenters are lame too, btw, it's an epidemic.

Anonymous said...

FWIW, I make your Tuscan Bread Soup nearly once a week and have cooked about a half dozen of your other recipes. You post some good stuff.

I think part of why you don't get as many comments as you like is that (1) you don't update very often, and (2) your nature as a "crabby" cook may render you a bit, err, "unapproachable." You're a great writer and I really like your style, but I think many people just aren't used to this sort of writing in a food blog and don't "get it." People are used to hearing about how "fantastic" and "great" everything is, and probably don't know what to make of posts that entail five paragraphs of complaints, mockery, and sulking followed by a kulebyaka recipe.

In sum, welcome back and I will try to comment more from now on.

Unknown said...

So glad you started posting again, this is the most interesting food blog on the web, keep it up!

Anonymous said...

Just found your site and am loving it. Thanks for posting the swiss chard recipe/soy sauce recipe. I looked all over the internet for it and this was the only place I found it. Which, of course, got me browsing. I'll be trying the quinoa chili and this balsamic chicken soon. Anyway, thanks for the great posts and recipes.