Kentucky Bluegrass Burgoo

February 10, 2015

So what in the world is Burgoo.  At first I thought it was just a weird word for this dish, but it turns out that Burgoo is a type of stew.  It's popular in the mid-west and the south as a "social stew" served at fundraisers or other such events.  If you're a teacher or have small kids around or like traditional folktales you might have come across one called Stone Soup.  It's the story of a young stranger who is hungry and tricks the locals into making dinner.  He puts in a stone and then all the townspeople put something else in it until there is a wonderful stew cooking that everyone enjoys.  A Burgoo is exactly that.  It's a kind of stew that uses whatever ingredients are available at the time and is used as a community builder. Originally it would use various types of meats such as squirrel, rabbit among the more unusual and of course the familiar... pork, beef or poultry.

I found this dish to be very filling and enjoyable without too many calories.  You might want to accompany the stew with cornbread. Also, it should be noted that this dish is equally if not better the next day.

Kentucky Bluegrass Burgoo

GTLF: Chicken Breast p. 29

2 tablespoons flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 bone in chicken breast halves (about 1.5 pounds total) skinned

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1/2 pound small red potatoes, cut into 1/2 in. dice

2 bell peppers, preferably 1 red and 1 yellow, cut into 1 in. squares

3 tablespoons bourbon, scotch, or brandy

14 1/2 oz. can no slat added stewed tomatoes, chopped with their juices

1 C frozen lima beans

3/4 tsp dried thyme

3/4 tsp hot pepper sauce

1 C frozen corn kernels

1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

1. On  sheet of waxed paper, combine the flour, 1/4 tsp of the salt, and 1/4 tsp of the black pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp. of the oil until hot but not smoking over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 2 min. per side. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the remaining 1 tsp oil to the skillet along with the onion and potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, about 7 min. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are crisp tender, about 4 min. Add the bourbon, increase the heat to high, and cook until the bourbon is evaporated, about 2 min.

3. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, the lima beans, thyme, hot pepper sauce, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 2/3 C of water and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the pan, cover, and cook until the beans are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 15 min. Stir in the corn and cook, uncovered, just until the corn is warmed through, about 2 min. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 min.

Nutritional Information: 6 g fat, 379 calories, 0.9 g sat fat, 44 g carbohydrate, 33 g protein, 65 mg cholesterol, 558 mg sodium.

Tips:

1. Of course, read the recipe carefully, it says to add the corn at the end, but I put it in along with the other vegetables.  I'm sure as I gain experience with cooking I'll find out why that makes a difference.

2. Note how the ingredients are divided... salt, pepper and oil are used in sections... be aware so you don't mix them all together at the wrong times... You need some salt and pepper for the dredging of the chicken and then again for the sauce... and you need some oil for the frying of the chicken and then some more for the sauteing of the vegetables...