Recipes Ragout of Chicken with Potatoes and Chorizo Be the first to rate & review! Buying whole chickens and cutting them up at home isn't just economical; it also yields trimmings that make the sauce extra flavorful. Amazing Chicken Recipes By Julian Serrano Julian Serrano F&W Star Chef » See All F&W Chef Superstars Chef: Julian Serrano Restaurants: Julian Serrano at the ARIA Resort & Casino, Picasso at the Bellagio (Las Vegas) Experience: Masa (San Francisco) EDUCATION: Escuela Gastronomie P.P.O. (Marbella, Spain) What was the first dish you ever cooked yourself? And what is the best dish for a neophyte cook to try? The Christmas after I went to culinary school, I asked my mother to let me cook the Christmas dinner. I made red snapper with olive oil and herbs in a clay pot, but it was the last time I cooked there, because I made a big mess. For a beginner, I won’t say make any one dish, but whatever you make, do it many times. Choose something you like to eat, and then practice. Favorite cookbook of all time? My favorite is Modernist Cuisine by Nathan Myhrvold. It’s fantastic. I haven’t had time to read the whole thing, but he did an incredible job. He didn’t do it for fame or money. He did it for passion. I’ve known Nathan for 30 years. He’s always had such great passion. What's the most important skill you need to be a great cook? You need passion. If you don’t have that, forget it. Cooking is demanding, whether or not you’re the boss. And there’s constant pressure. It’s not like being a rock and roll singer where you can make a good album every seven years. In cooking, you’re only as good as your last meal. Is there a culinary skill or type of dish that you wish you were better at? All of them. In life, in everything you do, you always have to improve every day. What is the best bang-for-the-buck ingredient and how do you use it? One of my favorite dishes uses three bang-for-the-buck ingredients: chorizo with potatoes and eggs. It’s inexpensive and delightful. It’s good all the time—in the morning, at night, in the afternoon. What is your current food obsession? Tapas, because you can try different dishes without spending a lot of time or money. Tapas encourages sharing food and company. It’s very important. It’s how I grew up in Spain, sharing food and conversation. Best bang-for-the-buck food trip—where would you go and why? I think Spain. There are still a lot of areas that are undiscovered, with cheap, great quality food. Go to the tavernas, which are small bars with only one cook who does five dishes, and they’re excellent. It’s true everywhere in Spain. What is the most cherished souvenir you've brought back from a trip? I like to bring spices back. I went to a market in Jerez de la Frontera, a medieval market town, and I came back with spices and snails. I bought 16 different spices. With spices, you don’t have to deal with customs. What do you consider your other talent(s) besides cooking? I think I’m a good father. My daughter is 27 and she lives in Brooklyn. I always try to be consistent at work, to have a good energy. I’m a good tennis player too. I don’t know how to sit still. If you could invent a restaurant for your next (imaginary) project, what would it be? It would be a tapas restaurant, accessible to everybody, whether they have five minutes or two hours, $10 or $1000, they will all be welcomed the same. I’d do it in Las Vegas. It’s a good place to have a restaurant. If you were going to take Thomas Keller, Anthony Bourdain or Mario Batali out to eat, whom would you choose, and where would you eat? I’d take Mario and bring him to Julian Serrano, and we’d have a meal together. I’d make him tapas. If you were facing an emergency and could only take one backpack of supplies, what would you bring, and what would you make? I would take non-perishable food, so dry pasta, water, a pan, olive oil and salt. With this I can be in the desert for a few days. What ingredient will people be talking about in five years? It’s hard to say. Trendy ingredients are funny. Kale— ten years ago, no one used it, maybe a little in soup, but raw kale? You give it to someone and they’d say no. My daughter was the one who taught me about kale. What do you eat straight out of the fridge, standing up? What is your favorite snack? I eat plain yogurt, any brand. My favorite snack is Marcona almonds and any sour onion potato chips, which are my enemy. I start and I cannot stop. Best new store-bought ingredient/product, and why? It’s not new, but without salt, food is nothing. I like raw salt, which is lighter. As I get older, I’ve been using less salt. I do love sea salt, which lightens my food. Do you have any food superstitions or pre- or post- shift rituals? When I arrive at the restaurant, I say hi to every cook and shake hands. I do that every day. It makes everyone feel good. If the night has been hard and people have been working very well, I go and say “great job.” It makes them feel good and makes me feel good too. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 27, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Amy Neunsinger Yield: 10 Ingredients Two 3 1/2 -pound chickens, necks, gizzards and hearts reserved 1 carrot, coarsely chopped 1 shallot, halved 4 cups water 10 medium fingerling potatoes (about 1 pound) 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure olive oil 1 pound medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 -inch chunks 1 pound medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2 -inch chunks Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 pound chorizo 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2 -inch chunks 1 large onion, coarsely chopped 2 large garlic cloves, minced 2 large tomatoes—peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 bay leaves 1 thyme sprig Directions Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbones of both chickens. Remove the backbones and cut each one into 3 pieces. Cut off the chicken wing tips, then cut each chicken into 8 pieces. Put the backbones and wing tips in a large saucepan along with the reserved necks, gizzards and hearts. Add the carrot, shallot and water, cover and bring to a simmer over moderately low heat. Cook until the water is reduced to 3 cups, about 1 hour. Strain the broth, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until just tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let cool slightly, then peel them. Cut the potatoes in half if they seem large. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add the potatoes and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a large plate. Add 2 more tablespoons of the olive oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering. Add the zucchini and yellow squash chunks, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the potatoes on the plate. Pierce the chorizo and add it to the skillet. Cook the chorizo over moderately high heat, turning, until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and cut it into 1/4-inch slices. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Spread the flour on a plate. Add the chicken, a few pieces at a time, and coat with the flour, shaking off any excess. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add half the chicken pieces to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat until crisp and golden all over, about 8 minutes; transfer to a large platter. Repeat the process with another 1/4 cup of olive oil and the remaining chicken. 7. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the red bell peppers, onion and garlic and cook over moderately low heat, stirring often, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Raise the heat to moderately high and add the tomatoes, white wine, bay leaves and thyme sprig. Simmer the mixture until the liquid is nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the browned chicken pieces along with the reserved 3 cups of broth and bring back to a simmer. Cover partially and cook over low heat until the chicken is tender when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Add the cooked chorizo to the casserole and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked potatoes, zucchini and squash and cook over moderate heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the ragout to a platter and serve. Make Ahead The chicken ragout can be refrigerated overnight. Rewarm the ragout gently before serving. Suggested Pairing The simple flavors of this hearty chicken ragout point toward a subtle Burgundy-style red wine. Rate it Print