Chicken with Mushrooms and Almonds

The Hippy boy has a little trouble with athlete's foot.  We were giving him advice and a hard time about his feet and his choice to always wear the sandals he wears.  He took it pretty well.  When he left to go home the slipped off his flip-flops and rubbed his feet on the grass saying, "Let's see if I can grow mushrooms on Dad's lawn." (have I told you how picky Dave is about his lawn?)  The boy laughed and jumped in his car and went home.

A couple days later, we were waiting for the Hippy Boy for dinner.  I had unearthed a slimy box of whole mushrooms from the back of the garage fridge and had a brilliant idea.  I decided to stand the mushrooms up in the grass where the Hboy had rubbed his feet.  The chick ran out to the front yard with me and helped.  We nestled the slimy mushrooms in the grass in a nice little mushroom circle and went back inside before the boy showed up.

When he arrived we told him about the mushrooms he had grown.  He didn't believe us.  "Look outside."  We all told him.  He looked out the window.  "No, I didn't do that?" he said in disbelief.
"Yep, that was all you.  And you know how your dad is about the grass." I answered.
He started to believe me.
"No, really.  Did I do that?" he was amazed.
"Athlete's foot is a fungus, and so are mushrooms.  You grew those."  I answered with a straight face.

He ran outside to see for himself.

When he got outside, he could tell those mushrooms were just placed in the grass, we all had a good laugh and moved on with dinner.

I really do love dinner around the table with my family.  My mom and dad are here, the chick, Dave and the Bboy, the Hboy all sitting around the table eating delicious food and talking about the day.
This was a good dinner, Dave ate it and said it was good. (We are still working on helping him love chicken).  And these mushrooms were not grown by my son's feet!
Enjoy.

Chicken with Mushrooms and Almonds
adapted from Anne Burrell Cook Like a Rock Star

Extra Virgin Olive oil
8 pieces chicken, I used thighs and breasts with skin on
kosher salt
2 onions, dices
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 lbs. assort. mushrooms
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
1 thyme bundle, tied with butcher's twine
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds, toasted

Coat a large pan with olive oil and bring to high heat.  Season the chicken generously with salt and add it, skin side down, to the pan.  Don't move the chicken around, it will stick but then release when it is ready....be patient.  After about 5-7 minutes, turn the chicken over and brown the other side.  Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve.
Pour out the fat and wipe the pan with a paper towel.  Add some olive oil and lower the heat.  Add the onions, season with salt and red pepper flakes.  Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until onions are soft.  Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook 4-5 minutes or until soft.  Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 3-4 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pan, pour in enough stock to almost cover the chicken, and add the thyme bundle and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 30 minutes, adding a little more stock if the liquid level gets too low.
While the chicken cooks, puree the almonds in  food processor.  Once they are ground, drizzle in a little olive oil while the machine is running to make a loose paste.  Season with salt and reserve.
When the chicken has simmered for 30 minutes, remove it from the pan and reserve; remove the bay leaves and the thyme bundle and discard.  Stir the almond puree into the sauce and taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed.  Bring to a boil and reduce to thicken the sauce of needed.  Serve the chicken with the sauce.
Serves 4

1 year ago:   Lemon Bars
2 years ago:  Zucchini Tart

August 8, 2014   Sunrise 5:15 am  Sunset 10:36 pm  Temp H 73/ L 54°F