MEET THE SOUS CHEF
SEDESH BOODRAM, SOUS CHEF, HOT AND HOT FISH CLUB
When we asked Sedesh Boodram, sous chef at Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Alabama, for a favorite family recipe, he consulted his most discerning customer, his five-year-old daughter, Delilah. She selected a Trinidadian chicken stew, a staple recipe of the Caribbean island where Boodram grew up and a dish he remembers his mother cooking for him.
Blame Thomas Keller if Boodram’s version is more refined than the one he grew up eating: Boodram’s first job out of culinary school was at Keller’s Per Se, where he worked before relocating to Birmingham three years ago to be closer to his partner’s family while they raised their daughter. The healthy, one-pot braised-chicken dish cooks in 35 minutes; Boodram serves it with brown rice for a complete meal that even a kid would love.
TRACK THIS CHEF
DAY IN THE LIFE
From North to South
Having swapped a busy life in New York for a quieter one in Birmingham, Boodram finds that he now has more time to cook at home and be with his daughter. Having never visited Birmingham before they moved, he was surprised to discover what a great food city it was, including many spots that specialize in his favorite food, fried chicken.
TIPS & TECHNIQUES
Caramel Goes Savory
This simple, one-pot chicken braise derives much of its flavor from a brown-sugar caramel. Boodram says you shouldn’t be afraid of allowing the caramel to achieve a deep brown color: “Like the dark roux in gumbo, the caramel is what gives the dish its depth of flavor.”
The Kinder Cut
Boodram prefers to use chicken thighs for this recipe rather than breasts, because they’re more flavorful and don’t dry out the way white meat might. If you like your food spicy, add a bit of Sriracha to the stew at the end.
YIELD
2 servings (plus leftovers)
INGREDIENTS
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 2 pounds (cut into 2-inch pieces)
Tomato, 1 large (cored and finely chopped)
Yellow onion, 1 medium (finely chopped)
Garlic, 2 medium cloves (peeled and very finely chopped)
Scallions, 12 (green and white parts only, thinly sliced on a bias; about ¾ cup)
Cilantro, ½ of a large bunch (leaves and stems from ¼ bunch finely chopped, about 3 tablespoons; plus the whole leaves from the remaining ¼ bunch, about ¼ cup of leaves)
Fresh thyme, 20 sprigs (leaves picked from stems and finely chopped, about 1 tablespoon)
Fine sea salt, 1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons
Freshly ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons
Sweet paprika, ¼ teaspoon
Grapeseed oil, ¼ cup
Light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons (lightly packed)
Chicken broth, 3 cups
Pinto beans, one 15-ounce can (drained and rinsed)
Cooked long-grain brown rice, 4 cups
Sriracha chile sauce, for serving
EQUIPMENT
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large mixing bowl, add the:
- Chopped chicken thighs
- Chopped tomato
- Chopped yellow onion
- Chopped garlic
- ½ cup of the sliced scallions
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped thyme leaves
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sweet paprika
Combine using a wooden spoon and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. In a large pot set over medium heat, add the:
- Grapeseed oil
Once the oil begins to shimmer, after about 2 minutes, add the:
- Light brown sugar
Stir occasionally, until the sugar begins to bubble and turn into a dark brown caramel, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the marinated chicken from the bowl and add it to the pot, stirring occasionally to brown the chicken, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the:
- Chicken broth
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the temperature to medium-low. Stir in the:
- Rinsed pinto beans
Cook until the pinto beans are warmed through, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and use a ladle or slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a plate. Serve the stew over the:
- Cooked brown rice
Over the top of the stew, sprinkle the:
- Whole cilantro leaves
- Remaining ¼ cup of sliced scallions
Serve with the:
- Sriracha chile sauce