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29 April, 2010

Catatouille...or...Baby Kitty Cooks Hungarian Chicken Paprika

page Finally! The day we have been waiting for has arrived here at the Plate Addicts! Baby Kitty has completed his studies and received his Grand Diplôme from Le Cordon Bleu Paris! Now he feels ready to follow in the footsteps of his idol…Julia Child…and begin his own cooking show which he has aptly titled…Catatouille! lol (Thanks for the suggestion from Kat at Emptynester)


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He was understandably excited when I came home from Goodwill hunting with this fabulous Schlemmertopf  cooker that I showed you in my last post! It’s a wonderful glazed clay roaster that was made in 1980 in West Germany (Now you know it’s old! lol) and, to all appearances, it had never even been used! Quite the bargain at $3.53! Ahhhmmm…Baby Kitty reminds me that I digress. Sorry!
 

page1I had never used a clay cooker before, so I asked to serve as the sous-chef to our expert Baby Kitty. In preparation, I did some studying and discovered the owner’s manual on line which included directions for handling the cooker and some fabulous recipes. It seems that extra precautions must be taken to prevent any sudden change in temperature or the cooker will break. Other than that, it’s easy! You just layer in the ingredients much like you would with a crock pot. We decided to try our luck at Hungarian Chicken Paprika.
 

page2 I must say that it was worth the effort of taking special care of the cooker! The result was simply wonderful! The chicken was so tender, juicy and flavorful! And the dish browns right there in the cooker, even with the lid on…fabulous! Here’s the recipe that I found in the owner’s manual:

Hungarian Chicken Paprika
3-1/2 to 4 pounds frying chicken, cut in serving pieces
2 large onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1-1/2 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
Salt and pepper
4 medium potatoes, cut as for French frying (We cut them in rounds instead)
1 cup sour cream –optional (Optional? Are you kidding? Yum!...although we did use low fat!)
4 pieces of bacon, sliced
Soak lid of Glazed Schlemmertopf.
Put bacon, onions and green pepper into the Schlemmertopf.
Add the salted and peppered chicken pieces, sprinkle with paprika.
Cover and bake at 425F for 20 minutes. (We have a gas oven, so we added 10 minutes at 250F first.)
Add potatoes and bake for another 60 minutes.
Remove Schlemmertopf from oven, add sour cream, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
Serve with crusty French bread.

This was one of the best chicken dishes I have ever had…hands down! Great job, Baby Kitty! I have to add that I don’t cook as often as I used to now that I am an emptynester, so I hope we will cook more often now that we have our Schlemmertopf!
 

Foodie_Friday_Logo_2 Thanks for dropping by for the inaugural episode of Catatouille! We are excited to join our hostess with the mostest, Michael Lee at Designs by Gollum, for Foodie Friday! Please be sure to head on over to her fabulous blog to see what she has cooking and to find a list of this week’s participants! See you next time! A la prochaine!

37 comments:

  1. Bravo Baby Kitty!

    It looks like the sous-chef did a great job too. It's interesting that you soak the lid of the roaster. Clay is an amazing material isn't it?
    Hugs,
    Dawn

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  2. What a smart kitty!

    The chicken looks delicious! Just thinking about that sauce and the crusty bread! MMMMM!

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  3. What beautiful pictures you had. I'm very impressed with the diploma, too.

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  4. Felicitations, Baby Kitty! Kitty and I are so proud of you!

    XOXO, Bonnie, Kitty and Sadie

    PS - May we come over, we are starving!

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  5. Yum! Now I'm on the lookout for my own glazed cooker. My mother-in-law always stored candy in hers, but I think the chicken paprika sounds better. Sally

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  6. Congratulations to Baby Kitty! I am really wanting one of the roasters ever since you showed us yours. And now this wonderful recipe!! Love it!

    xoxo
    Janie

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  7. Too cute! I have one of those cookers and used to use it much more frequently. Thanks for the reminder to dig it out again!
    xoxo Pattie

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  8. my compliments to the chef....looks great Deb

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  9. That looks so good, Debbie! I have a clay pot with a duck on the top cover. I guess I can use it to try this. Thanks for the recipe....Christine

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  10. Debbie, how wonderful that you have your own personal chef now. I can attest to the pleasures of one's own personal chef, though I do have to do the meal cleanup. LOL This looks like a delicious dish. I like one dish meals. Especially when I'm the one in charge of clean up.
    Congratulations to Baby Kitty on this fine accomplishment. I look forward to more episodes of Catatouille. I so enjoy and appreciate your creative sense of humor!
    Love it when I see that you have a post for us. Hugs ~ Sarah

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  11. Wow, baby KItty a real chef. Wonderful to be able to help with the cooking Debbie. great recipe
    Hve a nice weekend

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  12. Oh Debbie, this is just so much fun. Now I had no idea that Baby Kitty was becoming a chef and to graduate from such a distinguished school no less. Your chicken looks absolutely fabulous. The recipe sounds wonderful. I wonder what in the world I ever did with my cooker. Love the post. Hugs, Marty

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  13. Oh, the chicken recipe sound so good. I'll have to try that one......Lovin the kitty diploma!

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  14. Oh, the many talents of Baby Kitty! Good job, cute little fuzzy face! Now tell your Mommy I must try your recipe too! I don't have one of these cookers! Do you think it could be cooked in a slow cooker? Ask Mommy now.
    Good luck with your new career!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  15. that chicken looks so good and I can smell it all the way over here! I had one of those cookers and never used so I passed it on...regrets, I've had a few!

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  16. This looks fantastic. Love chicken, onions and potatoes any way you can cook them.

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  17. Well this looks fabulous! While I applaud Baby Kitty's accomplishment, I want one that knows how to wash dishes!!!

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  18. Debbie, your beautiful Baby Kitty did a wonderful deed allowing you to be the sous chef...anyone that has cats knows we don't own them, they own us! The chicken looks so moist and delicious.

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  19. Oh what a beautiful and smart kitty! I don't think I could be so lucky to get a Schlemmertopf cooker for the price you paid. Your chicken looks delicious.

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  20. LOL-think I can teach an old beagle to cook? This looks delicious, I suppose it would work in a covered casserole dish without much change to the taste. I'm with you...that sour cream wouldn't be optional!

    Sue

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  21. This looks delicious Deb. Baby Kitty is a fantastic host - he's a natural! Such a great find, hope you enjoy for a long time. Hugs, Kat

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  22. Great deal on your clay cooker! I'll try this recipe in my crock pot. I love one pot meals!

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  23. That looks delicious. Great job kitty!! I'm going to keep an eye out for a clay cooker.

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  24. Way to go Baby Kitty!! And what a find at Goodwill Hunting ;).

    :)
    ButterYum

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  25. I think this sounds marvelous and I love cats and baby kitty is so cute! I almost bought a cooker like yours at GW but the top was cracked! Sigh! Joni

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  26. Wow - we are all very impressed here at Just Cats. The only cat here that has shown any interest in cooking is Sierra since I bought her a chef's hat. She will certainly be checking in for recipes, Baby Kitty. Congratulations on your diploma and having not had a CATastrophe in the kitchen. Hugs, Deb

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  27. The chicken looks good and delicious. Congrats on your diploma!
    Vegetable Sushi

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  28. Oh what fun and kudos to the chef! I will try this in the crock pot! Love the diploma.

    Carol

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  29. Looks delish! I'd forgotten about those clay cookers. I love that you almost stole it and that your meal turned out purrrrrfect!

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  30. Deb Baby Kitty is an amazing chef!! I like the sounds of this recipe I wonder if you can cook it in a regular pot in the oven. It sounds so yummy , I am going to have to check this out, Kathysue

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  31. Could you cook this in the oven in a casserole, do you think? Because I would totally love to give this a shot!

    Sounds great!

    Visiting from Foodie Friday, btw! Have a GReat weekend!

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  32. I am so proud of Baby Kitty and that dish looks fabulous. Now I must be on the 'lookout' for a clay cooker!

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  33. Sounds wonderful and a perfect dish for this rainy day. Don't you just love words like Schlemmertopf? It's an accomplishment just to say the word and an even greater feat to use it is such a scrumptious way!

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  34. Congrats Baby Kitty, I think you are going to make a great French chef. Your chicken recipe sounds wonderful. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your recipe with us. Tell Debbie hello.

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  35. I have a hard time saying the name of that clay cooker!
    Please make kitty wear a hair net next time, chefs must be very careful! I don't want to cough up a hairball..:)but tasty..
    I actually saw Martha lick her finger and then pick up some cookies to dip..ewww!
    Your dinner looks delicious..CAT egorically yummo! :)

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  36. What a fun post! Loved this. You know I love anything with that cute Baby Kitty. I have a crush on him. LOL!

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  37. Wow, I have seen so many of those at thrift stores! I'll buy one next time!!!

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Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to comment! I appreciate my wonderful readers!... Debbie