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Learning how to cook can be done long distance these days with the technology that is available to us. My niece Bonnie (Yvonne Powell-Adimola) lives in Manorville, Long Island, New York. She's an excellent cook! Using Apple's FaceTime, she instructs while watching live video of everything she wants me to do. In order for you to get the full effects of the meal I made, you would have to have smell-o-vision and taste-o-vision on your device. Sorry!

This holiday meal took me two days to complete. My sister Karen Brown and her friend Breah were given a plate on her birthday January 5, 2023, as well as my next door neighbor, and several friends. I am totally amazed that technology can help make dishes long distance and delicious on first attempt for the budding new cook at 70 years of age. "Just Do It", no matter what your age is!

I'm in the process of documenting this meal, so please come back to this page and read how my niece and I made this possible. 

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Learning how to cook can be done long distance these days with the technology that is available to us. My niece Bonnie (Yvonne Powell-Adimola) lives in Manorville, Long Island, New York. She's an excellent cook! Using Apple's FaceTime, she instructs while watching live video of everything she wants me to do. In order for you to get the full effects of the dish I made, you would have to have smellovision and tasteovision on your device. Sorry!

Prep Notes - Arroz con Pollo w/broccoli is a one pot dish.

1. Tools: Kitchen scissors, chef knife, cutting board, large cooking pan with lid, (pot will do with lid)
2. Julian the bell peppers and onion
3. Smash four (4) garlic cloves and chop into small pieces
4. Wash broccoli in cold water and cut into spears.
5. Use kitchen scissors to cut whole chicken into breast, thigh, wings, and drumsticks
6. My instructor says most people don't clean the chicken thoroughly. So take note to remove all the extra fat on the thigh, remove the yellowish skin on the bottom of the drumstick, and finally remove the membrane on the top of drumstick. It feels slimy. Remove all innards. 
7. Wash the chicken thoroughly in cold water.
8. Thoroughly dry the chicken

Cooking time for this dish is 90 minutes. 

Directions:

1. Rub chicken down with 1/4 cup olive oil.

2. Add Seasonings for Chicken Rub (see ingredient list) onto the chicken. Make love to your chicken. Make sure all seasonings are rubbed in evenly. (Use gloves so that the curry powder doesn't get into your finger nails.)

3. At this time you can marinate chicken over night in a bag or bowl and place in refrigerator,  or begin cooking process.

4. Place 1 cup of canola oil  into large pan fit for whole chicken and should be at least 4 - 6 inches deep. (Pan should also have a lid.)

5. Turn on stove to medium heat and wait until oil  temperature reaches 300 degrees. 

6. Test oil with chopstick/see bubbling at bottom of chopstick or place a drop of water in pan and back up.

7. Place chicken skin side down for approximately 5 - 7 minutes. Chicken should have golden brown color.

8. Turn chick over and cook it for 5 - 7 minutes on the other side.

9.  Remove  the chicken and place it back into the marinated bowl. 

10. Take bell peppers, onions, and garlic and place them into the pan.

11. Season the veggies in the pan with Seasonings for Jasmine Rice from ingredients list.

12. Saute them in the pan until they turn translucent. (2 -3 min.)

13. Place 2 cups of Jasmine rice into the pan.

14. Stir to coat the rice thoroughly with the oil and the seasonings in the pan.

15. Place 3 cups of water into the pan. Give it a good stir and let it come to a boil.

16. Once the pan comes to a boil, place your chicken back into the pan skin side up.

14. Add broccoli to the pan.

15. Cover pan and turn heat down to simmer. (If you don't have a top that fits tightly, place aluminum foil on top of pan and then place your top on it.)

16. Allow to cook for 30 minutes. (DO NOT OPEN THE TOP) This will allow the rice to cook evenly.

17. ENJOY!

Additional Notes:  If you like this dish, drop me a line and let me know. I'm going to try and make one dish  each week. 

Upcoming: Meat Loaf

Bonnie is married to an African man from Ghana. Over the years she has learned how to prepare some of his native dishes. Okro is the Ghananian pronunciation but we call it Okra.

Directions:   

Note: to make this soup you have to have a food processor or a blender.  I always wash and clean all my Meats with either vinegar or lemon juice. Cooking time for this soup is 4 to 5 hours.

1. First take all your meats and boil it for at least a hour in a pot. 

2. Season your meat with Maggie, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaves, ginger powder, pepper, ground allspice,  ground cloves and cumin seeds.

3. After you seasoned your pot with the above seasonings, you're going to allow your meat to boil for another half hour or so to allow the seasonings to go through the meat.

4. In a separate pot you're going to put in your 3 lbs. of okra with a cup of water. 

5. You're cooking it on low so it'll just steam. 

6. Let that cook for approximately a half an hour. 

7. Add that to your first pot that has the meat in it. 

8. Take one whole onion, two tablespoons of garlic that is minced, 3 tablespoons of fresh ginger that is minced, 10 tomatoes and put it all in the food processor or blender and grind it into a liquid. 

9. Add that now to your soup. 

Optional: 

10. At this time if you like spicy food you can add as many haberneros or your favorite pepper to the pot at this time.

11. This is the hardest step. (Leave it alone) Reduced it to low, cover it, and let it simmer for two hours.

12. This pot will serve 8 - 10 servings. Enjoy!

Note: This soup is traditionally served with rice balls, banku, or fu fu. 

Directions

Step 1

Make a roux by whisking the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.

Step 2

Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the roux, and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Step 3

Bring the water and beef bouillon cubes to a boil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir until the bouillon cubes dissolve, and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.

Step 4

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.

Per Serving:296 calories; 17.9 g total fat; 144 mg cholesterol; 855 mg sodium. 12.1 g carbohydrates; 20.9 g protein; 

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl combine your yogurt, water and Tobasco, whisk until consistency is thin (add additional water to thin out the mixture).

2. Place your catfish filets in the yogurt mixture; cover and let sit in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

3. In a small mixing bowl, combine your spice mixture, including the Cajun or Creole spice blend, onion powder and garlic powder.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine your crust mixture, including crushed pecans, parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture, parsley, fresh garlic and lemon zest.

5. Remove the catfish filets from yogurt mix; pat dry.

6. Place your filets on a large oiled dish or sheet tray; drizzle olive oil and lemon juice on each filet.

7. Sprinkle your spice mixture on each filet, then massage both sides of the filet with oil.

8. Top each filet with the crust mixture.

9. Place the filets in the oven at 475°F or low broil set. This high temperature will cause the filets to form a beautiful golden crust while keeping the fish moist. Keep an eye on the fish so they don’t burn. Cook for about 20-30 minutes.

10. Remove the filets from the oven and garnish with lemon wedges and fresh curly parsley.

From the kitchen of chef judsontoddallen.com