Easy Does It

As excited as I am to be back in the kitchen, I find the first couple days are a little difficult. It's almost like I need to ease back into it. Soon enough, my knife skills pick up speed and my creative juices begin flowing.

For now, I just need a couple simple recipes to get me in the groove. My one restriction is that they aren't too unhealthy—after 10 days in Costa Rica and eating everything in sight, my body needs to recuperate. Between the salty food, cocktails and high humidity, my limbs are feeling as bulbous as Barney Rubble's.

So I popped open chef Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home cookbook hoping for some inspiration. Sure enough, his recipe for braised chicken thighs with olives, lemon and fennel drew me in. Added bonus: The meal only needs one pot, so cleanup is a cinch.

The recipe was a hit; it reminded me of a dish I had at Hearth, a modern Tuscan restaurant in my neighborhood. Chef Marco Canora uses rabbit instead of chicken, which I would like to try next time.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Olives, Lemon and Fennel (adapted from Ad Hoc at Home)

Yield: 4 Servings

2 large fennel bulbs, sliced after removing stalks and cores

8 chicken pieces, bone in and skin on (I used 4 legs and four thighs, attached)

Kosher salt

Pepper

Canola oil

1 medium onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2/3 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup olives with pits (I used a mix of Spanish green olives and Nicoise olives)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 fresh bay leaves

4 strips lemon zest, removed with vegetable peeler

4 thyme sprigs

2 cups chicken broth, plus maybe a bit more

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a thin layer of canola oil in a dutch oven (or heavy-bottom pan large enough to fit all pieces without overcrowding them) on high heat. When oil is hot, add chicken skin-side down to brown, about 5 minutes depending on the heat of oil in pan. Turn chicken over and brown for 2 minutes.

3. Remove chicken from pan and turn down heat to medium-low. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they're transluscent. Stir in garlic and cook another minute. Turn up the heat to medium, add fennel, and cook about 10 minutes, or until its crisp-tender. Stir often.

4. Pour in wine and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in olives, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, lemon zest and thyme. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until fennel is tender.

5. Return chicken to the pan in a single layer, skin-side up. Make sure the liquid comes about halfway up the chicken; if not, add a bit more stock. Bring liquid to a simmer, then cover pot with lid and place in the oven. Transfer to the oven and cook 45 minutes-1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and very tender.

6. Serve two pieces (a drumstick and a thigh) with a serving of the olives and vegetables.