californian chicken


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In order to show just how far it was possible to go in the interests of simplicity.
I've included a selection of menus that can be cooked using just the one pan.
To prove my point, I packed my little tent, my little cooker thing, a single pan,
all the tools I thought that I'd need together with a few choice ingredients & set off on my little motorcycle.
The wife insists on calling it a moped, but I've invited her to come along & take some photographs later…

First I'll be doing Dave's Californian Chicken Surprise.

You'll be needing, a tiny little cooker thing, lighter, a pan, a spatula, chopping board, sharp knife,
tin opener, plates, knives & forks. Ingredients - chicken fillets, onion, garlic, squirty oil,
chicken or vegetable stock cube, water, a small tin of sweetcorn & a small tin of peaches.
Salt & pepper to taste & some nice crusty cobs to serve it with.

Park motorcycle, Erect tent, Light little stove thing, squirt some oil into the pan,
slice the chicken fillets into thin strips while you're waiting for the oil to heat up.
Put the strips of chicken into the hot oil & start to slice the onion immediately.
Turn the chicken with the spatula in one hand while you're slicing onion with the other hand.
The chicken should be well on its way to brown by the time you've done with the onion.
Add the onion to the pan; lift the chicken onto the top of the onion,
which should start to sizzle quite ferociously as soon as it gets in there.
Keep the heat down by keeping the onion moving around until it starts to become a bit clear.
 Add the water, just a bit at first. This should take some of the heat out of the pan,
continue to add the water while simultaneously crumbling the stock cube into the pan & stirring the whole lot.
 Bring to a boil & try to simmer.
With the equipment you're using, you'll have to do this by continual stirring & keep lifting the pan off the flames.
You should now have time to uncork the wine & just take a sip
from a particularly small glass to ensure that it's OK before the guests arrive.
After about 10 - 15 minutes at a fast simmer, you can add the drained sweetcorn.
The easiest & least messy way to do this is to stand up,
take a few paces away from where you're cooking & from where you'll be eating.
Use the tin opener to make a few small holes in the bottom of the tin, before removing the top of the tin.
The majority of the salty water will be down the front of your trousers before you realise it if the wines any good.
Back to the pan, add the sweetcorn & remove the lid from the peaches.
Use a fork to add just the fruit to the pan, leaving the juice in the can.
You may want to add a bit but have a look at it first.
Give it about 5 minutes to warm through & serve immediately with crusty bread.