jam

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In the summertime, I become highly overzealous while foraging for wild berries all across town. The first to appear are mulberries, followed soon after by blackcaps, raspberries, blackberries, wineberries, and blueberries, in that order. This leaves me with a giant load of berries which I usually transform into jam and gift or use throughout the year. The abundance of said jam was the inspiration for this berry jam chicken with feta.

Berry jam chicken with feta is a cozy and simple dish that is easily assembled and cooked on the stove. Par-boiling the potatoes allows them to soften and absorb the layers of flavor from the luscious chicken cooking atop. Salty feta balances the sweetness of the jam and the richness of the potatoes for a meal with profuse flavor sensations.

ingredients

  • 2 pounds russet potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 5 tablespoons salt, divided
  • 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ red onion, sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons mixed berry jam
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
  • 6 ounces feta, crumbled

steps

Par-boil the potatoes, in a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon of the salt, for 10 minutes. Strain and set aside. 

Generously season the chicken thighs on both sides with 2 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of freshly cracked black pepper. Place the seasoned chicken thighs in a large pan or skillet with a matching lid and brown them, skin-side down, on medium-high heat until the skin becomes crispy, about 12 minutes. Flip the thighs and brown on the other side for another 12 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and pour off the grease until about 2 tablespoons of rendered chicken fat remains.

Place the red onion and cook for 4 minutes then add the garlic and oregano. Cook until the garlic is blonde and add the balsamic vinegar. Add the par-boiled potatoes to the pan and cook for 4 minutes until heated. 

Place the chicken thighs, skin-side up on top of the potatoes. Spread about 1 tablespoon of jam on top of each chicken thigh. Cover and cook for 35 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are soft. Plate the potatoes and chicken and sprinkle a pinch of chopped parsley and 1 ounce of feta on each plate. Serve with a simple salad.

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Growing up, friends and family devoured these Austrian cream cheese cookies every Christmas, Easter, and even on holidays in between. They are light but textured, and traditionally filled with lekvar which is an Austrian prune butter or apricot jam. I filled these with a mixed wineberry and mulberry jam that I had made back in the summer from berries I picked locally, but apricot has always been my favorite.

The dough, which is somewhere between cookie and pastry, is rolled super thin. When baked, it puffs ever so slightly and becomes flaky.

Though I am an avid proponent of my kitchen aid stand mixer, I have found that the power of the mixer causes the gluten to develop, making the dough too tough for these delicate cookies. So just like my ancestors made it for generations, the dough must be made with your hands.

So squeeze away and get the added benefit of stress relief! Isn’t that what baking is really about anyway?

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • ½ cup (4 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 ½ cups jam or preserves
  • Powdered sugar

steps

Mix the butter and cream cheese in a bowl. Add the sugar  and egg yolks. Add in the flour and pinch and squeeze the dough with your hands until it comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the dough in quarters and working with one piece at a time, roll out dough as thinly as you can. Use a cookie cutter or knife to cut into squares.

Fill each square with a dollop of jam at the center. Fold one side into the center then fold the other side over it. I keep a bowl of water nearby to wet the corners of the dough so they stick together.

Bake until golden, 16 minutes, and let cool. Dust with powdered sugar.