The healthy goodness of free-range chicken

(Editor’s note: Marie Pascual is an avid foodie who shows her love for family and friends by cooking for them. This passion found its way to Kitchenkitchiekoo.com, a blog that chronicles the food she serves on weekends and notable eateries she’s found.)

MANILA, Philippines - More than any other time in the past 10 years, people are more aware of the importance of our long-termfood supply and the health concerns that go along with it. And to a large extent, this awareness is bringing us all back to basics.

Free-range chickens are a bit hard to come by and the closest you can get to an authentic one is if you have a suki in a big wet market that sells native chickens. They are usually enjoyed as tinola, where the broth is tastier and heartier. Very recently, I saw at the chiller section of the supermarket free-range chickens, naturally grown.

Aside from tinola, you can savor the flavor of free-range chicken by steaming it. So I tweaked a favorite recipe of mine by partnering free-range chicken with organic rice. Aside from the black rice of Nueva Ecija, I also liked the purple upland rice of the Mountain Province. I love the color and its nutty flavor.

Steamed Free-Range Chicken Stuffed With Organic Rice

Ingredients:

1 Magnolia free-range chicken

2 cups uncooked organic rice (brown, red or black makes for a more attractive and healthier dish)

2 pcs. chorizo Macau, sliced into small cubes

1 knob ginger

1 tbsp. chopped garlic

3 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped chives

Procedure:

1) In a pot, put 1 tbsp. canola oil and sauté the chorizo to render the fat — about 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and continue to sauté, being careful not to burn the garlic.

2) Add rice and stir, allowing it to be coated with the oil in the pan. Add water, season with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat until rice is cooked. De-bone chicken and season cavity with salt and pepper. Set aside to chill in the fridge.

3) When the rice is cooked, fluff it a bit to cool, mix in the chopped chives and stuff in the free-range chicken. Seal the opening by stitching it. In my case, I just tie the legs together to keep the opening closed.

4) Sprinkle the chicken with some salt and pepper and steam. I steam my chicken on top of a pot with water, chicken bones, seasoned with ginger, chives, salt and pepper. The juices that come out of the chicken end up in my broth for a great clear soup.

5) When cooked, let it rest a bit. Serve with sliced cucumber, ginger sauce, and chili sauce. Don’t forget the broth!