Captain’s Table

If there is a time that homey, satisfying food is just what the doctor ordered, it is January and February. Drizzly cold days and bone-chilling fogs are made tolerable by steaming bowls of rich soups and thick stews.

Country Captain is the next best thing to a sunny day that I know. James Beard wrote long ago in his book “American Cookery”: “Aside from Southern fried chicken, probably Country Captain is the most important chicken dish we have inherited.”

It originated as a dish favored by British officers stationed in India. Although it comes from Anglo-Indian cuisine, American cooks adopted (and adapted) Country Captain long ago. The first published recipe I know of appeared in “Miss Leslie’s New Cookery Book,” published in 1857. In her recipe, the chicken and rice are cooked separately, but I believe that to make this stew all the ingredients must cook together.

Miss Leslie wrote a wonderful short treatise about cooking rice. According to her technique, you should boil rice in plenty of water (leaving the skillet or saucepan uncovered); when it is done, drain it very dry and, over low heat, toss the rice with two forks to separate the grains. “All rice for the dinner table should be prepared in this manner,” she wrote. “People accustomed to rice never eat it watery or clammy or lying in a moist mass.”

Country Captain lends itself to being cooked as a stew, and adding the pearl barley to the rice gives a hearty wholesomeness to the chicken broth and curry.

Raw chutney salad seems quite an appropriate accompaniment, and pureeing some of the cantaloupe in the chutney dressing balances the ingredients. The classic Country Captain usually had currants and chopped almonds as a garnish and sometimes grated fresh coconut.

RAW CHUTNEY SALAD

1 cantaloupe, cut in bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 to 3 teaspoons grated ginger root

2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and sliced thin

2 red delicious apples, cored but not peeled, diced

1 head butter lettuce

Puree 1 cup cantaloupe in food processor with mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons ginger root and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice and ginger if needed. Set chutney dressing aside.

Combine remaining cantaloupe, pears and apples in mixing bowl. Toss to mix and add dressing. Stir until fruit is well coated. Chill. When ready to serve, place large lettuce leaf on each plate and pile salad on lettuce. Serve chilled.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

192 calories; 54 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 2.19 grams fiber.

COUNTRY CAPTAIN STEW

Don’t be timid with the curry; boldness is called for. If you like, you can serve the rice and sauce separately, saving the chicken for another meal. This dish also freezes well.

2 tablespoons oil

1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 large onions, chopped

1/4 cup curry powder

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 quarts water

2 cups canned or fresh chopped tomatoes

1 (2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut up

1 cup pearl barley

Salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 cup rice

Heat oil in 7- or 8-quart pot over medium heat. Add bell pepper, garlic and onions. Cook, stirring, until onions are softened but not browned.

Stir in curry powder and thyme and cook about 3 minutes, until vegetables and spices are well blended. Add water, tomatoes, chicken and pearl barley. Stir to mix well. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, partially covered. After 15 minutes, add salt to taste and pepper and stir well. Continue to check stew every 15 minutes, adding water if necessary.

After 40 minutes, stir in rice and cook 20 minutes. Taste and correct seasonings. Dish should have bold curry flavor. If it seems too timid, add another tablespoon or two of curry. Skim fat from top of sauce and arrange on serving platter.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

509 calories; 130 mg sodium; 72 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 25 grams protein; 1.71 grams fiber.