Cook This: Dinner Tonight

Inspiration for tonight's dinner: Before summer's over, eat your colors -- green zucchini, red tomatoes and rosé, of course. 

We've neatly condensed the recipes below, but to read the fully fleshed-out versions (and save and print them) just click on the recipe links or photos. A colorful summer supper in under an hour -- dinner is served!

The Menu:

Couscous Salad with Zucchini, Lemon and Ricotta Salata by amanda

 

Rosy Chicken by merrill

The Grocery List:

• • 4 whole chicken legs, about 2 pounds total
• • 1 bottle dry rosé (2/3 cup for the chicken, the rest for you)
• • 1 large tomato
• • 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
• • 2 sprigs thyme
• • 2 small zucchini
• • 1 shallot
• • 1 small bunch basil
• • 1/2 cup ricotta salata

 

We're guessing you might have couscous (enough for 4 cups cooked), olive oil, 3 cloves of garlic, red chili flakes, a lemon, salt and pepper on hand -- if not, it's time to stock up!

The Plan:

Knife (and other) Skills: Mince the shallot and zucchini, crush the garlic, chop up the large tomato and basil, zest and juice the lemon. Crumble the ricotta salata. All the hard work is done! Pour yourself some rosé to sip on while you work. 

Onward to chicken: Salt the chicken legs and brown them in a heavy sauté pan with high sides. Once browned, set them aside on a plate. Turn the heat down a little, toss the garlic into the pan and cook for a minute. Pour in the rosé and turn up the heat so it simmers. Reduce the wine by half and make sure to scrape up the brown bits along the way. In go the chopped tomato, thyme, and chili flakes. Cook just until the tomato starts releasing some juices. 

Bird's the word: Return the chicken legs to the pan, skin side up. Tuck the grape tomatoes around the chicken legs, and grind some black pepper all over. Partially cover the pan, turn down the heat, and let the sauce simmer gently for 30-40 minutes -- until the legs are tender and the meat has pulled away from the bone. 

Time for couscous: While the chicken is simmering, cook up the couscous. Fluff it with a fork and fold it into a mixing bowl with the zucchini, shallot, basil, and lemon zest. Add lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil and stir to mix. Season with salt and pepper and let it sit for 10 minutes. Transfer to a seving bowl and sprinkle with ricotta salata. 

Aside: Someone else is on dish-duty. You deserve it. Why? Because dinner is served.