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The Chicken That Will Change the World

Lauren Rabadi · April 22, 2019 ·


We are excited to announce the exclusive launch of Cooks Venture chicken with FreshDirect & FoodKick! This is the chicken we have long been searching for, and we are proud to be the first retailer to bring this amazing chicken to you.
Untitled design(121) Cooks Venture is a group of farmers, cooks, and food professionals who couldn’t find what they wanted in the food system, so they are building it themselves from the ground up, animal-by-animal, plant-by-plant, meal-by-meal. A truly transparent, regenerative supply chain for the future.

Founded by Matthew Wadiak, founder and former COO of Blue Apron, Cooks Venture’s goal is to use one of the most impactful farming sectors to change the world. Having toured hundreds of chicken farms and processing facilities, Matt set out to do something radically different than what he had seen anywhere before. He wanted to bring authentically pasture-raised, slow-growth, heirloom chicken to the masses at a reasonable price point, all while restoring the soil using regenerative agriculture practices. Exceptional care is taken in every decision, and the result is a better-for-you, better-for-the-planet, better-tasting bird.

Cooks Venture is the only large poultry company in the country that allows the chickens to have unrestricted access to the outdoors. These birds forage from hundreds of acres in a natural landscape, which includes a mixture of grasses, shrubs, trees, and insects, and allows them to thrive in their native environment, while also consuming regenerative American Non-GMO Project Verified feed grown in organic systems. The heirloom breed, a crossbreed between heirloom and heritage chickens, has better health and livelihood than conventional chickens. And because of their pasture access and pedigree, they grow to be healthier and more flavorful than modern conventional breeds. These naturally slow-growing chickens are allowed to grow 40% longer than conventional birds, allowing them to develop stronger muscles and immune systems, which allows them to lead active lives. The breeding practices and superior health allows the birds to thrive on pasture, and because of this, they never need to be given antibiotics.

Cooks Venture is also passionate about their farmer’s quality of life. While they do grow some of their own birds, they also work with a network of family farmers who they pay almost double conventional wages. This provides a better livelihood for the farmers, which endorses better social practices and leads to a better quality of life for their growers. These farmers also then share the deep commitment to regenerative agriculture, which utilizes photosynthesis and healthy soil microbiology to draw down greenhouse gasses and capture them in the soil. This has the potential to reverse global warming and create healthier food and a healthier planet, while also feeding a growing population. So by ordering this chicken, you are not only getting the best chicken you’ve ever tasted, but you are also supporting the shift of economically sustainable regenerative farming practices. What’s better than that?

Watch more on the brand here:


Coconut Curry Braised Cook’s Venture Chicken & Rice

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Shop FreshDirect for Cooks Venture chicken parts to make this Thai-style curry. 

Ingredients:

1-2 packs Skin-On, Chicken Pieces (Drumsticks, breast, and thighs will all work)

5 Cloves Garlic, peeled and minced

1 2-Inch Piece Ginger, peeled and minced

1 Tablespoon Red Curry Paste

1 14-Ounce Can Coconut Milk

1 Cup Jasmine Rice

3/4 Pound Baby Boy Choy, leaves and stems roughly chopped

5-6 Sprigs Cilantro, leaves for garnish

1-2 Sprigs Thai Basil, leaves for garnish

Sear the chicken:

Pat the chicken pieces dry and season with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large pot or high-sided pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken pieces, skin-side down, in a single layer. Cook, without disturbing, until the skin is browned. Flip the chicken and cook until well browned, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the browned chicken to plate, leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pot.

Combine the ingredients & braise the chicken:
Heat the pot of fond on medium until hot. (If necessary, add 1-2 more teaspoons of olive oil.) Add the chopped garlic and ginger and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the curry paste; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the seared chicken and coconut milk (shaking the can before opening) to the pot. Cover the pot and braise until the chicken is mostly cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Cook the rice:
While the chicken braises, in a small pot, combine the rice, 2 cups of water* and a generous pinch of salt. Heat on high until boiling. Once boiling, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the water is absorbed, about 14 to 16* minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff the finished rice with a fork.

*Directions may vary depending on brand of rice.

Add the bok choy to the chicken:
Add the chopped bok choy to the pot of chicken, stir to thoroughly combine. Cover and cook until the bok choy is wilted and the chicken is cooked through (a thermometer should read 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken), about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve your dish:
Divide the cooked rice between 4 dishes. Top each with the finished braised chicken. Garnish each dish with the cilantro and basil leaves.

Filed Under: Brands We Love, Producer Stories, Sustainability Tagged With: chicken, cooks venture

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Nothing warms the soul quite like a hearty fish st Nothing warms the soul quite like a hearty fish stew. This rustic vegetable soup recipe melds more delicate flavored fish with a combination of soul-soothing  vegetables.

What You’ll Need:
- 2 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 4 cippolini onions peeled and cut into sixths, keep root intact
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 4 hakurei turnips, greens trimmed, peeled and quartered
- 1 medium clove of garlic, thickly sliced
- 1/3 head of cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 fingerling potatoes cut into 1/3-inch coins
- 4 cups water
- Olive oil
- Kosher or sea salt and black pepper
- 4 6- 8 oz cod fillets

What to Do:
Place a 12” wide pot on medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil and bacon. Cook, stirring often until bacon starts to brown.

Add onions and garlic, and cook, gently turning until onions start to lightly brown. Add carrots and a few pinches of salt. Continue to cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower heat if vegetables start to brown. Add turnips and cook a few minutes more.

Add cabbage and potatoes, 1 tsp salt, a pinch of black pepper and the water.

Bring to a simmer and cook approximately 5 to 8 minutes.

Season fillets well with salt & pepper while the soup is simmering, allowing the seasoning to penetrate.

After the soup has simmered, nestle the fillets into the soup, gently shaking the pot to allow the fish to settle in. Spoon some soup over the top of the fillets, adjust heat to low. Cover the soup and allow to simmer for approximately 5 minutes.

Using a spatula, remove the fillets and place in individual soup bowls. Adjust seasoning and evenly divide vegetables and broth into the bowls. Add some cracked black pepper on top and a drizzle of olive oil to serve.
Think outside of the box at your next taco night w Think outside of the box at your next taco night with this recipe where everything is cooked simply on a sheet pan. We love making these tacos with salmon, but feel free to swap it with shrimp, scallops, or another fish fillet.

What you'll need:
- One third of a 7 oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup lightly-packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 small container grape tomatoes
- 1 onion, cut into wedges through root end
- 6 scallion bottoms (trim off the green parts)
- 1 poblano pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
- For serving: tortillas, lime wedges, sour cream

What to do:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Season salmon with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place chipotles in adobo in food processor or blender, along with honey, lightly-packed brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, and cumin. Blend until well-combined. Set aside a few tablespoons of sauce for serving, then transfer the rest to a large bowl.

Place salmon in bowl and evenly-coat all over in sauce. Transfer fillets to a foil-lined baking sheet, leaving excess sauce in bowl. Add to bowl tomatoes, onion wedges, poblano and bell peppers, and scallions. Toss to coat in sauce, then add in an even layer to the baking sheet with the salmon.

Roast everything in the oven until salmon is done and vegetables lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Serve inside tortillas with lime wedges, sour cream, and reserved sauce.
Save big on Farmer Focus Chicken! Farmer Focus is Save big on Farmer Focus Chicken! Farmer Focus is a collective dedicated to bringing organic, humanely-raised, and traceable chicken to your table. Since 2014, they have been on a mission to promote and protect generational family farming. And now with our biggest chicken sale of the year, there's no better time to see and taste the difference that responsible farming makes.
This cioppino recipe is excellent for a quick and This cioppino recipe is excellent for a quick and warming weeknight meal. Typically, it would be made with whatever the catch of the day was, and you can feel free do the same here by swapping out any other fish or shellfish you’ve got—clams, crab, squid, lobster, halibut, or sea bass would all be worthy choices. 

What you'll need:
- 3 tablespoons + 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 fennel bulb, diced
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
- ½ cup kalamata olives, rinsed and chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 cups dry white wine
- One 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups water
-2 lb. mussels
- One 8–10 oz. fillet of cod or other white fish (skin may be left on or off)
- ½ lb. shrimp
 

What to do:
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, capers, olives and salt. Sauté a few minutes until onion and fennel begin to soften. Toss in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1-2 minutes more.

Stir in chili flakes, then pour in white wine. Simmer until liquid is mostly evaporated, then stir in crushed tomatoes, ½ cup olive oil, and 2 cups water. Simmer for a few minutes, then add mussels. Cover and simmer 3 minutes.

Cut fish into bite-sized pieces and add to stew along with shrimp. Simmer uncovered a few minutes more until both are cooked through. Serve in bowls with crusty bread and salted butter.

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