the boring chicken breast

There may be no edible canvas more blank than the boneless, skinless chicken breast.  Presented naked, it is a dieter's purgatory, big on pious self-deprivation and void of succulence and inspiration.  It is very easy to overcook, becoming somehow simultaneously like sawdust and rubber.

Which is why I am so attracted to it.  I consider it the gauntlet that has been thrown down before those who think themselves reasonably good cooks.  I long to make it taste good, exude juice and succulence, and attract the appetite of the most persnickety eaters. (Of course, that last bit won't happen, because I have not gone gluten-salt-fat-yeast-soy-dairy-wheat-meat-allium free.)  I have cooked chicken breast sous vide, simmered it, and stir fried it.  I have sauteed it, baked it, and fried it. I've beaten it with a mallet, stuffed it, smothered it, and drowned it in a brine.  So yesterday, I decided to go a little retro on it, and make a chicken cordon bleu.  The things I like about stuffing chicken breast with a filling are the flavor the filling brings to the meat, and the pretty presentation that results. 

slicing open the breasts like a book and pounding them thin isn't an exact science--

the tears and irregularities will disappear with cooking

Cordon bleu consists of layering thin chicken breasts with ham--in this case I used prosciutto-- and some sort of swiss cheese.  I had a bit of Gruyere and some baby swiss on hand, so I used that.  Spreading the chicken first with a bit of dijon mustard adds some additional flavor.

oops, I forgot the mustard, which I realized when I prepared to bread the rolls,

so I added the mustard to the beaten egg wash used to coat the rolls

A great hint for holding rolled chicken breast together is to roll them in plastic wrap, twist the ends tightly to create a cylinder, and place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes to set up.  No toothpicks required.

plastic wrap helps to make uniform rolls

breading setup--flour, seasoned with salt and pepper,

beaten egg, and panko breadcrumbs mixed with a bit of melted butter,

thyme, salt, and pepper

the stint in the freezer makes breading very easy

I like to cook chicken breasts at fairly low temperatures, in this case 325, which doesn't do much for browning, so I browned the rolls off in a lightly oiled skillet prior to baking them in the oven.  An alternative would be a short run under the broiler to brown the tops.

about a minute a side over medium heat browned things up nicely

in my beloved mineral pan

about 30 minutes in the oven produced lovely, well-cooked chicken--

though a little cheese oozed, it didn't affect the final dish

cordon bleu, served here with a little chicken jus, and 

green beans with mushrooms and garlic

I made the jus with a bit of chicken demi-glace, white wine, a little water, and a bit of agar agar to thicken it slightly and give it a silky body (salt and pepper, as well, of course).  Both the demi-glace and the agar agar are a couple of my favorite shortcut ingredients that I always have on hand.  

This old-school dish was delicious, moist, and tasty.

viva pepperoni!

I am a big fan of Top Chef, which may be a "duh" sort of statement, since I am obsessed with cooking, and that is the best cooking show on TV.  I was thinking about something new to cook for dinner the other day, and an episode from last season popped into my head.  Mike Isabella had made a sauce with pepperoni that had everyone excited.  I thought I would give it a go, adding shredded chicken and serving it over pasta.

For two people, I sweated about three ounces of pepperoni in a skillet over low heat, just until it gave up its fat and began to crisp.  Then I added some sliced mushrooms, red pepper flakes, sliced garlic, and a bit of salt, cooking them until they were fragrant.

the pepperoni didn't give off a lot of fat, so I just

used what was in the pan to saute the mushrooms and garlic--

if there had been more fat, I would have drained off 

all but a teaspoon or so

Into that fragrant concoction, I added a 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes, breaking them up a bit with a fork, thinning them with a bit of chicken broth, and bringing them up to a simmer.  It was a great medium for poaching a chicken breast.  I added the breast whole, to make sure it cooked gently, and didn't dry out; turning it a few times as it cooked, which took about 20 minutes.

white chicken meat is very lean and dries out quickly--

it should be cooked with gentle heat, just until done

After the chicken breast was cooked through, I pulled it out, shredded it with a couple of forks, and tossed it back in the sauce, simmering everything for a few minutes to combine the flavors while my pasta finished cooking.  

This is a hearty sauce, perfect for a satisfying winter meal,

relatively low in fat, and high in lipocenes from the tomatoes

adding the barely al-dente pasta to the sauce to finish cooking it

will combine the flavors and help the sauce cling to the pasta

Adding a bit of Parmesan and chopped parsley to the dish brightens everything up, and adds a fresh dimension of flavor.

the end result--another one of my favorite outcomes--

a full meal from one pan (okay, two--one for sauce, one for pasta)

I've come to realize that I tend to sprinkle fresh herbs on many of my finished dishes.  Usually parsley, basil, or cilantro; sometimes chives or chopped sage, maybe some fennel fronds or even celery leaves.   The finishing herb dusting has become a bit of a no-no in high-end chef circles, but I am not a chef, high-end or any other sort.  I like the brightness fresh herbs bring to the dish, in both color and flavor.  They add some nutritional value, and make food look more appealing.  My rules are to not get too carried away, and to make sure the herb compliments the food underneath it.  So I am going to continue to sprinkle away, whether Gordon Ramsey wants me to or not...

a quest for avoiding the deli counter

Jim is a professional sandwich consumer.  Not complicated sandwiches, mind you.  Just sandwiches.  Usually turkey with some kind of cheese on a decent bread.  Have you seen the prices of meat at the deli counter?  It's an outrage.  So, with him off for the rest of the year, and grazing around the kitchen, I have been looking for ways to put back a supply of sandwich meat.  I baked a ham earlier this week and after the dinner it was prepared for, I sliced the leftovers very thin, and froze 3 pounds of vacuum-sealed lunch meat.  Tonight I wanted to try my hand at some cheap beef, and see if I could make it juicy and tender, and suitable for several lunches down the road.  Toward that end, I decided to fiddle around with a cooking method for eye of round that I saw in Cook's Illustrated.

Eye of round is a notoriously easy piece of beef to turn into a block of dry, unpalatable, tough meat with very little flavor.  So the first step in the cooking process was a 24-hour dry brine in a healthy dose of salt, which adds flavor and helps retain moisture.

after a good salt scrub, the roast gets coated with black pepper

After 24 hours in the fridge, I seared the roast off in a skillet, skewered with it a probe thermometer, which allowed me to monitor the internal temp without opening the oven door, and placed it in a 225 degree oven, for a very low-heat roast.  CI suggests cutting off the oven heat when the roast hits 120, and letting the roast continue to cook in the the slowly cooling oven.  That scared me, because I know from experience that there is a tremendous amount of thermal gain, so I cut off the oven heat at 115.  Good thing I was paying attention.  In just 20 minutes, the roast hit 130 degrees.  I yanked it out of the oven and set it on the counter.  It finally stopped gaining temp at 138 degrees, which in my book is pretty much in medium territory--not medium rare.  I let it rest for another 20 minutes, then sliced very thin slices.

the meat was juicy and tender, just a little too done--

I would use this method again

So the roast was a partial success.  We would like more rosy pink than we got.  Next time, I would cut off the heat when the roast hits 100 degrees, or maybe even 95 degrees.  We have a newer, well-insulated oven, and I'm pretty sure that the residual heat would bring the roast up to my target of 130 degrees.  There is no good cooking without experimentation...

While the roast cooked, I made a warm German potato salad to go along side beef sandwiches on onion rolls, with a horseradish cream sauce.  If you aren't familiar with German potato salad, it is a vinegar-based warm salad with no mayo in sight.  It has a tangy bite, and new potatoes with bits of sauteed veggies, bacon, and a few handfuls of chopped green onion and parsley for garnish.  Like American potato salad there are nearly as many recipes for it as there are cooks, so it's easy to poke around the web until you find one you like.  But, the basics start with sauteing some bacon cut into little chunks and putting some little new potatoes on to boil.

you know bacon is done when you start to see small foaming bubbles

(using my French steel pan here--I swear, NOTHING sticks)

Bacon comes out, and veggies go in.  In this case I used red onion, diced celery, and a hot chile.

no harm in varying your veggies, but onion is really a must

While that cooks just until the veggies are beginning to soften, it is time to scream in pain.  The potatoes should be sliced while they are still piping hot.  That way they will soak up all the lovey dressing.  Do it.  Pain is good for you.  Once you have burnt the skin off of your finger tips, toss about a quarter cup of vinegar and a quarter cup of water into the veggies, along with a heaping teaspoon of sugar, and some salt and pepper.  If you want a silkier sauce, stir a teaspoon of corn starch into the water before you add it to the skillet.  I don't think it is necessary, but it is certainly an option.  Drop the bacon back in the sauce, dump it over the steaming potatoes, and stir.

some fresh green onion adds some brightness--I add it

right away, then toss in some parsley after the salad has cooled a little

If you have leftover potato salad, just warm it up in the microwave a bit before you serve--it's just so much better a little bit warm.

beef--it's what's for dinner

how come I don't sound like Robert Mitchum when I say that?

shrimp with peanut sauce

I love the taste of peanuts in savory dishes.  I sprinkle peanuts on my Pho, even though it certainly isn't traditional.  I ask for extra peanuts for my pad thai, and I inevitably ferret out any peanut dishes if we visit a Chinese joint.  Needless to say (though I am going to go ahead and say it), I love Asian noodle dishes with peanut sauces.  Most often found dressing cold noodle salads, peanut dressings tend to be strongly flavored with a nice balance of sweet, hot, and savory-- I also think they posses an abundance of umami flavor.

I like peanut sauces in hot stir fries--also not traditional--particularly with shrimp and chicken.  I tend to make my peanut sauces by nosing around in the cabinet and fridge for flavors that go well with peanut butter, and I always use chunky because I like the added texture.  On this dish I made the peanut sauce with grated ginger, fresh garlic, hot red chile paste, chunky PB, soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, a dash of sugar, sesame oil, and a bit of water to thin it out.  It pays to taste your sauce carefully as you go and add ingredients in small increments, until you like what you taste.  In the past I have used lime juice, coconut milk, fresh hot chiles, five spice powder, worcestershire, lemon grass, mirin, tamari, and fish sauce--don't worry--not necessarily all at the same time.  If anyone wants the specifics for a decent recipe, email me, and I will spell out the details.

The shrimp got marinated for about 20 minutes in coconut milk, ground cumin and coriander, fresh ginger and lemongrass, and fresh hot chiles.

 shrimp only need a few minutes in a marinade, particularly if

there is an acid in it, which will begin to "cook" the meat

Next came the veggie prep.  I had fresh sweet pepper, bean sprouts, red onions, cilantro, and frozen peas.  I also had bunapi mushrooms, which I found in the crisper drawer three days later, so they got sauteed with some peas for another meal.

when doing a quick stir fry, prepping ahead is essential

shrimp are the first in the hot tub

then onions and peppers

and finally the sprouts, peas, and cilantro,

which should just be warmed through--still nice and crunchy

Finally, the shrimp goes back in.  Did I mention that I boiled up some noodles to serve with this dish?  I used Udon noodles, but any sort of noodle would do.  Rice would be nice, as well.  If you are using noodles, toss the noodles with a few generous dollops of the peanut sauce., and serve the stir fry on top.  It makes for a prettier presentation.  If you are using rice, add the sauce to the stir fry.

another scrumptious retreat from the usual holiday season fare

satisfying soup

I've blogged about soups before, and I think they are a great meal option any time of the year, but during the holiday season, I think they're essential.  'Tis the season of overeating, after all, and finding ways to make light but satisfying meals during the food marathon that starts with Thanksgiving and doesn't let up until the new year can preserve both your sanity and your waist line. 

This soup is the bastard child of two Italian soups--tortellini soup and pasta fagioli.  I love the tender bite of tortellini simmered in broth, but if soup is going to be the main course, and a mostly vegetarian course as well, I favor the rich flavors and hearty texture of  pasta fagioli.  I say "mostly" vegetarian here because I start the soup with chicken broth, but veggie broth would work as well.  Since I don't have any chicken stock in the freezer, I used the new Swanson unsalted cooking stock, which is not half bad.  I like being able to control the salt in each recipe.  I also added a dollop of chicken demi-glace, which I keep on hand in the freezer all of the time.  It adds a bit of body and richness to just about anything chicken.

The soup took about thirty minutes to make, starting with softened onions and garlic, sauteed in a bit of olive oil.

onions and garlic, sauteing in oil--never a bad place to start

Into the onion mixture went some oven-dried tomatoes I had on hand from last summer, but half a can of chopped tomatoes would work as well.  To that I added the broth and the demi-glace, a bay leaf, some salt and red pepper flakes, and a 14 ounce can of drained and rinsed small white beans, which have a very creamy texture.  

tomatoes enrich the broth and bring some welcome acid and sweetness

 While it simmered, I opened some fresh cheese tortellini, of the store-bought variety.  Some day I will try my hand at making tortellini, but it won't be for Tuesday night soup.  They simmered over medium low heat for about 10 minutes.

just before the tortellini were cooked, I added a big handful of arugula

I had arugula in the fridge, but any green would do--spinach, kale, mustard greens... If you are using a hardier green, you might want to add it at the same time as the tortellini.  While everything finished simmering, I toasted a little garlic toast made easy.  I whack a couple of garlic cloves and let them infuse in a bit of olive oil before I start any of the rest of the meal prep.  Then I just paint some on one side of slices of good rustic bread, and toast them in the toaster oven.  They are a perfect side with soup.

a delicious meal that is a refuge from the excess of the season

holiday practice run

I know you will have lots of sympathy for me when I tell you that I needed to make a practice run at Christmas dinner in order to write my newspaper column for next week.  No one should be forced to eat prime rib twice in one month.

I was in the grocery store, and saw a little single-rib standing rib roast.  I suppose to be accurate, I do need to call it by its correct name--it wasn't a "prime" cut, it was the much more readily available, and less shockingly expensive, "choice".  In fact, it was on sale for $6.49 a pound, which made it very affordable.  I brought it home, wrapped it in cheesecloth, and set it on a small rack on a dish in the fridge to dry age it a bit.  Dry-aging at home is a trick Jim and I first tried a few years back after seeing Alton do it, and surprisingly, it does make quite a difference.  The meat, after four or five days in the fridge, takes on density and suppleness that you just don't see in a roast straight out of it's cellophane prison.

dry-aged roast--I should have taken a before pic for a comparison,

but my well-aged brain doesn't think that quick any more

The best way to cook a standing rib roast has to be one of the most contentious cooking topics under discussion out in cyberspace.  High heat first, then low.  Low heat first, then high.  How low?  175, 200, 250, 275... How high?  400, 425, 450, 475, 500.  Or, 350 steady on.  High heat all the way.  Sear first, don't sear.  Simple seasoning with salt and pepper.  Complicated marinade or rub.  There is even a Paula Deen method that involves cooking the roast for an hour on 350, turning off the oven, and letting the roast sit in the unopened oven for another three hours.  Though that method has its advocates, I doubt I will ever try it, because when I am cooking a grand roast dinner, I don't really have the time to tie up my lone oven for four solid hours.

Since I had a very small roast, I opted for scoring the fat (for more surface), searing it first (just the top, not the sides) and convection cooking it at 250 degrees.  With the roast at 2/12 pounds, that took about an hour.

it took about 10 minutes to sear off this small roast, and start

the browning process-- a large roast will take a few minutes more

I like the sear, rather than the blast in a very hot oven, because it browns the surface rather than heating the entire roast like a scorching oven would.  After the sear, I coated the meat with a wet rub of garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, and olive oil.  I settled on a 250 degree oven because it was gentle enough to keep the meat nice and pink throughout, but not so gentle that I was going to spend most of the afternoon babysitting a roast.  And babysitting it is.  Temperature is everything if you want rosy pink, juicy meat.  If you prefer gray shoe leather, then wander off and read Anna Karenina, by all means.

The correct temperature to take it out of the oven for medium rare is also a contentious point.  In my opinion, most of the recommendations, both on the web and in cookbooks, skew too high.  I have settled on between 110 degrees and 118 degrees for beef, depending on the cut.  If there is no bone, I skew toward the lower end, because the meat has less protection from the heat.  If it is on the bone, I tend to land between 115 and 118, depending on the size of the cut.  For this small roast, 118 was the magic number.  Yes, I know.  When you look in any cookbook, medium rare clocks in at 135 to 140.  Well, the issue that never seems to get addressed is thermal gain during the rest.  And a roast needs a rest out of the oven.  You would too, if you just spent a few hours in a 250 degree sauna.  After a thirty minute rest, my little roast had made its way all the way up to an internal temperature of 136 degrees, which is perfect.

my resting roast, foil removed for portrait sitting,

surprisingly brown on the sides after a low temp cooking.  

I think that the convection action really aids browning

While the roast recovered from its ordeal, I made some popovers, along with a jus, or thin gravy if you aren't Frenchified.  I want to burst another little myth out there in cooking land.  It is common for recipes to admonish cooks that whatever pan or cups they are cooking their popovers or  Yorkshire puddings in must be smoking hot before the batter is added, or they won't puff.  Well, I have done it both ways, and it's utter poppycock.  I think, the only real differences between a popover and a Yorkshire pudding are that Yorkies are always made with beef fat from a roast, and usually cooked in one big piece, often right in the roasting pan.  Popovers can use any sort of fat, and are usually individual servings.

popovers, started in a room-temperature pan--

if that isn't puffed, I don't know what is...

Taking the popovers out of the oven a few minutes before they are done, poking a couple of holes in them with a skewer, and putting them back in the oven to finish browning will release some of the steam, and keep the popovers from becoming too soft and doughy.

I made a broth of wine and beefstock on the stove, then added

the aromatics and what little drippings there were after the meat came out--

the addition of some agar-agar (an asian gelatin) gave it a very silky texture

The roast was juicy and pink, served here with mashed peas,

a popover, and the strained jus on the side

So, with this experiment under my belt, I am entering the roast beef fray.  Sear, then into a 250 oven until the roast hits 118, then at least a 30 minute rest.  That's my two cents.