A Second Course

When you ask most people to name their favorite things about summer, what typically comes to mind is: the beach, outdoor happy hours, fireworks,  flip flops, picnics, the park… If you asked me, on the other hand, about the best part of summer, my answer would be: grilling, corn on the cob, tomatoes, rose wine (all day, any day), peaches, watermelon, dinner parties on my patio, stoli doli’s, and the list goes on and on….

Speaking of grilling, here’s a quick and delicious grilled summer dessert:

1) Heat up grill to about 350 degrees.

2) Halve peaches and brush with a little clarified butter.  Place on grill cut side down for just a few minutes until peaches begin to soften and grill marks are visible.

3) Using tongs, turn the peaches skin side down and place some chocolate chips in the well. Cover the grill for just a minute until the chocolate melts. You can even add a dollop of creme fraiche and enjoy!

What are some of your favorite things about summer? Please share with the rest of us!

No this posting isn’t about sweet and succulent ribs (although I did have some tasty ones a few days ago)… I’d like to send my sincerest apologies to all my loyal fans for patiently awaiting my new postings. The last few weeks of class really kicked my a#%. But I’m back and back with a vengeance. So grab a pencil and paper and get ready to learn more great food tips over the coming weeks!

Sunday was the first time I brined a chicken and I can honestly say that I will never make a whole roasted chicken again without first completing this step.  It was more tender, more succulent and more flavorful. For those of you who have had tasty Kosher chicken meat, this is the closest you will get in terms of flavor. It’s as simple as this:

Bringing chicken

1 Gallon water: 1 cup kosher salt

Soak the chicken for 1.5 hours and pat dry.

Season with white pepper only (no excess salt is necessary) and stuff the cavity with your favorite herbs (please see my earlier posting in The Daily Dish about a cooking a perfect roast chicken).

And definitely let me know after you try to brine, I’m sure you will agree this makes the world of difference.

Rule of thumb:  Keep frozen foods no longer than 6 months in the freezer. After that, toss it. Flavors and texture begin to change. I always write the date with a permanent pen on the plastic wrap and periodically do a clean sweep, tossing out old items or items with any visible freezer burn.

So succulent, so satisfying, sooooo easy!!!!  Just follow these few simple steps and you are on your way to a perfect roast chicken:

1) After cleaning the chicken, pat it dry.  I also like to truss the chicken which allows the bird to cook evenly, retain as much moisture as possible and improve the overall appearance.

2) Season the skin with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with your favorite herbs (I also like to add lemon slices) and salt and pepper. If you put the herbs directly on the skin they will burn when roasted at such high temperatures.

2) Since the dark meat takes the longest to cook, I like to sear each side of the chicken on the thigh/leg in a pre-heated very hot (oven safe) pan coated with oil.

3) Place the seared chicken directly in the oven and  cook at 375-400 degrees (F) for 15-18 minutes per pound, rotating the chicken at least 2 additional times (second thigh side up, ending with the breast side up).  This will help prevent the breast from overcooking.

4) Add your aromats (onion, celery, carrot, garlic) to the bottom of the pan about 10-15 minutes before the bird is finished cooking.

5) You will know the chicken is cooked when the joints become very loose and the juices run clear with no blood. An instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should reads 165 degrees as well.

Cover loosely with foil if you see that it is browning too much.

Deglaze the bottom of the pan with water, wine, or stock to make a nice pan gravy. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry or roux if desired.