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Thomas Keller's Roast Chicken

5/16/14


The other day, I wanted to roast a chicken, and I wanted to do it differently from the way I always do it.  So I googled "best ever roast chicken" because the Internet wouldn't lie to me by labeling something THE BEST, right?  Which makes me think of that scene from "Elf" when Will Ferrell congratulates that crappy diner on the World's Best Cup of Coffee, bahaha.  I digress.    

What I found was this article on how to make the best roast chicken of all time.  Of ALL TIME!  Apparently BuzzFeed tried out 8 famous roast chickens and the winning recipe sounded so interesting, I had to try it.  Three ingredients: a chicken, salt and pepper.  No butter.  No oil.  No aromatics.  One hour of cooking with no basting.  Incredibly simple and foolproof.  So I followed the method exactly, and the Internet didn't lie - it was up there with the best.  Especially when you consider how pure the dish is!  Thomas Keller claims that butter and oil end up steaming the chicken, and what you really want is for the dry skin to trap all the moisture inside.  Which is exactly what happened.  The skin was perfectly crispy, and the inside perfectly juicy.  The trick is to make sure the bird is extremely dry prior to cooking, to apply a generous amount of salt and pepper, to leave it alone while it's in the oven (no peaking!) and to baste it when all is said and done.  Thanks Internet!          



Chicagomom72 - you won the Takeya Giveaway!  Please see contact info (at top) and email me.

Have great weekends : )

Julia...

8/13/12


She would have turned 100 this Wednesday.
Let's celebrate by making some of her recipes.  
Or you do it, and then tell me about it, because I feel lazy.

My favorites...


Rachael Ray Show

5/4/12


Can we collectively decide to ignore my lazy eye in the photo above, and the fact that there's a giant tiger on my belly, and how tightly I'm clutching my new olive oil dispensers?  Instead, let's focus on the fact that I'm embracing THE Rachael Ray, who by the way gave my those oil dispensers along with various pieces of her cookware.  Let's also focus on the fact that Carson will spend the entire hour co-hosting her show on Monday (check your local listings for showtimes, in LA she airs at 8am on KCAL 9).  They might even mention this little old blog in the cooking segment...

And speaking of that segment, they whipped up these Iowa Style Fried Pork Sandwiches which we were able to taste after the show.  Pork cutlets, pounded thin, breaded and fried, served on a simple roll with onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard.  Amazing.  Tune in Monday to see how they made it.     


It was so nice to meet you Rachael!  Thank you for the swag, the food, the dinner recommendations, and for being the perfect backstage host.  What an awesome (and quick) trip to New York, bye bye for now...


(French Toast Muffins and Homemade Nutella next week...)

Adam Perry Lang

6/28/11


I'm still trying to figure out if last Friday night actually happened. Did it? Was June 24th, 2011 a date that occurred in history? Let me explain...

It was Carson's birthday dinner. I was cooking for a lot of people, and stressing just a tad (melting, meltdowns) about it. So I asked one of his friends for some advice on the main entree, the steak. But what I wasn't expecting was for him to say, "You know, I actually have a friend in town who happens to be a Meat Maestro/Established Chef/Barbecue and Grilling Expert - can I bring him? He'll cook the steak." (Those weren't his exact words but that's what I heard in my cartwheel-twirling brain.)

His name is Adam Perry Lang, and not only does he grill like THEEE BEST of them, he is a lovely person and now a friend. Let me learn you some things that I learned from this genius chef...

First off, the above photo, that's Adam personally butchering the massive Rib Eye we were to eat that night at Lindy & Grundy's Butcher Shop in Los Angeles. Go to there.

Now, here's Adam at our house. He asked for a pepper grinder, and I was very excited to hand him the only one I own... Mr. Bigfoot MaGoo...


Now this. This has changed my life. Everything I thought I knew about herbs and basting and uses for wooden spoons has been thrown out the window. He asked me for a pot, he asked me for a spoon - seemed normal enough. But then, he took a massive bunch of herbs and tied it to the end of the spoon with kitchen twine, turning it into a basting brush. BUT I LIKE TO CALL IT A MAGICAL BROOM OF JOY. In the pot went the fat trimmings from the steak, butter and clove upon clove of garlic. He warmed the pot on the grill, and used the MAGICAL BROOM OF JOY to sop up the goodness in the pot which he smeared all over the steaks as they cooked...


If you think I stuck this herb brush up my nose all night long and the next morning, you are correct.

Ok, grilled meat, resting peacefully on some olive oil...


Next came his carving techniques. He took more herbs, chopped them up, placed them on the cutting board and the steak on top of that...


...and he carved the beautiful, beautiful meat. Don't you love this story?


Carson's dad, Pops, secretly taking notes...


I have never tasted such flavor in a steak. The herbs, the garlic, the butter, the marbling, the perfect crust, the smoke, the expert medium-rare...

Here's a gratuitous Siri Chewing Picture:


A PERFECT evening... old friends, new friends, great food, lots of drink and older kids to watch Jack. It was such an honor to meet Adam and to have my kitchen blessed by his presence! If you're ever in these areas, check out his restaurants...

London... Barbecoa (with Jamie Oliver)
New York... Daisy May's BBQ USA
Las Vegas... CarneVino (with Mario Batali)

Jacques Torres Chocolates

5/17/11

...in New York City.

I forced Jack to eat this...


...because I am a GREAT mom. And this is the best cookie I've ever had in my entire 30 years alive...


Now, get ready for me to be amazing at you. THE RECIPE. Yeah. Because you don't know how to google things yourself. You're welcome.

Ina Stalking

4/29/11

This morning one of my favorite blogs led me to this blog and to THIS particular post. I breathed a sigh of relief in learning that other people also want to (and successfully do) stalk Ina Garten. In a non-threatening way. THANK YOU REBECCA. Look! Ina's home! It's a real thing!


And now the best part... she spotted Jeffrey...


...in sweats no less. Oh Jeffrey. You must be walking off your Friday Night Chicken Dinner.

Amazing.

Y'all!

4/8/11

Ok so I didn't cook much this week. Don't be mad, you guyzes, we were really busy over here. One night, in fact, I ate my son's leftover Sesame Street ravioli for dinner. AND ENJOYED IT. I promise there will be plenty of yummy recipes up next week. Until then...


You ride that butter, PD, ride it until the cows come home. Have happy weekends!

Bobby Flay on Last Call!

12/7/10

Remember when I met him?


That was the day that he filmed this...


Airs tonight! Set your DVR/TiVo/VCR! Alcoholic Beverage Throwdown... I know who won...

(And don't forget to enter the Giveaway!)

CW: Julia's Roast Chicken

10/29/10


Well, my friends, Cookbook Week has come to an end, and what better way to finish than with THE Book. No, not this one. This one...

5. MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING, by Julia Child.
Sure, I got this as a gift during the Julie & Julia madness, but that doesn't make it any less special. Reading through the countless recipes makes me feel closer to the friendly giant named Julia. I love the simple cover and the black and white illustrations inside. I love the use of butter and the French words I can't pronounce. I just love it, period.


Deciding what to make from this book was not an easy task. I've done the Boeuf Bourguignon (but it was pre-blog and I promise to recreate it someday soon for y'all), I've always wanted to make her Chocolate Mousse, and I was very close to making a creamy mushroom dish. But then I decided I wanted simple, classic and butter. Roast Chicken! It was easy and delicious. The sauce she creates with the chicken juices is out of this world. I'm sorry, Mrs. Child, but I did not truss the chicken with a needle and thread because I do not like to sew poultry. Otherwise, I did you proud. Recipe HERE.

generous amount of butter, salt and pepper...


basting station...


crispy, juicy roast chicken...


shallots and chicken juice...


stock and butter...


glistening au jus...


I hope you enjoyed Cookbook Week! My next themed Monday-Friday is going to be TV Dinners, featuring 5 of my favorite shows. So STAY TUNED!

CW: Martha's Pumpkin Bread

10/27/10


Day 3 of Cookbook Week, coming at ya, and I don't know why I'm talking like an old fashioned radio DJ...

3. MARTHA STEWART'S BAKING HANDBOOK, by Martha Stewart.
Put your personal opinions about Ms. Stewart aside, the lady knows how to make "good things." Her baking handbook has the most wonderful recipes, everything from bagels to wedding cakes to savory tarts. She also includes pictures of equipment and techniques that I find very helpful, and I imagine a beginning baker would too.


Yesterday I decided to try her pumpkin bread, because tis the season! It was superb. Moist and full of sweet and spicy pumpkin goodness. I couldn't find the recipe on her site but I found it HERE. I cut it in half and only made one loaf.

flour and spices...


punkin' and sugars...


eggs and oil...


buttermilk* and dry ingredients added...


bread and butter...


*Buttermilk really grosses me out. I love baking with it, but I can barely look at it until it's incorporated. Anyone else? Ew.

Arroz con Pollo

10/22/10


Last night, I made a meal for an army of 23 large men. But only 3 people were at my table (3.5 including my son)... Carson, myself, and my great friend Ingrid. Needless to say, I have leftovers to feed an army of 20 large men.

I have been wanting to make Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice, you French speakers) for a long time now. It's what I always order at my favorite Mexican restaurant, Casa Escobar. Finally, after meeting Bobby Flay and acquiring his new Throwdown cookbook, I had a recipe! The winning recipe, found here. I highly recommend you try it the next time you're feeding 23 people, or are in the mood for a fridge of leftovers.

Spices...


Browned chicken...


Sofrito...


Rice stewing in chicken stock...

Fried Garbanzo Beans


No, no, I'm not turning into Paula Deen and frying everything in sight. On the contrary, I saw Giada do this yesterday and I wanted to try! So I coated garbanzo beans in some flour mixed with salt, pepper and paprika (my twist), lightly fried them in peanut oil, and sprinkled a little more salt on them as they dried...


Delicious. Not super crunchy, but delicious. Would make a great snack for a cocktail party! (I have a vague memory of those things existing...)

Oh, Happy Day!

10/15/10


I met Bobby Flay!!!!

Here's where I said, "I'm a nerdy fan." Exact words, no idea why I said them...


Does that imply that all of his fans are nerdy? Let's not discuss that.

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