Get Cooking
Page 20
4. A lot of liquid will have accumulated in the pan. Baste the chicken by spooning this liquid over the tops of the thighs several times, and then bake for 15 minutes longer. Baste again, and cook 15 minutes more.
5. Check the internal temperature of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer inserted parallel to the bone (but not actually touching it) in one of the thighs. If it registers 170°F, the chicken is done. If not, remove the thermometer, baste again, and bake for up to 20 more minutes, checking the temperature and basting every 10 minutes or so until the thermometer reads 170°F.
6. Transfer the chicken to a plate or a platter and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, using a hot pad or an oven mitt, tip the pan and use a large spoon to skim off and discard most of the clear yellow fat that will have accumulated on the surface of the sauce.
7. Serve the chicken hot, warm, or at room temperature, with some of the sauce spooned over it.
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GET CREATIVE
Serve with rice (see Chapter 7: Sides) and Absolutely the Best Broccoli (Chapter 7: Sides) or Delightfully Spiced Carrots (Chapter 7: Sides) on the side; with Vegetable-Tofu Stir-Fry (Chapter 4: Vegetarian Entrées); or with a green salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing (Chapter 2: Salads).
Garnish with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and/or very thinly sliced scallions (including the green part).
This recipe also works well with chicken wings, which make a great party snack, appetizer, or potluck contribution. Just substitute 3 to 4 pounds of wings (buy drumettes or cut-up wing sections, rather than whole wings) and follow the recipe as directed.
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poached salmon
Makes 2 servings
Poaching (that is, cooking something slowly in simmering liquid) is the easiest, most reliable way to cook salmon. You really can’t go wrong. Even if you overcook it a bit, it will still be moist and delicate. Best of all, poached salmon is elegant and tasty, and it goes perfectly with a variety of sauces. It’s also better cold, as a leftover, than pan-fried or broiled salmon, and once you get the hang of poaching, you can add salmon-topped salads to your list of regular meals. This method works equally well with halibut or other similar firm-fleshed fish. Leftover poached salmon keeps for up to 3 days in a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container in the refrigerator.
1 lemon
Salt for the cooking water
A few thick slices of red or yellow onion
8 whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Two 8-ounce salmon fillets or steaks, ¾-to 1-inch thick
1. Cut the lemon in half lengthwise. Cut one of the halves into 4 thick slices and the other half into wedges. Set the wedges aside for serving.
2. Choose a skillet or pot that is large enough to hold the salmon in a single layer and deep enough that you’ll be able to cover the fish with water by about an inch. Fill the skillet about two-thirds full with cold water and set it on the stove over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt, plus the lemon slices (giving them a squeeze as you drop them in), onion slices, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
3. Meanwhile, line a plate with three layers of paper towels and place it near the stove.
4. Gently slide the salmon into the boiling water. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook at a gentle simmer for 8 minutes. To check for doneness, remove the salmon with a slotted spoon or slotted metal spatula and gently insert the tip of a small knife into the center. The fish should be opaque pink in the center, not translucent, and it should be firm to the touch. If it’s not quite ready, carefully slide it back into the water for another minute or so.
5. Use the slotted spoon or slotted metal spatula to remove the salmon from the water, and drain it briefly on the paper-towel-lined plate. Discard the poaching liquid and serve the salmon hot, at room temperature, or chilled, accompanied with the lemon wedges.
SHORTCUT “HOLLANDAISE”
Real hollandaise is a tricky concoction made by emulsifying butter, lemon juice, and egg yolks over heat. Mayonnaise makes a perfectly wonderful base for a much more practical version. For 4 to 5 servings, just combine ½ cup of your favorite mayo with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and ½ teaspoon dried (or 2 tablespoons minced fresh) tarragon. If you’d like some crunch, stir in a tablespoon of finely minced shallot. Serve this anywhere you’ve ever heard of serving hollandaise: over asparagus, on top of eggs Benedict (or just poached eggs), as a sauce for poached salmon or other fish, or as a dip for artichokes. It’s all good. This keeps in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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GET CREATIVE
Substitute white wine for up to 1 cup of the water in the poaching liquid to give the fish a little more flavor.
Serve with Classic Asparagus (Chapter 7: Sides), and dress both the fish and the vegetable with Shortcut "Hollandaise" (left).
Garnish with a sprinkling of capers, a few thin cucumber slices, and/or a sprig or two of fresh tarragon or dill.
Serve the salmon with a baked potato (Chapter 7: Sides) topped with sour cream or yogurt, and/or Braised Brussels Sprouts in Mustard Sauce (Chapter 7: Sides).
Flake the salmon and serve it warm, at room temperature, or cold over a green salad.
Mash any leftover poached salmon with a bit of mayonnaise and lemon juice to make a salmon salad, which you can use in a sandwich or as a salad topping.
Pile the warm poached salmon on a toasted French roll, with lettuce, tomato, red onion, cucumber, and dabs of wasabi and mayonnaise.
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crispy pan-fried fish fillets
Makes 4 servings
Utter simplicity is the principle behind these classic crunchy-coated fish fillets. The process is surprisingly easy, once you set up the little assembly line of beaten egg and seasoned breadcrumbs. This fish cooks quickly and needs to go directly from the stove to the table without passing Go, so have your side dishes ready ahead of time. This recipe uses both olive oil and butter. Just a tablespoon of butter will infuse the oil with an extra layer of rich flavor, while keeping the coating crisp and light.
1 pound white fish fillets, such as sole, snapper, or cod (four 4-ounce pieces, each ½-inch thick)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon water
½ cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs; see Chapter 6: Chicken, Fish, and Meat)
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Lemon or lime wedges, for serving
1. Rinse the fish under cold running water, then pat it dry with paper towels and set aside.
2. Break the egg into a pie pan, then beat with a fork or a small whisk, adding the teaspoon of water as you go. When no egg white is still visible, stop beating and set aside.
3. Combine the panko, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. Have a second dinner plate ready to hold the coated fillets.
4. One at a time, dip the fillets into the egg and then let any excess egg drip off back into the pie pan. Put each moistened fillet into the panko mixture, pressing it down firmly so the crumbs will adhere. Then turn it over, and press the second side into the crumbs until it becomes completely coated all over. Shake off any extra panko mixture, and transfer the coated fillet to the clean plate.
5. Place a large (10-to 12-inch—or big enough to hold all 4 fillets) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the butter, and swirl until it melts into the oil.
6. Carefully transfer the coated fillets to the hot pan. Cook, undisturbed, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until deep golden brown on the bottom.
7. Use a metal spatula to carefully loosen each fillet, being careful to keep its coating intact. Flip each fillet over, and cook on the second side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until that side is deep golden brown. A sharp knife should insert easily into the thickest part of the fish, revealing opaque flesh. If nece
ssary, cook a minute or so longer.
8. Serve hot, accompanying each portion with a wedge or two of lemon or lime.
WHY PANKO?
Panko is the name of a kind of very light, coarse-textured Japanese-style breadcrumb, often sold either in the Asian section of supermarkets or with the regular breadcrumbs; it comes packed in a box or a bag. The porous texture and rough oblong shape of panko crumbs make them the absolute best choice when you want to create an extremely-yet-delicately-crisp outer coating on any pan-fried or baked food. If you can’t find panko, use ordinary unseasoned breadcrumbs. Their finer, more powdery texture still works for coating, but the result will be less crunchy and light.
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GET CREATIVE
These fillets are great with mayonnaise or with store-bought tartar sauce.
Serve with Roasted Fingerlings (Chapter 7: Sides); be sure to start them far enough in advance so they’re ready when the fish is done.
Mostly Classic Cole Slaw (Chapter 2: Salads) also makes a nice accompaniment, and can be made up to a day ahead of time.
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pan-seared garlic prawns
Makes 4 servings
Here’s a no-fail way to enjoy succulent prawns with just a few minutes of work. I recommend buying frozen large shrimp rather than fresh. (“Prawns” and “shrimp,” by the way, are essentially synonyms: “shrimp” tends to be how they’re sold, and “prawns” is a nice way to refer to large shrimp when serving them.) Why? Because at most supermarket fish counters the shrimp are previously frozen anyway, and the quality of shrimp deteriorates the longer they sit after thawing. Buying good-quality shrimp from the freezer section means you can have them on hand till you need them, and then thaw them just before you’re ready to cook, making for fresher, tastier shrimp. Shrimp are sold by size and classified by the number of them in a pound. In this case, we’re using extra-large shrimp (16 to 20 to a pound). Either “easy-peel” or peeled shrimp will work here. “Easy-peel” are deveined but still have the shell and tail on, which preserves their flavor. When you peel them, I suggest leaving the tail on. It’ll add flavor and makes the shrimp look much more attractive on the plate.
1 pound frozen extra-large shrimp (“easy-peel” or peeled, deveined)
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 good-sized clove)
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A big pinch of red pepper flakes (plus more for passing at the table)
Fresh lime wedges, for garnish
1. Put the shrimp in a colander in the sink and run cold water over them until they are thawed. Drain well, and pat dry with paper towels. If using easy-peel shrimp, remove the shells and, optionally, the tails.
2. In a shallow pie plate or bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes; mix well. Add the thawed shrimp and toss to coat well. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and up to an hour.
3. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add the shrimp (leaving the extra marinade behind in the bowl to discard). Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until the shrimp turn from glossy to opaque.
4. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately, with many fresh lime wedges and additional red pepper flakes if you like.
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GET CREATIVE
Garnish these with a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley and/or snipped chives.
Put freshly cooked, still-hot shrimp right on top of a big green salad along with slices of cucumber, red onion, tomato, and avocado.
Serve the shrimp over rice or couscous (see Chapter 7: Sides), with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over everything.
To turn this into a pasta dish, cook ¾ pound linguine or fettuccine according to the package directions. Meanwhile, sauté the shrimp, using a large skillet that will accommodate the pasta. When the pasta is done, toss it in the skillet with the cooked shrimp to combine. Remove the pan from the heat, drizzle up to 2 tablespoons olive oil over the pasta, and squeeze a few tablespoons of lime juice over it as well, to taste.
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peperoni e salsiccia (italian-style peppers and sausages)
Makes 2 servings
This traditional home-style Italian dish is a sauté of sweet peppers, onions, slices of browned sausage, and tender potatoes. For this recipe, go with mild or medium-spicy Italian sausage. Meat expert friends of mine say pork sausage is best for this dish, rather than turkey or chicken, but that’s their (very educated) taste. If you’d rather go nontraditional, you can use any of those sweeter, fruitier, or spicier “designer” sausages (like chicken-apple or mango-cilantro). Many of these are fully cooked, so if you use them, you just need to brown them, whole, for a few minutes and then slice them and proceed with the recipe as directed.
This dish keeps for up to 5 days in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. It reheats well, either on the stovetop over medium heat or in a microwave, and you can do all kinds of tasty things with it.
Polenta (see Chapter 4: Vegetarian Entrées) is a perfect match for Peperoni e Salsiccia. Just spoon the soft polenta into soup bowls and top with the peppers and sausage. Or let the cooked polenta cool slightly, which will cause it to firm up, and then slice or scoop chunks of it onto plates and top with the pepper-sausage mixture.
½ pound small potatoes (Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn is good), scrubbed and cut in half
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 sweet or spicy Italian sausages (about 3 ounces each)
1 large onion, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 large red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
1 large green bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 good-sized clove)
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Put a medium pot of cold water to boil over high heat, and place a colander in the sink. When the water boils, add the potatoes, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes in the colander and leave them there until needed.
2. Meanwhile, place a large skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the sausages (whole), and cook gently for about 15 minutes, turning them every couple of minutes, until golden brown all over. (The sausages are cooked through when no longer pink in the middle. You can check by cutting in with a small sharp knife to be sure.) Transfer the cooked sausages to a cutting board, let them cool for a few minutes, and then slice them into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Leave them there until needed.
3. Without cleaning it, return the skillet to medium-high heat, and immediately add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. After about 30 seconds, swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion, bell peppers, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the onion is golden brown.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cooked potatoes and the sausage rounds, and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until everything is heated through. If the mixture looks dry, stir in a tablespoon or two of water and heat briefly.
5. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper (depending on how spicy the sausage is), and serve hot or warm.
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GET CREATIVE
Top this with grated Parmesan cheese and/or chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Serve with penne pasta: Boil ½ pound of penne pasta, drain, and toss with the warm Peperoni e Salsiccia.
Serve with a green salad and some crusty bread on the side.
Make this into an open-face sandwich by piling it onto a split, toasted French roll or a slab of focaccia and topping it with grated Parmesan cheese. You can also top it with sliced mozzarella and melt the cheese briefly in the bro
iler or toaster oven.