This post is about chicken
So suddenly I’m Emeril Lagassi (although I find Alton Brown much more likeable and intelligent).
In this ever unfurling collegiate saga of learning how to cook well, I have successfully completed the chapter on sautéing chicken. Last night I took generic brand chicken breasts out of the freezer, defrosted them, and melted some butter in my frying pan. Then, I took out the paprika and Greek seasoning and incorporated both ingredients into the chicken matrix. I added some frozen vegetables to the mix and let that baby go for a solid 12 minutes. What resulted from this systematic process was the plumpest, juiciest, and most tender chiggen I have ever had. I know it wasn’t a fluke either, because I had done it before the week previous. This particular poultry palette pleaser, however, was my finest creation. I seriously want to make this dish for everyone in the world.
If you make this dish this week, I humbly request that you don’t call it Chicken, but rather Erik’s Meat when serving it to your friends and loved ones. You know, in celebration of my breakthrough into actually being able to cook great tasting things. Do not misconstrue the meaning of Erik’s Meat, either. Let’s not mar this joyous occasion with lechery!
I intend never to cook chicken in olive oil again. Butter. Yes. Butter needs to be incorporated into more aspects of my life. Starting now. I wonder what would happen if I were to staple a butter wrapper to one of my homework assignments.
I think those TA’s need a little spice in their lives.
In this ever unfurling collegiate saga of learning how to cook well, I have successfully completed the chapter on sautéing chicken. Last night I took generic brand chicken breasts out of the freezer, defrosted them, and melted some butter in my frying pan. Then, I took out the paprika and Greek seasoning and incorporated both ingredients into the chicken matrix. I added some frozen vegetables to the mix and let that baby go for a solid 12 minutes. What resulted from this systematic process was the plumpest, juiciest, and most tender chiggen I have ever had. I know it wasn’t a fluke either, because I had done it before the week previous. This particular poultry palette pleaser, however, was my finest creation. I seriously want to make this dish for everyone in the world.
If you make this dish this week, I humbly request that you don’t call it Chicken, but rather Erik’s Meat when serving it to your friends and loved ones. You know, in celebration of my breakthrough into actually being able to cook great tasting things. Do not misconstrue the meaning of Erik’s Meat, either. Let’s not mar this joyous occasion with lechery!
I intend never to cook chicken in olive oil again. Butter. Yes. Butter needs to be incorporated into more aspects of my life. Starting now. I wonder what would happen if I were to staple a butter wrapper to one of my homework assignments.
I think those TA’s need a little spice in their lives.
"ma'am"
5 Comments:
Sorry you lost me right around the words...Erik's meat ;)
HAHAAAAAAAAA!! Erik's Meat!!! HAHA!!
I was just gonna say, "YAY! Lets have Erik's Meat!" and then things got weird!
Wait, so the secret ingredient isn't cooking wine? I have been gravely misinformed.
I think I'd feel weird serving my boyfriend "Erik's Meat."
I want some!
Butter, unfortunately, burns at high temperatures, which makes it unsuitable for really browning things. There are three solutions:
1. Clarified butter. You heat butter slowly until the proteins and sugars (which are what burn and smoke) separate out from the butterfat; skim off the former, carefully pour the latter into a clean container (leaving behind the residue in the bottom of the heating vessel) and refrigerate. Keeps for a long time and you can nuke it to thaw when you need some. A Pyrez measuring cup (16 ounce size) is perfect because it's easy to pour from.
2. OK, easier: use equal quantities butter and olive oil, which raises the "smoke point" of the combination above that of butter alone. But you still have to watch out for burning.
3. If you want real high temps, use olive oil.
Check out Harold McGee's "Science and Food in the Kitchen." A gold mine.
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