Thrice cooked chicken (really)

Now that I have an air fryer function on my toaster oven, I have been experimenting. This one turned out great.

I accidentally discovered that rice flour is better than wheat flour if you want crispy fried chicken.

Then I discovered that, although it isn't a great idea to try to cook "breaded" items from scratch in the air fryer, it makes breaded things really crispy.

And I have always known that undercooked chicken is inedible, but overcooked chicken is nasty, too. Dry and stringy.

And I have also learned over the years that marinating chicken for an hour or two before cooking it really does help keep it moist and juicy.

Then a friend reminded me of an old trick for breading the chicken, which is to put the flour in a paper bag, with seasonings of your choice, and shake it. It's much less messy than using the tray system. And if you have marinated the chicken, it is already moist on the outside, so no egg wash is needed to get the flour to stick.

So I combined all of these things.

This was about 1.7 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about two cups of rice flour, and assorted condiments.

1. In a container that has a lid and is big enough to hold the chicken and about an equal amount of liquid, put water, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, a couple of teaspoons of sugar and maybe a little salt, some freshly ground pepper and whatever else floats your boat. Put the lid on and shake it up. Add the chicken and refrigerate for an hour or two.(I eyeballed this. You could put the chicken in first, mix condiments in a separate container, then add them and enough water to just cover the chicken. )

2. Put about two cups of rice flour in a brown paper bag, add salt, pepper and whatever else you like. I like ancho chili powder. Shake it up.

3. Put about two inches of canola oil in a cast iron chicken fryer or Dutch oven and heat it up. Again, I just guess at this, but if you sprinkle a few drops of water, carefully, and it spits, it's hot enough. Be careful. 

4. While the oil is heating, put the chicken into the bag, one or two or three pieces at a time, depending on the size of the bag, and shake 'em up. If any part isn't coated, stick your hand in and roll the chicken pieces around. 

5. Turn on the oven to 350.

6. Fry the chicken in the oil, in batches so they aren't touching. I could get three thighs in at the same time, so two batches. Be sure to put the chicken in from front to back, so that if any oil splashes, it splashes away from you, not onto you!

7. After a few minutes, turn the pieces over. They will be a light golden brown.

8. After a few minutes on the other side, transfer to an ungreased ovenproof pan. I have a cast iron one that is a griddle/Dutch oven lid. Put in oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until interior temp is 150-160 on an instant-read thermometer.

9. Transfer to air fryer basket and "fry" at 450 for 8-10 minutes. 

These came out crispy on the outside and fully cooked but succulent on the inside. I will make them this way again.

When I am more experienced using the air-fryer function, I can probably skip the oven step and put the partly-fried chicken into the air fryer, probably at 350 first and then 450 to crisp it up.

 

Pasta della casa

My Italian inlaws will probably be appalled at this, but I have come up with a simple pasta dish that I absolutely love. I almost always have the ingredients, so it is a good "I don't feel like grocery shopping" dish.

1 onion, chopped

3 – 6 cloves of garlic, or (gasp) garlic powder

1 lb. of Italian sausage. I use the mild blend from my supermarket, because I can always add spice if I need to. This is the “loose” kind, not the kind in casings. If you have the kind in casings, you need to squeeze it out, and that’s kind of gross.

About half a box of Angel hair pasta (it’s a one-pound box)

1 28-oz can of whole tomatoes, preferably Roma

Splash of red wine

About a cup of chicken or beef or veal stock

Maybe a T of anchovy paste (optional, but once you have tried it, you'll be sorry if you leave it out)

3T tomato paste (buy the kind in the tube so you can keep it in the fridge and squeeze it out like toothpaste)

Salt, pepper, herbs that you like

Parmesan cheese that you grate or that you buy grated, because I’m not looking

A little bit of butter or olive oil

Equipment: A cast iron pan and a non-reactive dutch oven such as Le Creuset. You do not need  pot and colander for the pasta, which will be explained later in the instructions.

Sweat the onion in the butter or oil in the cast iron pan and move into the Le Creuset dutch oven.

Brown the sausage in the cast iron pan. I know you could do this in the Le Creuset, but I like to put it in the cast iron pan in big pieces and use my metal spatula to break it up into meatball size chunks, and you  shouldn’t use metal in the Le Creuset because it will damage the enamel. The metal spatula won’t hurt the cast iron skillet, but the acid from the tomato sauce might (not permanently, but would hurt the seasoning of the cast iron, which is what keeps things from sticking. That’s why I use two pans, but only two.

When the sausage is really crispy browned – and I like it to even be blackened on some sides – move it over to the dutch oven. Pour in the tomatoes, juice and all. You can cut up the tomatoes if you want, or put the in the metal pan and chop them roughly with the spatula, which is what I do, before quickly moving them to the enamel pan, where they won't hurt my lovely cast iron. Throw in the peeled and chopped cloves of garlic, as much as you want. And herbs. And the splash of wine. And the broth. And the tomato paste. And the anchovy paste. Simmer for as long as you can stand it, stirring only because you want to check to make sure it hasn’t boiled dry. Add more broth or wine or even water if it is getting kind of dry. 

Make sure that you have at least three inches of liquid at the top of the pot. Bring it up to a boil. Then take about ½ pound of the angel hair pasta, break it in half (probably do this in three or so bunches) and drop it into the boiling liquid. That’s right, don’t boil the pasta separately and drain it, just throw it right in to the sauce. It will cook right there.

The pasta will thicken the sauce and absorb the sauce and taste wonderful, and because it is angel hair, it will cook pretty quickly. When it is all bendy and opaque, taste the sauce to see if you even need to add salt and pepper, then scoop some of the pasta and sauce into your preferred bowl or plate, add grated cheese, pour a glass of wine and sigh.

This reheats wonderfully, even in the microwave. The pasta really soaks up the sauce, so you will probably need to add liquid.

I'm pretty sure you could riff on this as much as you want. Saute some mushrooms with the onions? Why not? Want more sauce? Sure, use more tomatoes. Want it spicier? Knock yourself out.

Crispy oven-baked chicken thighs

I love crispy chicken, too. This uses the skinless, boneless chicken thighs that were on sale at my store, and uses crushed crispy rice cereal (I used generic, but you know what brand).

about 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about seven or eight, depends on your store
cornstarch -- about a cup or a cup and a half. You will waste some, but you don't want to skimp
2 cups crispy rice cereal, crushed (the best way is in a gallon zip bag and a rolling pin)
 soy sauce
worcestershire sauce
salt, pepper, whatever seasonings you want
1 or 2 eggs, beaten with a little water, salt, pepper, other seasonings you like
canola oil or whatever oil you like


Start about an hour and a half before you want to eat. And yes, you season each thing so that it is all seasoned.

In a microwave-safe container -- I use a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup, which is useful for so many things -- make a quick marinade of a couple of teaspoons of soy sauce, a couple of teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, some garlic powder or garlic bits, pepper and any other seasoning that strikes your fancy. Add a little water. Microwave for 30 seconds. Add water to the 3 cup mark or so.

Put the chicken thighs in a gallon zip-lock bag or a container that will let you cover them. Marinate for about 30 minutes. Don't marinate too long -- this is not like brining a turkey!

Preheat the oven to 400.
Lightly oil a sheet pan -- not a cookie sheet, the kind with sides that will catch the oil.

Put the cornstarch in a bowl or pie pan. Keep the crushed cereal in the zip bag.  Add salt and pepper to each.

Drain the marinade off the chicken and dip each piece in the cornstarch, one or two at a time, then in the egg, then in the cereal. Place on the baking pan. Drizzle a little oil on top of each piece -- not too much.

When they are all coated and the oven has reached 400, put the sheet pan in the oven and turn it down to 350.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, then turn and bake another 5 minutes or so.
Chicken should be crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.

Stir-fried chicken and veggies

 So easy. Makes two servings.
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast 
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced (slice up the rest and save for next time)
about 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 to 3 scallions, sliced, whites and greens'
rice, couscous or whatever, as desired
cornstarch, about 1/2 cup
soy sauce, about 1/4 cup
dash of Worcestershire sauce
Sweet chili sauce, the good kine, about 1 Tablespoon, more if you like it
garlic, either fresh or "buds" that can be rehydrated in the liquid.
 Canola oil, about 1/4 cup or less
Any other veggies that you want.

Cut the chicken into pieces about 1 inch by 1 inch. Put in a bowl with about 2 T of the soy sauce, the chili sauce and the garlic for about 20 minutes -- not longer, it isn't tenderizing, it's flavoring.

Take out the chicken and dredge it in the corn starch.  
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet until really hot. Fry the chicken, about 2 minutes per side. Remove.

Meanwhile, mix up the leftover "marinade" with the rest of the soy sauce, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and the cornstarch that's left from dredging the chicken. Don't worry, you're gonna boil it. Add about cup of water. Be prepared to add more later.

Stir-fry the veggies for about a minute. If you are using "hard" veggies like carrots, put them in first and cook them longer, unless of course you have wisely shredded them very fine.

Add the chicken back in. Add the sauce. Watch the sauce boil up and thicken. Add more water if necessary (depends on how much cornstarch was left over and how it thickens).

Serve over rice or whatever.

Spicy Crispy Beef
beta version-- I expect to refine this, which will eliminate some of the question marks. Also, I would be tempted to make an even bigger batch of the sauce because it is delicious.

Beef, cut into thin strips -- about 8 oz for 2 moderate servings
Veggies: I used mushrooms, red bell pepper, green onions, sliced. You can use as many veggies as you want!
Sauce: Soy sauce, about 1/2 cup? ; water or stock, about a cup?; dash of Worcestershire sauce, about 2 T sweet red chili paste, dash of hot chili oil; minced garlic, about 4 cloves worth; crystallized ginger (minced or diced, about a tablespoon or more) -- or use grated fresh ginger, not ginger powder, but then plan on adding honey or sugar, maybe brown sugar. You need to keep tasting this as you mix it up so you have it as spicy and sweet as you want but not more than you want!
Cornstarch -- lots.  Maybe as much as 1 cup, although it doesn't all get used.??
Peanut oil or canola oil -- something with high smoke point -- for frying. About 1/2 Cup?

Put water on to boil for rice. In saucepan, it takes 2 cups water for 1 cup long-grain white rice.When it boils, reduce to simmer, cover, stir occasionally. Or use rice cooker.  Long-grain rice takes 20 minutes in saucepan, so meanwhile you can do the rest.

Cut up the beef and veggies.
Mix up the sauce and marinate the beef strips in it for about an hour. Optional waiting period, but worth it.
Pull out the beef strips, keeping the sauce, preferably in a microwave-safe vessel, and dredge or toss the beef in cornstarch to thoroughly coat. Let sit and dredge again to ensure complete coverage.
Put about 1/2 inch - 3/4 inch of oil in cast iron skillet (or use a wok) and heat until a piece of beef sizzles immediately on hitting the pan. Fry the beef in batches -- about 1/2 at a time in a 12-inch skillet. Set aside.
Add veggies to skillet. I had some cornstarch left in my dredging bowl, so I gave the veggies a quick toss there, too. Cook until tender but not soggy, just a minute or two. Remove from pan.
Thoroughly heat the sauce; I start in microwave and then in the pan; when it is bubbling in the pan, add the beef and veggies back in.

Serve over rice, or if you prefer, as I often do, noodles or couscous.

Easy yummy chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)

This is the easiest way to make delicious chicken. Use the bone-in, skin-on thighs. If you really have to, use bone-in, skin-on breasts, but I'm telling you they won't be as good.
At the store today, these 10 cost $5.72 -- way cheaper than boneless, skinless, and more flavor.

I put them on the baking sheet pan. You could put parchment paper or foil underneath, but mine is pretty easy to clean. Do NOT use a flat cookie sheet -- you need the sides to catch the fat that will run off.

Sprinkle the skin side liberally with kosher salt. Let rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes. No, it won't make them poisonous. Just gives the salt a chance to start working.

Now slide them under the broiler, about 6 inches from the heat, for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the skin should have started to get bubbly and take some color, although it may not be brown yet.

Turn off the broiler and set the oven temp to 325 and bake for 20 minutes. Check the internal temp, which should be about 170.

Now put them back under the broiler for another 5 minutes or so until they brown up. I don't mind if they haven't all totally browned, because I will be reheating the leftovers in the toaster oven for the rest of the week and they'll get another chance!

A lot of the fat will have rendered off. The skin should be crispy and decadent. Yes, some of the fat will have dripped into the meat, making it moist and luscious. And you will find that because of that, you will likely be satisfied eating just one piece and you won't be hungry half an hour later. And you won't need a sauce.  I've lost 20 pounds in a few months, and this is one of the reasons.
 
 

Dad's Christmas Stollen

This makes six loaves of the German-style Christmas bread, each enough to serve six or eight people, with coffee. Dad makes the big batch because they freeze well and make good Christmas gifts for people like the choir director, the neighbor who checks the mail for you while you’re away and the kids’ piano teacher.

“Keep one for yourself, and have five good friends,” he suggests.

Ingredients:

2 pkgs. Active dry yeast (or equivalent)

½ cup warm water

2 cups milk, scalded

1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, melted (can melt it in the scalded milk)

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground cardamon

8 cups, approx.., sifted all-purpose flour

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups seedless raisins, black or white or both

½ cup currants*

½ cup chopped, mixed candied fruit*

4 Tbs grated orange peel

2 Tbs grated lemon peel

½ cup chopped, blanched almonds (

optional)

More candied fruit to decorate

For the glaze: 2 cups confectioners sugar, 4 Tbs. milk and a dash of salt.

*can use dried fruit such as cranberries “rehydrated” in simple syrup, make your own candied lemon and orange peel in simple syrup. Candied pineapple is nice but pieces need to be chopped up smaller than the chunks it usually comes in

Method:

Combine milk, butter, sugar, salt and cardamom and set aside to cool. Cool to lukewarm. When lukewarm, stir in four cups of the flour. Beat well. Add softened yeast and eggs and beat well. Stir in raisins, candied fruits, peels and nuts.

Add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, eight to 10 minutes. (Really knead that dough; besides making the bread better, it will help you get rid of the tension of Christmas shopping.)

Place dough in large greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of dough. Cover and let rise in warm place to double size (1-1/2 to 2 hours). Punch down.

Turn out on lightly floured surface. Divide into six equal parts. Cover with towel and let rest 10 minutes.

Roll each part into an oval (about 10 inches long by 6 inches wide) to about 3/8 inch thick. Take one end and fold it over to within about an inch of the other end. This is what gives it the “stollen” shape.

Place stollen on a greased baking sheet. Cover with towel and let rise in a warm place until almost double, about an hour.

Bake in moderate oven (375) for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with glaze (see below). Decorate with cut up candied cherries, candied pineapple and citron, or any combination of the above, or with your home-made candied fruit if you are avoiding artificial coloring and flavoring.

Glaze: Mix 2 cups confectioners sugar, 4 Tablespoons milk and a dash of salt. Stir into thin glaze.

Serve in slices and provide plenty of butter. Frozen stollen can thaw in about half an hour at room temperature, or they can be wrapped in foil and heated in the oven.

Here's how they look as they came out of the oven and are cooling off. Do not try to ice them when they aren't cool -- the icing will soak in and or drip completely off. Even after they cool, I will put a tray or waxed paper underneath to catch drips.