Poached Chicken (Forgotten)

Ingredients:

• chicken breast
• Redmond's® Real Salt
• McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley
• aromatics of your choice
• water (or liquid of your choice)

Directions:

If your chicken is not even thickness, pound it a bit, but do not over do it and end up with thin chicken.  Salt and pepper each side.

Place chicken breast(s) in a lidded pot.  If poaching several breasts at a time, use a pot that will hold them in a single layer. Add your aromatics and enough cold water to cover the chicken by two inches.

Bring to a simmer then cover and simmer for 1 minute only.  Remove from heat and leave to cool for 90 minutes without removing the lid. 

When ready to use, strain poaching liquid and reserve for later use as stock.

Myrtle's Note:  I was initially worried about this method, because when I tried it the first time, I thought the meat looked pink on the bottom.  However, it was ever so slightly brown from resting on the bottom of the pan, I guess.  Anyway, I panicked and poached it some more using the traditional method.  The second time, I put one of the two sprigs of thyme that I used beneath the chicken and actually brought it to a hard boil before turning the heat back down.  I am sure that was probably not necessary.  I am calling this method the forgotten method because it sits in the warm water for so long.  I think I prefer the traditional method, but this would be helpful when you have lots of other things to cook since you can set it aside and forget about it for a long while.  This method does result in the most aromatic chicken of the three methods.

Source:  http://www.annabel-langbein.com/recipes/aromatic-poached-chicken/491/

Poached Chicken (Traditional)

Ingredients:

• chicken breast
• Redmond's® Real Salt
• McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley
• aromatics of your choice
• water (or liquid of your choice)

Directions:

If your chicken is not even thickness, pound it a bit, but do not over do it and end up with thin chicken.  Salt and pepper each side.

In a lidded pot large enough to have your chicken in one layer, lay the chicken on the bottom.  Add your aromatics.  [Again, I used lemon slices, smashed garlic, and sprigs of fresh thyme.]  Gently cover the chicken until the water is a good one inch above your chicken.  [Another cook I watched suggested the liquid be two knuckles.]

Put the pot on the stove on high heat and bring to a boil.  As soon as it is boiling, cover the pot and turn the temperature down to low.

Let cook until the chicken reaches 165 degrees in the thickest part.  Depending on how many breasts you are poaching, this might be 10-14 minutes.

Remove from the poaching liquid and let rest on a plate for 5 minutes before cutting or shredding.

You can save the poaching liquid for a broth or stock.  Bring back to a boil and let it reduce a bit before saving.


Myrtle's Note:  I think that I might like this method better.  I had trouble bringing it to a boil on medium-high, so I plan to go straight to high next time (instructions are adjusted).  I have an electric, flat top stove and the constant cycling of the burner drives me nuts.  I like that there is no outer layer to the chicken, as opposed to the slightly rougher texture there was on the outside of the Inside Out Poached Chicken.  I also think it is a tad bit more flavorful, although by flavor I mean the essence of flavor.  I will say that with my struggle to get the chicken to boil, I clearly over-cooked this in the fact that it was 192 degrees when I checked it at 8 minutes.  I do like Inside Out Poached Chicken because it is a bit more precise in method.  Even so, I found this poached chicken the closest to that which you get on Panera salads.  I very much enjoyed it!


Source:  (the recipe, not the video) http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-poach-chicken-breasts-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-28367

Poached Chicken (Inside Out)

Ingredients:

• chicken breast(s)
• olive oil
• Redmond's® Real Salt
• McCormick's® Peppercorn Medley
• Aromatics of your choosing

Directions:

You will need a pan with a lid in which the number of chicken breasts you choose to cook fit in one layer.

If your chicken breast is not even thickness, pound it, but do NOT keep pounding it until it is thin.  Salt and pepper each side.

Heat your pan on medium high.  Once it is really hot, drizzle in some olive oil.  Turn the heat down to medium and put your chicken in the pan.  Cook for about a minute, until the chicken is a little golden, no more.  Turn the chicken over.  Put your aromatics in the pan.  [I chose smashed garlic, fresh thyme, and lemon slices.]  Cover with the lid.  Turn the heat down to LOW.  And cook for 10 minutes.  Do NOT lift the lid.

Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for an additional 10 minutes.  Do NOT lift the lid.

Remove the chicken from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting.

Works well when making chicken salad or putting chicken on a salad.


Myrtle's Note:  This is one of three different methods of poaching chicken that I wanted to learn.  The link below is to a different method, but in the middle of the page is a video advertisement that is this method.  All I did was add aromatics, since the other two poaching methods include them.  I had read that cold will set the flesh, so I was worried refrigerating it would change the outcome.  I used half the breast on my salad and put the other half in the refrigerator, dripping the juices from the plate onto the remain chicken pieces and putting them into the refrigerator whilst still warm so there would be some condensation in the container.  When I ate the leftovers later, they were incredibly moist.  I was well-pleased with this method.


Source: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-poach-chicken-breasts-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-28367 (video on the page, not the recipe)

Stove-to-Oven Fillet Mignon

Ingrediants:

• Fillet mignon
• olive oil
• butter
• salt
• pepper
• aromatics of your choice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Directions:

Set the steak on the counter for a half hour in order to come to room temperature.  Oil both sides, safflower has the highest smoke point.  Then, salt and pepper very liberally both sides.

Heat a pan to really, really hot by allowing it to rest in the oven as it is preheating then putting on a medium high flame.   Sear both sides (2-3 minutes each depending on the thickness of your fillet), without touching the meat as it sears.

Add aromatics and some butter to the pan.  Suggested aromatics are garlic, thyme, rosemary, bayleaves, etc.

Finish in the oven (5-7 minutes, from medium rare to well done).

Move to the plate.  Scoop some of the butter from the pan and drizzle it atop the steak.  Let rest 5 minutes.

Do not cut into the meat at any time during the process.

Myrtle's Note:  I absolutely stink at cooking steaks.  Since all my grilling efforts have been failures, I wanted to explore the stove-to-oven method and have, as I am now wont to do, been watching YouTube videos and Googling lots.  I settled on information from two different sources and started.  Pictured is a fillet pinwheel.  I wanted to try it before I did the plain fillet mignon.  It was rather tasty, although a bit more done than I wanted.  I need to remember just how much a steak will finish once it is taken away from its heat source.

Sources:  http://www.noreciperequired.com/technique/how-cook-perfect-filet-mignon#  AND http://www.floatingkitchen.net/how-to-cook-the-perfect-filet-mignon/

Tacos al Pastor

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds pork sirloin cutlets
• achiote adobo marinade (directions below)
• pineapple, peeled, cut into ½-inch slices 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
• 2 guajillo chiles
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped white onion, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons achiote paste
• 1 cup bitter orange juice (or substitute with 1/3 cup orange juice, 1/3 cup lime juice and 1/3 cup white distilled vinegar) 
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground true or ceylon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste, plus more
• 12 to 14 corn tortillas (use flour tortillas if turning these tacos into “gringas”) 
• queso fresco or queso cotija (shredded queso asadero, Mexican Oaxaca or Chihuahua, or mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or any melty cheese of your choice(optional, to be turned into “gringas”) 
• 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro to garnish
• 2 limes cut into quarters, to garnish 
• salsa of your choice

Directions:

Make the adobo de achiote.  Start by stemming and seeding the guajillo chiles. Toast them on a pre-heated comal or skillet, set over medium heat, for about 1 to 2 minutes per side until they are toasted, but not burnt.

Place the toasted chiles in a saucepan, add enough water to cover them, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until the chiles are plumped up and rehydrated.  Save 1/2 cup of the chili water.

In a blender, add bitter orange juice, achiote paste, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, oregano, brown sugar, sea salt, garlic cloves, and chopped onions.  Pulse until blended.  Add chilis and 1/2 cup of chili water and blend thoroughly.

Use the adobe de achiote to marinate the pork for at least 3 hours, or up to 48 hours, in the refrigerator, reserving 1/2 cup of marinade to use later.

When ready to make tacos, remove the meat from the refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes or until room temperature. 

Brush some of the reserved marinade on the pineapple slices. 

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a tablespoon of oil. Place as many pineapple slices as will fit on the skillet and sear for about 3 minutes per side, until juicy and lightly charred on both sides. 

Carefully cut the pineapple into thin slices about 1 to 2-inches long and 1/4-inch wide, removing the core. Place in a bowl and cover. 

Drizzle another tablespoon of oil onto the skillet. Lightly sprinkle the meat with salt to taste. Sear as many slices of meat as will fit in the pan, without over crowding, for about 2 minutes per side until browned on both sides. Cook in batches if necessary. Place the meat on a chopping board. Cut it crosswise into thin slices about 1/4-inch thick and 1-inch wide.  Put on a plate and cover with foil.

Cook the corn tortillas, keeping them wrapped in a dish towel or in a warmer until all are made.  

Serve them with the meat, pineapple, chopped cilantro, chopped onion, lime wedges, and salsa of your choice for taco assembly.

If you want to offer some “gringas,” cook flour tortillas on the comal and, once hot, add the melty cheese, fold, and let it melt as if it were a quesadilla. Once melted, re-open the tortilla, add a generous tablespoon or two of the sliced meat, fold again and serve.

Myrtle's Note:  I have been wanting to make these ever since I watched Pati Jinich make them about nine months ago.  They were most definitely worth the wait!  If you look at the photo of the tacos on the original recipe, the meat doesn't look covered with marinade, so I opted not to to the final step in the original recipe of putting reserve marinade in the pan, returning the meat, and cooking it longer.  Pork cutlets are thin and only need brief cooking.  I thought the meat was flavorful enough without the extra marinade at the end.  Also, even though I am a flour tortilla person, I made these as described, using corn tortillas, adding a Mexican crumble cheese.  Mmmm!


Yield: 12-14 tacos (dependent upon the number of cutlets)

Source:  https://patijinich.com/recipe/tacos-al-pastor-with-garnishes/

Sweet Potato Roti

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mashed sweet potato
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Steam the sweet potato.  I have found that one large sweet potato generally yields a cup.  Baking will not provide enough moisture, so be sure to steam it.

Whilst the potato is still hot, peel it and mash it up until it is completely soft.

In a wide, shallow bowl, mix together the flour and salt.  Then add the mashed sweet potato whilst the potato is still hot.  Use a fork at first, or a soft spatula, to keep from burning your fingers.  Once the sweet potato is thoroughly mixed in, continue mixing with your fingers, gathering the mixture with your fingers, grouping it together, and pressing it down in the center of the bowl.  Basically, starting to knead the mixture until it forms a soft dough.  At this point, STOP KNEADING so that you do not end up with tough roti.

Put the ball of soft dough on a floured workspace and gently roll it into a log.  Cut into six pieces.  Roll each piece into a small ball, dust with flour, and put back into your bowl.

One at a time, roll out the roti, using sufficient flour to keep the dough from sticking, but only just that.  You can roll out all the roti at once or, like me, you can roll, cook, roll, cook, and repeat until you are done.

Cook on a non-stick griddle over medium heat until done.  When you first begin to see tiny bumps in the roti, flip it over.  Then, when the bumps appear again, flip it again.  You can continue flipping it from side to side as the roti puffs up from the steam cooking it from within.  Be sure to keep the cooked roti covered with a cloth until serving.


Myrtle's Note:  I LOVE this recipe!  I cannot believe 1) that you can make flatbread from sweet potato and 2) you can make flatbread from just two ingredients.  I would highly recommend watching the video, so that you can see how the dough is kneaded and cooked.  I made this with all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, and bread flour, trying each flour variation to see what impact they had.  The white whole wheat flour did work, but the roti were not quite as soft.  They tasted rather "nutritious" to me and were not really my cup of tea, but the sweet potato flavor still came through.  The bread dough actually made them a bit more chewy, I think.  I thought it would add to the recipe, but really I prefer the all purpose flour.  What I like best about this recipe is that it is a 1:1 ratio of flour to mashed sweet potato.  So, for example, today I made the roti using just 1/3 cup:1/3 cup so that I only had two roti.  As a single person, that is all I needed.  All my other dough, flatbread included, I freeze.  However, I am not sure that this will freeze well.  And given that it takes just 10 minutes to steam a sweet potato in the microwave (I put a bowl of water in there next to the sweet potato), making the dough fresh takes just a few minutes.  As I said at the outset, I am in LOVE with this recipe.  It makes for incredibly flavorful flatbread!!  UPDATE:  I tried added salt, just to see what would happen, and I think that the flatbread was the best that I have made it thus far.  Since I was using the 1/3 cup recipe, I used just a heavy pinch of salt and mixed it into the flour.  I changed the recipe accordingly.


Yield:  Six servings

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRj0tPEjcBY