Cook Daily

Chicken Pot Pie

This is one of my favorite things to make, although it is definitely more suited to San Francisco weather and my previous life. This weekend I decided that L.A. wouldn't get the better of my craving for something delicious bubbling away under a puff pastry crust in a hot oven. I use one recipe only for this -- the one that can be found in my oasis of comfort food recipes: The New Best Recipe.

As you can see from the pics, the "pot" had a Mt. Vesuvius effect under the pie crust. And my serving style is very um, rustic.

Chicken Pot Pie (serves 6-8)

1 recipe Savory Pie Dough Topping  (see below for recipe)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium large onion, chopped fine
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
2 small celery ribs, cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
salt and ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons dry sherry
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leave

1. Make the pie dough and refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the chicken and broth in a small Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Cover, bring to a simmer and simmer until the chicken is just done, 8-10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl, reserving the broth in a measuring cup.

3. Increase heat to medium-high and heat the oil in the now empty pan. Add the onion, carrots, celery and saute until just tender, about 5 minutes (Don't overcook the veggies, they will be mushy and unappealing after baking in the oven). Season with salt and pepper to taste. While the vegetables are cooking, shred the meat into bite-sized piece. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a bowl with the chicken; set aside.

4. Heat the butter over medium-high heat in the again-empty pan. When the foaming subsides, add the flour; cook about 1 minute. Whisk in the reserved chicken broth, the milk, any accumulated chicken juices, and the thyme. Bring to a simmer, then continue to simmer until the sauce fully thickens, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the sherry.

5. Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the peas and parsley. Adjust the seasonings. Pour the mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan (or shallow baking dish of similar size), or six 12-ounce ovenproof dishes. Top with the pasty. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the filling bubbling, about 30 minutes for the large pie and 20-25 minutes for the smaller pies. Serve hot.

Savory Pie Dough Topping

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3-4 tablespoons ice water

1. Mix the flour and salt in a food processor. Scatter the shortening over the flour mixture, tossing to coat the shortening with a little of the flour. Cut the shortening into the flour with five 1-second pulses. Add the butter and continue pulsing, cutting in the solids until the flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about four more 1-second pulses. Turn the mixture into a medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. With a rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix in the water. Press down on the dough with the broad side of a spatula until the dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if the dough doesn't come together. Shape the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a  4-inch wide disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes of up to 2 days before rolling.

3. When your pie filling is ready, roll the dough on a floured surface to a 15-x11-inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. (For individual pies, cut 6 rounds about 1-inch larger than the baking dish circumference.) Place the dough over the pie filling, trimming the dough that overhangs to within 1/2 inch of the pan lip. Tuck overhanging dough back under itself so the folded edge is flush with the the pan lip. Flute the edges all around. Alternatively, don't trim the dough and just tuck the overhanging portion down into the pie. Cut at least four 1-inch vent holes in a large pie, or one 1-inch vent hole in smaller pies.

Cook's Notes

Confession time. I didn't make this with homemade pie dough. I used a good-quality dough that you can find in the freezer section of Whole Foods (I can't remember the name now). And sinking deeper into confession, I have NEVER made my own pie dough. But I think I might have to try this just one time with my own pastry. And while we're on the subject of pie dough, this can also be made with a Buttermilk Biscuit topping.

Chicken Piccata

That's what you see in my previous post. I had to post that a few days ago, when I realized how truly horrible that risotto shot was. On my computer at work it looked like a brownish sludge, which is not at all what it looked like in real life.

Anyway, this (if I say so myself) was one of the most successful dinners ever. Often I make things, and I think they're good, but I'm not sure they turned out exactly how they were supposed to. Mostly because sometimes I get lazy with precision, and measuring. With this one, there was none of that. I knew that what was supposed to happen to those chicken breasts, had happened. Of course this might have been because it's an America's Test Kitchen recipe and Chris Kimball probably supervised about 1,000 versions of it wearing his red bow tie.

Chicken Piccata

2 large lemons
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (you can either slice these thinner to make 8 cutlets, or do as I did, and buy the ready cut cutlets at the grocery store)
salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small shallot, minced or 1 small garlic clove, minced
1 cup chicken stock or canned low sodium broth
2 tablespoons drained small capers
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof plate on rack and heat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Halve one lemon pole to pole. Trim ends from one half and cut crosswise into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick; set aside. Juice remaining half and whole lemon to obtain 1/4 cup juice. Reserve.
3. Sprinkle both sides of cutlets generously with salt and pepper. Measure flour into pie tin or shallow baking dish. Working one cutlet at a time, coat with flour and shake to remove excess.
4. Heat heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes; add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl pan to coat. Lay half of chicken pieces in skillet. Saute cutlets, without moving them, until lightly browned on first side, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Turn cutlets and cook until second side is lightly browned, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more. Remove pan from heat and transfer cutlets to plate in oven. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to now empty skillet and heat until shimmering. Repeat with remaining cutlets.
5. Add garlic or shallot to now-empty skillet and return skillet to medium heat. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds for shallot and 10 seconds for garlic. Add stock and lemon slices, increase heat to high and scrape skillet bottom with wooden spoon or spatula to loosen browned bits. Simmer until liquid has reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and capers and simmer until sauce again reduces to 1/3 cup, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and swirl in butter until it melts and thickens sauce. Swirl in parsley. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

Cook's Notes

1. I used shallot because it's a little milder, and I often burn small amounts of garlic that I throw into an already hot pan.

2. Using the pre-cut cutlets made this so easy. My knife skills aren't that great, and I wanted this to work out.

Balsamic Roasted Chicken

I have a new chef love affair going on. With Sara Foster. I took one of her books, The Foster's Market Cookbook out of the library, and bought another, Fresh Every Day when I was in San Francisco last weekend. Before long I will have worked my way through both books.

I've posted before on Floss Daily about roasting chickens, and how frequently it sets off the smoke alarm in our apartment. It was turning me off roast chicken entirely. I decided that the next time I wanted to hear that deafening beep (beep is really not the right word), I wanted it to be alerting me to real, dangerous smoke. We found a solution, and that is to do them on the barbecue. It still goes on a rack in a barbecue-friendly roasting pan (not my $75 one from Crate and Barrel), just like in the oven.   We've roasted chickens outside a few times since getting the Weber a few months ago, but I've never posted about it, either because I didn't take a picture, or I kind of made up a rub for it, and then forgot exactly what I did. This time I used one of Sara Foster's recipes, and it was perfect.

In the pan, along with the chicken, I roasted some brussels sprouts. And adapted her recipe for basic mashed potatoes as another side.

Balsamic Roasted Chicken

1 chicken (3.5 to 4 pounds)
6 sprigs fresh marjoram or sage
1 lemon, cut in half
1 yellow onion, cut in half
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup dry white wine or apple juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, or 2 teaspoons dried
sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.  Preheat oven (or in my case grill) to 400 degrees
2.  Remove the giblets and loose fat from the cavity of the chicken (this is my hardy boyfriend's job)
3.  Wash chicken and pat dry. With your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from the chicken breast and place several sprigs of marjoram or sage between the skin and breast. Do the same where the breast meets the thigh.
4.  Place the chicken breast side up in roasting pan and squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken. Place the lemon halves along with the onion halves and any remaining marjoram into the cavity of the chicken.
5. Pour the vinegar and wine over the chicken. Rub the breast with the olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper and turn the chicken over breast side down.
6. Roast 30 minutes, basting occasionally with the pan juices, 50-55 minutes longer, until the skin is golden brown and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a sharp knife. Exact timing does depend on the size of the chicken.
7. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and cover loosely to keep warm. Let rest 10-15 minutes before carving.

Classic Mashed Potatoes:

4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut in half (about 6 potatoes)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3/4 cup whole milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water (by 2 inches). Bring to a low boil, and cook, uncovered 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
2. Drain potatoes and return to the saucepan while still warm. Add the butter and milk and mash with a potato masher until all the butter and milk is incorporated and the potatoes are creamy. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook's Notes:

1. Sara suggests drizzling chive oil over these (1 cup chopped fresh chives, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 1 cup olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt, blended and strained through a sieve) over these, but I just stirred in some parsley.

2. I halved this recipe, but still only used about 3 tablespoons of butter instead of 4

3. I used 2% milk instead of whole milk. My potatoes probably weren't as delicious as her original recipe, but still pretty good.

Easy Thai Green Chicken Curry

I had been craving Thai food all weekend. Such cravings don't usually turn into a homemade version of whatever I'm craving, but sometimes I surprise myself. (Or I do some damage in the Nordstrom shoe department and feel I need to make up for it by eating at home).

This recipe is sort of made up (oh great, not another questionable made-up recipe, I hear you say...), but it's based on the recipes of the likes of Tyler Florence. Sara Moulton, Bon Appetit, and my mom. Ok?  I mix this up depending on the ingredients I have on hand, but here's the basic recipe:

(Note: this is not a very traditional Thai green curry, as noted by the absence of things like lemongrass and Kaffir lime leaves, but you could certainly add them. It would only make it better, but it tastes pretty good without these things too).

Easy Thai Green Curry

3 tablespoons canola (or any vegetable) oil
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
Salt and pepper
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 inch piece of ginger, finely minced or grated
1 small serrano (if you like it hot) or jalapeno (for not so hot) pepper, minced
2 zucchini, sliced down the middle, and then in half again
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 can of coconut milk
1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste (a little more if you like it hotter)
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen peas

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet (non stick is better, but my favorite skillet is not non-stick and it works fine)
2. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add to pan and brown on all sides, 4 minutes or so.
3. Remove chicken to plate and reserve
4. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet
5.  Add peppers, onion, garlic, chilli, ginger, broccoli and zucchini to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently for 4 minutes or so, until vegetables soften a bit
6.  Add coconut milk, chicken broth and curry paste to skillet. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
7.  Add chicken back to skillet and simmer for 3-4 more minutes.
8.  Add lime juice, cilantro, scallions and frozen peas. Simmer a few minutes more to heat the peas
9.  Taste and season accordingly, if at all (I usually add a little salt, because I am a salt freak).

Cooks Notes

1. I've never made this with tofu, but I'm sure it could be done, using vegetable stock instead of chicken.
2. I only used two chicken breasts, since I hate reheated chicken and usually don't care whether it's included in my leftovers or not.
3. This is really good with Jasmine rice, but regular long grain white rice is fine.
4. f you wanted to add lemongrass and lime leaves, I'd do it in Step 5,  but I might consult a more traditional recipe before heeding this advice)

Stir Fried Chicken with Chinese Cabbage

I love stir fries, but mostly don't feel like all the chopping and prep they require. When I was perusing Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything" for the gazillionth time this weekend, this recipe caught my eye because it seemed so uncomplicated. And it was.

Stir Fried Chicken with Chinese Cabbage

• 2 tablespoons peanut or other oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup chopped scallion (white and green parts), plus more for garnish
• 1 pound Napa cabbage, cored and shredded
• 12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, rinsed and patted dry with paper towels, cut into 1/2 -3/4" chunks
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
• 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock, or water

1. Heat a wok or large deep skillet over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add half the oil, swirl it around, and immediately add half the garlic and ginger. Cook for 15 seconds, stirring, then add the 1/4 cup scallions and the cabbage. Raise the heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage scorches a little in places and becomes soft, 5-8 minutes. Turn heat to medium and remove the cabbage.

2. Add remaining oil to pan, then the remaining garlic and ginger. Stir, then add the chicken. Raise the heat to high, stir the chicken once, then let sit for one minute before stirring again. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken isn't pink, about 3-5 minutes. (Don't worry about the chicken not cooking through; it will). Turn heat down to medium.

3. Return cabbage to pan and toss once or twice. Add the sugar if desired, and the soy sauce and toss again. Season with salt and pepper. If using, combine the cornstarch with the stock or water add add to pan. Otherwise just add the liquid. Raise heat to high and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is reduced slightly and you've scraped up all the bits of chicken. If you've used cornstarch, the sauce will have thickened.

4. Garnish and serve immediately.

Cook's Notes:

1. While this was very tasty, I think next time I would marinate the chicken for a bit in a typical stir fry marinade. I questioned the skipping of this step in the recipe as it always gives the chicken a much better flavor. The chicken wasn't lacking in flavor, but it could have had a little more zip and zap.

2. I opted for both the optional ingredients.

3. The recipe suggests that you could also use bok choy or any green head cabbage. I'm not sure if mine was a Napa cabbage or not, actually. I think it may have been a Savoy, but I have no idea.

4. I added a tablespoon each of sesame oil and hoisin sauce when I added the soy sauce. (These are two of many suggestions Mark Bittman provides for enhancing any of his stir fry recipes).

Thai Grilled Chicken

So I know tonight was supposed to be all about South African meatloaf, but it was just too labor intensive a project for a red carpet addict like me. In spite of the wonders of Tivo, I wanted to be front and center the moment it all started. So instead I made Thai Grilled Chicken using a recipe I adapted from a James McNair recipe from this book. I served it with white rice (my usual Cooks Illustrated method), and a cucumber relish (also from James McNair).

Here are the adapted recipes:

Marinade:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (you could also use other parts of the chicken if you're not a white meat fan)
• 3/4 cup coconut milk (original recipe suggests fresh, but I wouldn't even know how to begin procuring that, aside from scaling the coconut tree itself and retrieving the fruit. Do they sell coconuts at the grocery store?)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons minced, fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (original recipe calls for 2, but I don't like to be too heavy handed with the fish sauce. To me, too much of it can ruin a good thing, by making it taste like the smell of wet dog, if you can imagine such a thing.)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1.  Mix all ingredients (except chicken) in large bowl. Reserve about 1/2 cup for basting chicken while it's grilling (James McNair reserves the marinade after the chicken has been removed from it, boils it and then uses that to baste the chicken.  I have to immediately throw away anything that raw chicken has been sitting in, but that's just me)
2.  Add chicken to marinade, turn to coat, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours
3.  Grill chicken until cooked, basting with reserved marinade. `

Cucumber Relish:

• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup thinly sliced seedless cucumber
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion rings
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh red Thai bird or other hot chile
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts (I left this out since I didn't have any peanuts)
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

1.  In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup water with vinegar, sugar and salt. Place over medium heat and bring to boil, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat and let cool.
2.  A few minutes before serving add the cucumber, onion and chile to the cooled vinegar and toss well. Sprinkle with ground peanuts and cilantro and serve immediately.