Maxwell's Profile

Thanks all! I put in a few more links that were missing, but the pics at the bottom are not posts - they were taken for the book, but didn't get in in big bold color. They got in as black and whites at the end, so you can only see them like this here.

Best, M

Q - In all seriousness and much respect to this site and the matter....I cannot seem to make a really, good roasted chicken. It's either too dry or not cooked long enough. Is there a secret that I am missing?

A - Don’t despair. I’m sure you’re not alone. Just more honest. 1. Bring a small (3 to 4 pound) organic bird to room temp by setting it on the counter for half an hour or so. 2. Dry the skin. 3. Rub a ton of butter on the skin all over and under the skin on the breast. Lots. Really. 4. Give it a healthy dose of salt. 5. Put some herbs in the cavity. Parsley. Thyme. Tarragon. Whatever. 6. Put it in a cast iron frying pan and roast for 30 minutes at 450 F. 7. Remove from the oven when the thigh reaches 170 F. or the juices run clear when cut the thigh-leg joint with a knife. 8. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before carving.

Good luck!

Cree

Q - What parts of the chicken should I start cooking with other than the usual suspects?

A - Thighs, thighs, and thighs.

Cree

Q - Do you think chicken is best served alone or in a dish of some sort?

A - Your question sounds like a philosopher's query with some deeper, hidden significance. Do you mean is a roast chicken, in all its perfection, demeaned by side dishes? Or, do you mean is it better to cook chicken in a big pot with lots of other ingredients and then eat them all together? My answer to the first is that I'll have to think about it. I like the idea of just the perfect roast chicken -- alone, speaking for itself and by itself. Dinner. As to the second, I like to taste the chicken and not have it too confused or overcooked. One of the best ways to cook chicken with other ingredients is in a dry braise. Half the chicken is roasting in the dry, hot oven air and the rest is cooking in liquid with lots of aromatics, etc. I have lots of these recipes in Poulet. Hope that helps!

Cree

Q - What is the best heritage/dual purpose breed for roasting?

A - Well, you've slightly got me. OF course there's the famed French Poulet de Bresse -- the only bird with its own AOC. Then there are the Silver Wyandottes, Barred Rocks and Jersey Giants in this country. Honestly, my shopping at markets where various breeds are available is so limited that I'm not going to venture a judgement. I will say that diet makes as much of a difference as the bird's breed. If you really want chicken flavor, go to your farmers' market and find the most pampered, free range birds. You know, the ones eating lots of bugs, weeds and scraps.

Cree

Q - Are any of the slow-cooker recipes for chicken any good? I have not used a slow-cooker (since childhood), and I associate crock-pot meals with canned soup and other processed ingredients. But lately it seems that people are saying that the slow-cooker is a great way to cook a whole chicken, and I am thinking about venturing into the realm of the grown-up crock-pot. Thoughts?

A - Ooooh. You've really caught me out. I, too, am a crock-pot snob. I do think it's probably quite possible to make some delicious chicken in a crock pot. I'm thinking posole would be good or other recipes that really don't demand that the chicken be cooked just so since the crock-pot is going to overcook the bird no matter what. Of course, it'll be in liquid which should save it from being terrible, although I still don't love overcooked chicken given that it falls apart and that the breast, no matter how liquid the pot, will be coarse and dry. Maybe go with just thighs? And yes to all those fresh, no-cheat ingredients. Good luck!

Cree

Q - We love CHICKEN... I use the basic roasted chicken recipe all the time. I would like to try to wrap/stuff some chicken breasts. Do you have a fool-proof, easy and fast idea for a stuffed chicken breast/thigh?

A - You're asking the wrong girl! I'm so not a fan of stuffed chicken breasts. In fact, as I say, I don't have a single recipe for a boneless breast in the whole book. I will recommend that you try some dry braising -- cooking in a big open pot with some stock. I think it's a great way to mix up your flavors and make a big, complex sauce at the same time. If you really want to stuff the breast, I do some ideas for Truffled Chicken and chicken with herbs that involve making a slit in the breast of a whole bird and stuffing that slit with delicious things. One last idea, you could do the chicken in parchment and use breasts....

Cree

Q - I always brine my chicken before cooking in a salt water solution. Do you have any favorite brine recipes for different types of cuisine?

A - I think brines are great -- especially when it comes to fried chicken and roasting big birds. But for flavor, I'm a fan of open braising as a method for adding complex flavors from a range of cuisines. I like to eat the spices rather than have them so very subtly infusing the flavor. An open braise done Asian style might have fresh ginger, coriander seed, cilantro roots, lime peel, and Thai chilies.

Cree

Q - How does using thighs and legs in stir-fry change the amount of oil I need to use?

A - Contrary to popular belief, thighs and legs contain about the same amount of fat as does the breast meat. Of course, the fat is in the skin. So, I would say do not change the amount of oil, just be aware that dark meat takes longer to cook than white.

Cree

Q - The last grocery store cut up chicken that I bought had the ribs attached to the breast meat pieces. Would you remove them before cooking?

A - Well, actually, it might be a good thin to leave the meat on the bone. We're all so used to boneless breasts that those ribs can seem a bit weird. Depending on the recipe -- grilling, stewing, roasting, frying -- the bones might be a plus. A lot of people believe that bone-in meat is tastier. It will slow down the cooking a bit, so that can be a good thing for the breast which needs to be treated so much more carefully than the thighs and legs. Hope that helps.

Cree