Text 1876, 123 rader
Skriven 2008-02-05 09:06:00 av DAVE DRUM (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av CAROL SHENKENBERGER
Ärende: Re: Chooken
===================
-=> CAROL SHENKENBERGER wrote to DAVE DRUM <=-

 > Try a free range (preferably bought right from the farm) chicken. You may fi
 > that the light meat has enough flavour to bother with. When I used to hook '
 > with a wire coat hanger and wring their necks in the back yard I used to pre
 > the breask and wishbone pieces (different cutting scheme) while my mother
 > always like the thighs and my dad the back pieces.

 CS> I've considered it but am not sure the only ones i see, really are
 CS> 'free range' if you know what I mean.  They are listed as 'organic' but
 CS> may just be old hens from the organic egg factory.  That should mean
 CS> free-range but not of the same age (stewing hen age).

That's why I said "(preferably bought right from the farm)". Or have a meat
supplier that you trust. "Free Range" can mean many things - from the way Clean
Dave and Farmer Fred do chicken raising to something just barely above
"battery" operations where the chooks are let out of their cages briefly. It is
so written that if a chicken is allowed to scratch in a hen yard for any period
of its life it can be marketed as free range. What some outfits do is let the
chicks and pullets range the chook yard early-on then bung them into squinched
up little cages for the rest of their short lives. By the poorly written
definitions these birdies are free-range.

 CS> I may try it as an experiment.  Also once the farmer's markets open
 CS> again in spring, I might be able to find such here.  I live well into
 CS> the city area and the farms are a good 1.5 hours away at best.

Try a Kosher butcher. Kashrus demands standards of treatment which make Tyson
and ConAgra blanch and tremble in fear.

 CS> I have one good idea, just occured to me.  The 'Little Israel' place
 CS> had organic 'kosher chickens' in the freezer.  Although not 'cheap'
 CS> they were not outrageous and i trust the quality of that store well.
 CS> In fact, I have taken to getting my marrow bones there.

I should have read on before I typed my suggestion above. Kosher DOES cost a
bit more - but, in most cases the quality makes it worthwhile and cost
effective. It is good to have a meat supplier you can trust.

 CS> I think some of this is also related to how we prepare and spice the
 CS> chicken meats.  White meat is too 'delicate' for most of our cookery so
 CS> it tastes only of the seasonings.

I don't often take advantage of the specials offering "blast frozen individual"
chicken breasts. But, a friend gifted me with a 5# bag of them last week.

If it is spiced right ... 

Here's one I did a couple weeks ago ...

MMMMM------ Meal Master Recipe

      Title: Dave's Lemon Chicken Breast
 Categories: Poultry, Herbs, Citrus, Udd
      Yield: 2 Servings

    1/3 c  Unseasoned dry breadcrumbs
      2 ts Minced fresh thyme
           -=OR=-
  1 1/2 ts Dried thyme
  1 1/2 ts Minced lemon peel
      2    Chicken breast halves; 
           - skinned, boned 
      2 tb Olive oil
    1/4    Inch thick Lemon Slices

MMMMM------------------LEMON-ROSEMARY SAUCE-------------------------
      3 tb Fresh lemon juice
      4 cl Garlic; chopped or pressed
      1 ts (packed) grated lemon peel
      1 c  Chicken broth (canned OK)
    1/2 c  Chopped fresh Rosemary
           -=OR=-
      1 tb Dried Rosemary

  Serve with steamed rice or mashed tatties.

  Add lemon juice, garlic, half of rosemary and lemon peel
  to a thick bottom sauce pan. Stir over medium-high heat
  until fragrant, about 30 sec. 

  Add chicken broth; boil until reduced to sauce consistency,
  about 8 minutes.

  Mix remaining half of rosemary into sauce. 

  Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside until 
  breasts are done.

  FOR CHICKEN BREASTS:

  Mix first 3 ingredients on large plate. Using rolling pin, 
  pound chicken between sheets of waxed paper to scant 1/2" 
  thickness. * Rinse chicken with cold water so that coating 
  will adhere. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Press both 
  sides of chicken into crumb mixture to cover.

  Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. 
  Carefully add chicken to skillet. Sauté until chicken is 
  cooked through and golden brown, turning with tongs, about 
  4 minutes per side. 

  Place on oven proof plates and pour sauce over breasts,
  garnishing each breast with lemon slices. Place plates
  under the broiler/hob in your oven and broil until the 
  lemon slices begin to wilt/brown.

  Serve immediately.

  2 servings; can be doubled

  * If using blast frozen individual breasts you can usually
  skip this step.

  MM by Dave Drum

  Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen

MMMMM

... "All things dull and ugly, all creatures short and squat." -Monty Python
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