http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/sBff/~3/yxzIPOxVwOg/spatchcocked-spatchcock.html

"Spatchcock" refers to the method of cutting open a whole chicken, so that it sits flat in a pan, or on a grill. However, it wasn't always the highly amusing verb it is today. 

Originally, it was a highly amusing noun used to describe a small, young chicken. Since these tender birds were usually butterflied to cook faster and more evenly over the coals, "spatchcock" became the culinary term for this technique. So, if you use a small, young chicken like I did, then you're actually spatchcocking a spatchcock, which is about the most entertaining answer ever to the question, "What are you doing for dinner?"

Above and beyond how fun it is to use in casual conversation, the technique really does work beautifully for grilling a whole chicken. Once you remove the backbone, and set free the sternum from its covering of cartilage, you'll have a bird that will cook quicker and more evenly. It also looks pretty damn cool.

If you don't own a sturdy pair of kitchen shears, then I hope this video inspires you to go out and get this must-have piece of equipment. They make this technique incredibly fast and easy, and you can also use them to completely section a whole chicken into serving pieces, as we showed in this video demo.

Anyway, I hope you pick up some spatchcock soon, and give this whole spatchcocking thing a try. I'll be showing a recipe I did using this technique in a future video, so stay tuned for that, and as always, enjoy!

Protecting non-stick pan surfaces

In many home kitchens space is at a premium, so pans are often stacked for compact storage. But this treatment can scratch a nonstick surface. In past There are several means of protecting nonstick finishes such a slipping sheets of paper towel or the plastic lids from supermarket coffee cans between the pans. Another is before stacking the pans, slide them into large plastic zipper lock bags (the 2 gallon size for 10 inch pans and the 1 gallon size for 8 inch pans). The plastic protects the nonstick surface. 

Similar Posts:       

Cleaning up vegetable scraps 
Blanching cabbage leaves
Cleaning up spilled oils
Storing Fruits and Vegetables in the Fridge
Simple ways to cook dry beans
10 Random Cooking Tips and Tricks

Save and share Protecting non-stick pan surfaces

Want to share these tips with your family and friends? Click the button below to send them an email or save this to your favorite social network.

Braised chicory with Roquefort

Having spent the last 10 days in France it's struck me again what a mystery it is that you can't order more vegetable-based dishes in French restaurants. It's not that they don't have the produce. Down in the Languedoc they have gorgeous leeks right now and great bagfuls of chicory which is something you rarely find in the UK - or not at a reasonable price. Yet the only greenery most restaurants seem to offer - and have done for the past umpteen years - is salade de chèvre chaud (grilled goats' cheese salad).

Anyway I took advantage of some very good prices (about €2.50 a kilo) to buy 5 heads of chicory to make a side dish to go with yesterday's roast chicken. This is roughly the recipe.

Braised chicory with Roquefort
Serves 4-6
5-6 heads of chicory
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
20g butter
About 125ml chicken or vegetable stock
50g Roquefort or other blue cheese. Or almost any leftover cheese for that matter - Comté would be good.

Cut the heads of chicory in half lengthwise and remove any damaged outer leaves. Fill a large shallow pan with water, bring to the boil and add the lemon juice to stop the chicory discolouring. Add the chicory, reduce to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes then remove with a slotted spoon.

Discard the water from the pan, add the oil and then the butter. Once melted lay the halved chicory heads in the pan and fry until well browned, turning them carefully halfway through so as not to break them up. Lay them cut side upwards in a shallow baking dish, pour over the stock and crumble over the cheese. Cook alongside whatever roast you're cooking for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned and the stock pretty well evaporated.

I also made a dish of leeks vinaigrette for which I posted a recipe on the blog a couple of years ago. Good to be reminded how good it is though and leeks are very tasty at the moment.

Crispy Falafel with Yogurt Dip Recipe

Crispy Falafel with Yogurt Dip Recipe
Photo: Anna Williams

The Arabic Food Recipes kitchen (The Home of Delicious Arabic Food Recipes) invites you to try Crispy Falafel with Yogurt Dip Recipe. Enjoy the Arabic Cuisine and  learn how to make Crispy Falafel with Yogurt Dip.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 shallot or 1/2 small onion, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 eggs, whisked
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup canola oil

Preparation

In a food processor or blender, process the chickpeas, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of water until almost smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and add the shallot, cumin, red pepper flakes, 2/3 of the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs and mix well. Roll into 16 balls (about 2 inches in diameter) and flatten slightly to form patties.

Place the remaining bread crumbs in a bowl or dish. Dip the falafel patties in the whisked eggs, then roll in the bread crumbs, coating evenly.

Prepare dip: In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt and pepper with the remaining garlic, salt, and parsley. Mix well. Cover and set aside.

Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place 8 of the chickpea patties in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Add the remaining oil, if necessary, and cook the remaining patties. Drain. Serve with the yogurt dip.

If You Don't Have... store-bought bread crumbs, make fresh ones in a food processor. One slice of bread yields about 1/2 cup crumbs.

Kay Chun, Real Simple
SEPTEMBER 2002

More Arabic Food Recipes: 

Chicken stuffed cheese balls
Broad bean dip & Moroccan mezze platter
Red Pepper Hummus with Toasted Pita Triangles
Grilled Veggie Hummus Wrap
Middle Eastern Platter
Harissa lamb & houmous flatbreads

Save and Share Crispy Falafel with Yogurt Dip Recipe

Want to share this recipe with your family and friends? Click the button below to send them an email or save this to your favorite social network.

Bread Baking Babes Buddies - Hamburger Buns

Thank you thank you to all the Babes and now our Buddies that joined me in baking the bread I chose for July, Hamburger Buns from Williams Sonoma.  I am so happy that you enjoyed them so much.  It's definitely a recipe I will make again.

girlichef

Bread Experience

Judy's Gross Eats

My apology to Rita at Soep Kipje, I can't get a photo of her delicious buns to download.

A Messy Kitchen

Thanks again Ladies! Y'all are the best looking Bread Baking Buddies I've ever seen!

(If I missed anyone, a million apologies. Please email me again. If you are a late comer, let me know and I'll add you too!)

Chicken and Salad from Jamie Oliver

I received 'Jamie's America' for Christmas - just a beautiful book. The photos of not only the food but also the places visited are spectacular. I haven't spent a lot of time with this book yet, but 2 recipes jumped out at me and demanded to be made- Southern Pecan and Apple Salad, and Competition Chicken.

I have a weakness for bbq - good bbq, real(ish) bbq, and this chicken is definitely the best bbq chicken I've made. That didn't use a bbq.

Southern Pecan and Apple Salad

So delicious. I was really pleased with this. Super easy and very tasty. And if you click this link here, you can see the nutritional info courtesy of Health.com (although they've scaled it down to 6 servings and in the book it's 4).

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SpanishRecipesinpictures/~3/Mg6xVZk4vI8/wheat-flour-and-organic-noodles-with.html

I love cooking 'fideus a la cassola' or paella on weekends for lunch, when there's plenty of time...

Get the rest in my blog! See you there!