Thread: The Recipe Box

This isn't a 'Recipe' it's a 'Procedure' to allow you to have pre-cooked chicken for use in Recipes.

Needed:

1 Very large kettle/I use a canning kettle
1 Whole Bodied Chicken

Fill the kettle with water, leaving enough room for the chicken and extra space for when the water comes to a boil.

After the kettle is full, cover it and set the heat to High.

While the kettle is coming to a boil, remove the giblets and wash the chicken then set aside.

Once the kettle is boiling use a long handled spoon inserted into the body cavity then Carefully slide the chicken into the boiling water.

Wait until the water 'settles down' then use the spoon and Carefully remove the chicken from the kettle and place on a plate. (Be VERY CAREFUL as the hot water will run from the body cavity down the spoon's handle)!

Note:

You will find that the chicken is 'PUFFED' the boiling water has seared it inside and out.

Bring the water back to a boil and once boiling, turn the heat off and Carefully return the chicken to the kettle. cover the kettle and set a timer for 60 minutes.

Carefully remove the chicken promptly at one hour and place on a clean plate. (Be VERY CAREFUL as the hot water will run from the body cavity down the spoon's handle)!

Allow to cool only long enough to remove the skin and then de-bone, cool and then use or store.

Note:

You will find that the chicken meat has 'color' this is because the bird hasn't been boiled to death! If you have any concerns, use an instant thermometer to check internal temps immediately after you remove the chicken the second time. You will find that the chicken is indeed Fully Cooked.

This method leaves so much flavor and texture to the chicken.

You can also save some of the cooking water and reduce it then add the left over bones, some carrot, onion, celery and make a really nice stock.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

This isn't a 'Recipe' it's a 'Procedure' to allow you to have pre-cooked chicken for use in Recipes.

Needed:

1 Very large kettle/I use a canning kettle
1 Whole Bodied Chicken

Fill the kettle with water, leaving enough room for the chicken and extra space for when the water comes to a boil.

After the kettle is full, cover it and set the heat to High.

While the kettle is coming to a boil, remove the giblets and wash the chicken then set aside.

Once the kettle is boiling use a long handled spoon inserted into the body cavity then Carefully slide the chicken into the boiling water.

Wait until the water 'settles down' then use the spoon and Carefully remove the chicken from the kettle and place on a plate. (Be VERY CAREFUL as the hot water will run from the body cavity down the spoon's handle)!

Note:

You will find that the chicken is 'PUFFED' the boiling water has seared it inside and out.

Bring the water back to a boil and once boiling, turn the heat off and Carefully return the chicken to the kettle. cover the kettle and set a timer for 60 minutes.

Carefully remove the chicken promptly at one hour and place on a clean plate. (Be VERY CAREFUL as the hot water will run from the body cavity down the spoon's handle)!

Allow to cool only long enough to remove the skin and then de-bone, cool and then use or store.

Note:

You will find that the chicken meat has 'color' this is because the bird hasn't been boiled to death! If you have any concerns, use an instant thermometer to check internal temps immediately after you remove the chicken the second time. You will find that the chicken is indeed Fully Cooked.

This method leaves so much flavor and texture to the chicken.

You can also save some of the cooking water and reduce it then add the left over bones, some carrot, onion, celery and make a really nice stock.

This seems to be a procedure for whole chicken poaching, which it is.
From memory, I poach whole, skin on, bone in, chicken breasts by placing in boiling water then simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered till fairly well cooled.
The result is incredibly moist tender chicken breast meat for salads, sammies, or whatever.
I can picture the same result with your whole chicken.

A Manly Man's Supper aka Beef and Bacon Pie
This is my adaptation to a dish I posted in the "just wanted to share tonight's dinner" thread. The original recipe was for a meal depicted in A game of Thrones book series.
Ingredients:

16 strips bacon, around 12 for lattice w/extra for pie filling
2 T butter
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, cut into small chunks
1/2 medium potato, cubed
1 1/2 lbs stew meat, cut into bite sizes
2 T all purpose flour
1/2 cup beef broth
Salt and pepper to taste
A large pinch of savory herb, or mix of herbs
1 pie crust
9 inch pie pan

Preheat oven to 400F

Weave bacon strips into lattice. Place on baking sheet with high edges so bacon grease does not spill out. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add onion,carrot, and potato and cook until onion is golden and soft. Sift, sprinkle, or toss beef cubes until each piece is covered. Add beef to pan with vegetables and stir over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in any extra flour and cook 1 minute longer.

Add beef broth, salt, pepper, and herb Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes, until gravy has formed. Let mixture cool.

Place pie pan upside down on bacon lattice. Cut outline of pie into bacon lattice. Crumble left over bacon into filling.

Place pastry crust into pan. Extra dough should fall out over edge of pan . Pour beef-vegetable filling into the shell. Cover with bacon lattice. Fold extra dough over edge of lattice and crimp. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Rye Bread (makes two loaves)

MIXTURE A
1 cup water
1/4 cup of fennell seeds
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon salt


Boil the fennel seeds in 1 cup of water (about 5 minutes)
Drain and strain, then discard seeds add more water to liquid to make 1 cup.
Mix in this liquid: molasses, sugar, salt and the other 1 cup of water.
Then allow to cool to room temperature.

MIXTURE B
2 yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup of warm water
Mix the yeast in water, with the sugar. Let rise for 10 minutes.


Stir MIXTURE B into MIXTURE A and add 2 Table spoons of (non-melted) shortening.(When out of shortening, I've substituted the same amount of coconut oil, which good success)
Mix well.

MIXTURE C
2.5 cups white flour
3.5 cups rye four
1 cup graham flour (if not available, increase rye flour by same amount)
2 teaspoons of caraway seeds

Add these MIXTURE C to the mixture above (A+B). Kneed well until smooth (may require more water)

Let rise until double in bulk. Knead down again and form into two loaves. Let rise again.

Bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. I can tell it's done when I tap on it, and it sounds hollow.

My first attempt at this recipe can be found here.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

This isn't a 'Recipe' it's a 'Procedure' to allow you to have pre-cooked chicken for use in Recipes.

Originally Posted by Neckbone

This seems to be a procedure for whole chicken poaching, which it is.
From memory, I poach whole, skin on, bone in, chicken breasts by placing in boiling water then simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered till fairly well cooled.
The result is incredibly moist tender chicken breast meat for salads, sammies, or whatever.
I can picture the same result with your whole chicken.

I learned something like this from 'Danny Kaye Chicken Salad Recipe.' I make it fairly regularly. I have used a meat grinder, which is pretty cool, but most people who've tried it prefer 'pulled' chicken salad to the ground. I've done this as described in the recipe below.

Gentle boil for 10 minutes, remove from heat and leave covered for 45 minutes works a treat. I've never made the dressing described, only regular chicken salad with mayo, etc. Anyway .......... from Jacques Pepin and Danny Kaye ;

From “The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen” by Jacques Pepin, Houghton Mifflin Co, 2003. All notes are Jacques’.

“To most Americans, Danny Kaye is remembered as a splendid comedian and actor. I think of him as a friend and one of the finest cooks I have ever known. In every way, Danny was equal to or better than any trained chef. His technique was flawless. The speed at which he worked was on par with what you’d find in a Parisian brigade de cuisine. Danny taught me a great deal, mostly about Chinese cuisine, his specialty.

Whenever I traveled to Los Angeles, Danny picked me up at the airport and took me to his house, where we cooked Chinese or French food. His poached chicken was the best I have ever had.”

Serves 4

Chicken:

1 chicken, about 3 ½ #
½ cup sliced carrot
1 cup sliced onion
1 small leek, washed and left whole
1 rib celery, washed and left whole
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
2 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
About 7 cups tepid water, enough to cover the chicken

Dressing:

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Tabasco
5 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Garnishes:
1 dozen Boston lettuce leaves
2 dozen fresh tarragon leaves

For the chicken:

Place the chicken breast side down in a tall narrow pot so it fits snugly at the bottom. Add remaining ingredients. Water should come about 1” above the chicken. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and let boil gently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit in the hot broth for 45 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pot, and set it aside on a platter to cool for a few minutes. (The stock can be strained and frozen for up to 6 months for use in soup.) Pick the meat from bones, discarding fat, skin and bones. Shred the meat with your fingers, following the grain and pulling it into strips. (The meat tastes better shredded than diced with a knife.)

Mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken salad. Add chicken shreds to dressing and toss well. Arrange the Boston lettuce leaves in a “nest” around the periphery of a platter, and spoon the room-temperature chicken salad into the center. Sprinkle with the tarragon leaves and serve.

For those of you who hang out in the breakfast car, here is an outstanding waffle recipe based on a yeast batter. It makes beautifully light and crispy waffles with a lacy texture. You'll want to let it ferment for at least an hour before you make them.

Waffles – Best Version


350 g pastry flour
50g malted milk powder
10g sugar
3.5g salt
4g baking soda
7g instant yeast
620g milk
115g melted butter
100g eggs

Sift the flour, malted milk powder, and baking soda into a mixing bowl. Add the yeast and salt to the dry ingredients. Add the sugar to the milk and heat the milk to 104 degrees. Add the melted butter and egg and whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine with a whisk. Allow the yeast to rise for about an hour or more. The longer the yeast is allowed to ferment, the better the texture of the waffle. Heat a waffle iron and cook for about three minutes.

Bolognese

4 tbls olive oil
1 head of garlic, sliced
2 large onions (or 3 medium), minced
6 celery stalks, minced
3 carrots, minced
1.5 lbs of ground pork
1.5 lbs of ground veal shoulder
.5 lbs ground pancetta
3 cans of tomato paste
1 bottle dry white wine
1.5 cups of milk
1 large bunch of thyme, tied
salt, pepper to taste

In a large Dutch oven, sweat the onion, celery, carrot and garlic in the olive oil over med heat. The veg should cook down considerably but do not brown. Once the veg begins to stick to the bottom regularly and has reduced in volume, add the meat and brown. During this phase, allow all of the meat juices to evaporate completely. Add the milk, tomato, wine, and thyme. Stir in the tomato ensure it dissolves in the liquid. Simmer for 2-3 hours to let the acid from the wine cook off. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and remove the thyme.

I like to finish this on the pasta with a tbl of butter and a handful of grated Parmesan cheese.