The Case for Working With Your Hands

Recently, the NY Times published an articled entitled, "The Case For Working With Your Hands,"  which resonates with me.  The author, Matthew Crawford, a Ph.D. turned motorcycle mechanic, argues that our society has placed too much emphasis on "knowledge workers" at the expense of those who work with their hands.  Crawford argues, that often his job now as a motorcycle mechanic is more difficult and rewarding, then his days musing philosophical conundrums in the Ivy Tower or working at a think tank on K Street in D.C., in part because his decisions often have real consequences, every answer is not in a manual--he has to figure things out, and he has to be creative every day.  Furthermore, at the end of the day you have a result--the motorcycle works or it doesn't.  The irony of the knowledge worker is that often creativity is not encouraged and an environment that theoretically should be intellectual is not.

Summer Rolls with Soy Ginger Dipping SauceI'm not ready to give up my desk job yet, but I think that Crawford articulates many of the reasons why I love to cook.  I get to be creative (something I am not rewarded for in my job), I modify recipes based on what has or hasn't worked in the past, and in the end (hopefully) I have a delicious creation that is not only rewarding to me, but to whoever shares the meal.

Tonight, I am not only going to work with my hands, but I am going to eat with my hands!  We are going to have Summer Rolls with Avocado, Mango, and Shrimp.

Acid + Oil + Spice = Marinade

The base of marinades is very simple: an acid, an oil, and spice. The acid works to break down proteins thereby making the meat tender, the oil lubricates the protein and makes the meat juicier, and spice of course flavors the meat. Many marinades also have an emulsifier which is usually an agent that has both a hydrophobic (water averting) and hydrophilic (water loving) side. The emulsifier can add flavor (for example, Dijon mustard), but mostly it just binds the acid--which is made mostly of water--to the oil.

Once you know this simple formula, the possibilities are endless.

What ratio do I use, you ask. Well, it depends on what you are cooking. If you are using a tougher meat (for example an eye round or a pot roast) increase the amount of acid as compared to an oil. Also, allow the meat to marinade for a longer period of time. Chicken should marinate less unless you want to eat mush (although tonight's recipe requires that the chicken marinates for 24 hours). Fish has such a delicate texture that unless you actually want to cook the flesh in acid (sometimes you do, for example when you make ceviche), do not marinade for more than 30 minutes.

The most common acid is vinegar, however you can also use citrus (lemon or lime with fish or chicken is delicious), wine, buttermilk, yogurt....you get the idea.

Cornell ChickenI grew up in upstate New York and one of the treats we craved the most was Brooks chicken...slightly salty vinegary New York style barbeque cooked over a pit. For all of you southerners, we know how to bbq in the North as well. The Brooks recipe is actually based off of a recipe developed at Cornell University by Dr. Robert Baker who, according to the Cornell website, came up with Chicken nuggets as well.

Incidentally, Saturday is National Kitchen Klutz day. I'm not making this up folks. I read it on the internet, so therefore it must be true. You can even send a greeting card to your favorite Kitchen Klutz! Let the celebrations begin!

Summer Grillin'

Roasting Weiners over an open fireWe had an awesome weekend hanging out in wild and wonderful West Virginia, although Macaroni and Cheese, aka, Gooey Deliciousnessbetween the macaroni and cheese (delicious, and as much as I have tried to pretend it is calorie free, for some reason my imagination is not making this a reality), hotdogs, hamburgers, s'mores, bacon, and more mac and cheese my body is craving something light and full of protein.  We're going to have swordfish...Lemon and Herb Grilled Swordfishit's light, incredibly flavorful, and grills beautifully.  The downside is that is higher in mercury than other fish, and thus my husband thinks I'm trying to kill him, but I promise I'm not....yet.

I marinated the swordfish in lemon juice, fresh sage, thyme, oregano, garlic, and olive oil.  By the way, for those of you that don't find duck egg souffle comforting, try my mac and cheese.  I promise you'll love it!

Why I Roast My Chicken Under a Brick

Chicken under a brickI think the first time I ever had chicken roasted under a brick was at Obelisk, one of my favorite restaurants in DC.  I had never seen it prepared this way before--a golden brown crispy skin with a juicy, juicy, juicy interior-- and honestly I was hesitant to "just get chicken" at a restaurant of Obelisk's calibre.  (It was actually called "poussin" on the menu, which is a chicken less than 28 days old).  Our waiter assured me that it would be chicken like I had never tasted before.  She was right!

I think I finally perfected my recipe, but please comment if you would do something different.  I've tried making Cooks Illustrated's version (in the Jun '09 issue), but I thought that cooking the garlic and herbs added an unnecessary extra step and the grill, although it added a nice flavor, dried out the chicken.  I cook mine inside, starting it on the stove and then finishing it in the oven.  I brine my bird first and then (thanks to the Cook's Illustrated recipe) add a combination of herbs, lemon zest, olive oil, and salt directly under the skin of the bird.  This adds tons of flavor, but prevents the herbs and garlic from burning when you crisp the skin.

If you want to taste the juciest chicken you have ever eaten before, try this recipe.  I promise you won't be disappointed!

By the way, I'm taking the day off tomorrow.  Luckily my friend Jannine has graciously agreed to fill in for me!  Happy eating.

Brine that Bird!

I know we all live really, really busy lives and cooking, especially during the week, has to be simple.  I work full time and I certainly have those nights when I don't want to cook anything so we either go out or get take out.  When I do cook, however, I don't think about how many steps it will take to prepare the meal.  I just think, will this taste good?

So...speaking of an extra step that makes a huge difference, is taking the time to brine poultry.  A basic brine is a mixture of salt, sugar, and water although you can also add spices to the liquid.  The high osmotic content of the brine forces the salt, sugar, and spice mixture into the bird and flavorless poultry water out.  The resulting meat is juicy, flavorful, and incredibly delicious.  It really doesn't take that much more time to prepare (the only difference is that you have to brine the chicken the night before you cook it for dinner), but the result is absolutely worth the extra effort.

Note, a brine is NOT a marinade (a marinade is a simple combination of an oil, an acid, and a flavor enhancer).  The most notable difference is the lack of acids in a brine.  Don't add one.  It will break down the proteins too much leaving a gelatinous mass.  Marinades are great when used correctly, however.  I'll blog more on this in the future!