Chicken goodness; no guilt

The first time I tried a Chick-fil-A sandwich, I was dazzled. So simple, but so good. Nothing mysterious about it. I was much younger then, and while no less passionate about social justice and politics, I was not nearly as connected to others, nor informed about issues as I am now. As a teen, I would glibly toss around derisive comments about all things gay, and I'm sure I was hurtful somewhere along the way. Then, a funny thing happened.  I realized that a whole lot of my friends, people I cared about deeply, were gay. And over the years, I noticed that I cared less and less about their sexuality, and a whole lot more about how others treated them. I had similarly enlightening and evolutionary experiences over the years, having heard my fair share of closed-minded rants about "otherness" throughout my youth; I like to believe that I've managed to outgrow the vast majority of my misperceptions.

When it became clear to me over the past year or so that Dan Cathy, president of Chick-fil-A, supported a number of (at best) distasteful causes, I joined many of my friends in swearing off the food. Yes, I know that the local franchisees are not the same thing as the overarching corporation, but when a businessperson chooses to open a franchise restaurant, they do tend to have some options. They could opt to start up a restaurant in partnership with a corporation that is supportive of positive causes, and not mired in, frankly, hate. In short, I just don't have a problem with opting not to buy food from a company that will, in turn, use some of my money to support causes that squarely target some of my dearest friends simply because of who they are, and who they love.

This doesn't help me with a fundamental problem - I love the taste of that chicken.

So, last night, I took my shot at making a good substitute for our family to enjoy. I did some digging around online to find what others had attempted, and settled on my own pathway. I knew I was looking at a simple egg/flour coating, but it seems that folks tend to add some kind of sugar in this recreation. I did add some powdered sugar to the flour, salt, and pepper, and also added a small dash of Old Bay seasoning. To the eggs (2), I added an equal part of milk. That's it. For those who like measurements, I can only offer you guesstimates. I had 5 chicken breasts, which I halved in thickness. I wanted to insure the chicken didn't overwhelm the bun, and these were some large breasts. I used about a cup and half of flour, probably 3-4 tablespoons of powdered sugar, 4 teaspoons of salt, 2 of pepper, and a scant 1 of the Old Bay. If used excessively, Old Bay can overpower, so I wanted to keep it modest, but still add a little something to the mixture.

I cooked my chicken in a 50/50 blend of canola and peanut oils, largely because I was almost out of peanut oil. I will make darn sure I have more peanut oil next time, but this worked just fine.  If I were cooking this many breasts again in the future, I would break out the deep fryer to save time. I do try to get food on the table in 30-40 minutes most nights, but in choosing to use the pan, it took much longer. To save time, I did most of my chicken prep while my fries were cooking. Sadly, I don't have a waffle cutter on hand, but my mandoline made quick work of the potatoes, and I had some great cuts in a hurry. As with all frying, the goal is golden brown and delicious (thank you, Alton Brown, for having your voice attached to that phrase for the rest of my life). I love Claussen pickles, and pretty much always have a large jar of them on hand (one of those great Costco perks). I had only spears on hand, so I cut them into 1 cm slices, and put 4 on each sandwich, which was spot on for proportions. I served up some green beans, having forgotten to pick up cole slaw (my preferred side dish when I used to patronize the chain) in my last shop.

The verdict

I think my wife and I agreed: this was every bit as good as what we used to get. I need to find a waffle cutter if I want the whole experience, but I can say with absolute certainty that I can now have my "Chick-fil-A" at home without the guilt. No compromise on taste at all, and well-worth the effort. In fact, it was good enough for our 4-year-old to declare it "delicious," and eat a whole piece of chicken herself! 

I know some of my friends have different takes on the issue of gay rights, and I understand why they feel the way they do. But I firmly disagree with them, and feel it is vitally important to take small stands on my own beliefs. I can't knowingly spend money knowing that some of it is going to causes that are completely at odds with what I feel is good and decent. My daughters live across the entryway to our building from a lesbian couple with a son between them in age. They see a loving family, just like ours, nearly everyday, and I'm glad that my 2 girls are not going to hear from us the kind of bitter, hateful attitudes I heard about same-sex couples when I was growing up. Sure, they'll hear it and see it in life, but it is my sincere hope that they will be voices of reason and care when they do. I officiated a wedding ceremony for 2 other friends, both women, a few years ago, and I look forward to doing it again when I can sign their marriage certificate that grants them the same legal rights my wife and I enjoy. 

In love, in life -- and in chicken -- there should be no guilt!

Rack of Wild Boar

After my wild boar taco night, I had an inclination to cook more wild boar, and I tapped into Artizone, and this Gepperth's Meat Market again for a delivery. I sampled my Facebook friends first to see if  they felt I should make the boar, or instead try some alligator. Boar won.

I had spent the day, a Saturday, working, and was pretty beat after cleaning up the wiring in a switch rack, but I was quickly reinvigorated by the prospect of eating this meal. Thankfully, my wife was willing to help out a bit. She got my roasted potatoes put together and in the oven as I unwound for a few minutes after getting home. I'd saved some of the bacon fat from our breakfast, and had her combine a couple of tablespoons of those drippings with an equal part of olive oil, some Kosciusko beer mustard, dill, and Worcestershire sauce. Once she had those in the oven, I took back over the kitchen.

For the boar, I wanted to try some deep, rich flavors, so I opted for a rub of coarsely ground coffee (Mierisch coffee, for the record), fennel seed, salt, and pepper. I briefly pan-seared the 2 racks in a cast iron skillet, then moved them to finish off in the oven. I also wanted to complement the boar with a good sauce, so I turned to one that I've counted on many times before, with a slight alteration. It is a creamy mustard sauce that emulates one I'll write about more in the future. This time around, I opted for a basic roux, some milk, prepared mustard, ground mustard, roasted mustard seeds, and dill. This is a bit of a variance from my norm, but in addition, and most importantly, I added a bit of white balsamic this time around. It added a bit of sweetness that mellowed the flavor quite nicely. 

The Verdict

On the whole, the meal was good. The two racks were of unequal size, so the one we ate last night was, if anything, a bit more well done than I cared for. The other rack was deliberately underdone, and I served it up tonight as leftovers after a quick sear in the skillet. These were, for me, a bit more tender, but both were satisfying. The fennel was great, and coffee surprisingly mild. They worked well together, but when paired with the mustard sauce, the flavors were far more interesting. I would probably opt for one or the other next time, and not both, if I were to keep the sauce. Or I would keep both and serve with a balsamic or cider reduction next time. That said, I'm sure there will be a next time. I am finding boar a delicious delicacy, and will have to keep it on our menu from time to time.

The potatoes were a real treat, and we found ourselves dipping them in the sauce just as much as we did the meat. Our first night, we had some corn with our meal, and the second night some green beans. There really was no good reason to go crazy with the veggies, so I didn't. We had both meals with some Chilean Carmenere, and it was fine, but I think I'll spend a bit more time picking a better wine the next time I serve boar. 

I know I usually write more about life, but this time through, it is all I can do to just write about the meal. That said, I'm proud to report that BOTH our daughters tried, and seemed to enjoy the meat!

I'll have to plan for the gator down the road a bit. Stay tuned.

Lamb and Pork with Yogurt Mint Sauce

I had planned to offer up some post-holiday entries. Alas, post-holiday has gone on nearly a month, and much good eating is past, much of that blog-worthy, but time has a way of keeping me from this whole blogging endeavor. Tonight, I had to write at least a little something, with the year already three weeks deep, and this meal was certainly worthwhile. I had planned to offer up something about beef barley soup made with the bones from our Christmas Eve dinner, too. Instead, I simply added a comment to that blog post, so if you are interested in what I did, I copied and pasted my reply to a Facebook request I'd had for that follow up explaining the basics of what I ended up making.

Tonight was an interesting night. Our older daughter was in a bit of a "mood," and frankly was trying our collective patience. Getting into cooking mode was a great escape, and I dug in after we all settled into the warmth of our home after a chilly day, picking everyone up, and a quick trip to the grocery store to get a few things I'd forgotten in the weekend shop.  I combined some ground lamb and ground pork with re-hydrated onions (I forgot the onions even on the second trip), salt, pepper, a bit of dill, dried mint, dried cilantro, a really small dash of nutmeg, and a generous addition of za'atar from a wonderful Middle Eastern grocery/bakery nearby in our 'hood. Za'atar is great to have around in general, and I have used it on grilled chicken in the past as well. It makes for a quick grab from the spice rack, and adds a great deal of flavor in a hurry. (Side note: I wrote about using za'atar in a previous post about my attempt at making kefta)

I formed the meat mixture into oblong, flattened meatballs and sauteed them in some olive oil, getting a nice crispy bit of brown on the outside.  I made a bit of plain orzo to serve on the side, which was a great introduction to pasta for our little one. She is feeding herself more and more now, and she negotiated getting the orzo into her mouth with greater ease than I'd have imagined possible.  I did take a shortcut on one front. We keep some nice pouches of quick lentils-in-sauce on hand that we pick up from Costco from time to time, and with a dollop of yogurt, they are just amazing. As I've noted before, I try hard to get good meals on the table as fast as I can on weeknights, so such shortcuts are necessary, but don't have to come at the expense of taste and nutritional value. 

The crowning glory was a quick yogurt-mint sauce. The big plus from the grocery trip was grabbing some fresh mint. I like to keep somewhat bigger pieces of mint when I make this, so a quick chiffonade did the trick, along with a couple of cloves of minced garlic, a splash of lemon juice, salt, and pepper (and of course the yogurt). It always amazes me how simple additions like a nice sauce can transform a meal, and so many yogurt sauces are so easy to make, it's shame I don't make them more often.

The Verdict

I was so glad to dig into this meal. The smell of the kitchen was just intoxicating tonight, and my anticipation had been building all day for this meal (well, all week, really). It did not disappoint! The meat was flavorful and juicy, and the bit of crispy brown had that kind of umami vibe going on; that's the best way I can describe it. The yogurt-mint sauce was as good as I've ever made it, pretty well nailing the proportions. I sometimes go too far with the garlic or lemon juice and have to adjust, rarely getting it this good. I kept the orzo plain, and used it to mix in the sauce from the lentils and the stray yogurt on my plate. 

This meal was a complete success, and I can't wait to make it again.

As for the little ones: 
Some yogurt sauce dripped into the avocado we were feeding to our younger daughter along with her orzo, and I decided to just go ahead and feed it to her anyway. She liked it so much, I even added a bit more for her, and for the first time in a while, she ended up polishing off an entire half an avocado. I am going to go ahead and guess that it was baby-approved. The real delight was, after our older daughter finished up with her "mood attack," and finally settled in to eat, she ended up eating a really nice portion of the meat (for a change). She had hers sans sauce, and she passed on the lentils, opting instead for her usual side of green peas. The orzo was a universal hit; no surprise in our carb-loving family.

We will have at this meal again tomorrow as leftovers, and I'm thinking about opening up some wine for the adventure. If you'd like to make any suggestions, feel free to comment!

Christmas Eve - Rib Roast

Well, Christmas Eve was the cooking day this year. We have decided to have Christmas morning at home with the girls, but also decided, at least for this year, to head to Indiana to visit with family around the middle of Christmas Day. I was torn between making a ham or a beef rib roast, and decided that the rib roast was the best plan. I haven’t put our relatively new oven through much of a workout since it’s arrival in the fall, mostly because we have been battling a string of illnesses in our house, and I have been completely off my game on meal preparations; mostly just phoning it in with staples that are nice, but hardly worth writing about (at least not around the holidays).

I found a great, and simple, guide for cooking a rib roast, and I'd love to meet this "Pops Fassett" some day. I've made a few roasts over the years, but am always looking for a simpler way to get the job done, and done predictably. Trust me, if you plan to make a nice standing rib roast, and you like it cooked perfectly pink with a delicious, crispy edge, this will not let you down. I kept my rub painfully simple. Just some garlic salt, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and a small bit of rosemary (under the ribs only). I'm not usually one to just follow directions, and I did tweak Pops' plan a tiny bit, but I didn't need to.

We invited a neighbor to join us, and it was a wonderful meal, with mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli (for which I broke down and made a cheddar cheese sauce - of course, from scratch and with real cheddar), and to make it feel like a real holiday meal, our older daughter had her first time helping her mom roll out the crescent rolls from the tube. Some things are just fine from mass producers, and tubes of bread at holiday meals sure do save a great deal of hassle. 

The Verdict

My wife insisted on a Bordeaux with our meal, and I am glad she did. The one we served had a great peppery nose, and was a great partner for our meal. The meat was tender, cooked just the way I like it (and even met with approval from our older daughter!). It had just the right bit of saltiness, and I'm glad I decided against adding garlic gloves throughout the roast tonight. Simple was just what was needed. The potatoes met with the usual approval from both little ones. I served up a bit of bleu cheese to accentuate the meat, and it was a nice addition. It was a basic meal, but throwing all modesty aside, it was almost perfectly executed. The broccoli was neither too crisp, nor too soggy. The potatoes were a tiny bit heavier than I make most of the time, but I opted for half-and-half over the usual milk, and that made a good bit of difference on all fronts.

I think sticking with a simple, traditional meal and spending the time with a favorite neighbor and my immediate family had a particularly strong appeal for me this year. I've been pained thinking about the losses so many families faced in the wake of the school shooting in CT. I've been thinking of friends who have lost loved ones entirely too soon in life lately, and others coping with serious illnesses, living each day steeped in prayer for something far more basic and precious than gifts under a tree. I've also been acutely aware of the loss in my own life, as this is the first Christmas since my mom's passing. She is sorely missed, and would have been thrilled to enjoy that rib roast with us, I am sure. 

But with whatever melancholy may be swirling about, I am joyful in sharing my younger daughter's first Christmas with her, and especially excited that our older daughter is now at the age where the wonder and excitement come with an understanding of the special-ness of the holiday. Mom would have loved to see them, so in her honor, and with the heavy hearts of so many others in my thoughts, I will hug them tighter tomorrow, relish their joy that much more, and if it is even remotely possible, I will love my family - all my family near and far - that much more on this Christmas Day. 

(Also, look for a posting in a few weeks on beef barley soup. I saved the bones and some meat, and am really looking forward to making that in January).

Wild boar tacos

Yes, it has been another long lapse since my last post. A second daughter in the house consumes the time that I had finally carved out after dinner as our first daughter was becoming increasingly independent. Now that the younger child is about four months old, we are finally beginning to find some routines once again, and tonight's dinner was special enough to write about. I don't know if I'll be lucky enough to get another one of these done any time soon, and frankly, I'm just glad I still get to make dinner most nights. Writing about it is just a bonus, anyway.

My wife picked up an online deal for Artizone recently; not that recently, actually, but recently enough that she passed it my way before it expired. Some of the speciality shops here in Chicago would be regular haunts for us if we lived closer to them, but parking is an ordeal without the kids; with them, it's just a royal pain. Artizone let's us order from several of the shops we like (and some we have yet to try), and have the goods delivered to our home. I have been to Gepperth's Meat Market in the past, and was impressed with their shop. When I found that they had some game meats available via Artizone, well, I was giddy.

The bottom line - having the little ones around makes us appreciate having things delivered. 

The wild boar I had them bring had to wait in the fridge for a couple of days before I was able to cook it. We had a few other things on our family agenda this week, but tonight I was finally able to bring it to the table. I knew when I ordered it that I wanted to make some kind of tacos with the meat. I browned the meat with some chopped cilantro, garlic, and green onion in a smattering of olive oil. It was clearly lean meat, and I knew I'd need a bit of extra oil for this to work. Once browned, I added a splash of liquid smoke, followed by a blend of corn starch, chili powder, cayenne, ground cumin, garlic salt, kosher salt, and smoked paprika. Unfortunately, I was out of guajillo chili powder, and I think that may be on my next Artizone order (or my next trip to the spice place in Old Town). To create the sauce, I opted to use Pepsi tonight in place of water. I wanted a bit of sweetness, and the cola seemed like a nice idea. 

I chose corn tortillas for my tacos, and my wife opted for whole wheat. We topped things with more of an American spread - lettuce, sour cream, salsa, green onion, cilantro, and cheddar tonight. 

The verdict

I was quite pleased with the result. The mild game undertones were present, but with everything else happening in the flavor column, that was a welcome and expected taste. We kept things pretty simple tonight, skipping wine or beer. It was a nice end to the family time after a wonderful weekend together, and a real treat having a few minutes to write about it.  We were also glad to spend some time celebrating a milestone birthday with a neighbor last night. Our older daughter really appreciated the chocolate fountain at the shindig (I have NEVER seen her so hyper), and I was pleased to contribute some chicken marsala to the festivities. I wish I had a bit more time to write about it, but I'm sure I'll make that dish again and again. Wild boar isn't the kind of thing I'm likely to make quite as often, but after tonight's meal, I wish it was more readily available (and less expensive). If I ever move back to Florida, I'll have to befriend some boar hunters, I suppose...