Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

I promise that I did not add marijuana to this chicken. Alice B. Toklas was born in San Franscisco in 1877. She moved to Paris in 1907 and became the partner of the writer Gertrude Stein. The two women hosted a salon that attracted many expatriate Americans such as Ernest Hemingway and Thorton Wilder and painters Picasso and Matisse. She became well known for her cooking and published The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook in 1954. The most famous recipe was called Haschich (sic) Fudge which contained fruit, nuts, spices and cannibus. During the turbulent ’60s her name was lent to Alice B. Toklas brownies which contained marijuana.

This chicken does not need marijuana to make you feel good. I love a good roast chicken. I have my standard recipe that is a pretty simple bird stuffed with lemons and rosemary and drizzled with oil and roasted at 425 degrees. There are a few extra steps in making this chicken and it makes all the difference in the world. First the chicken is browned on both sides in an oven proof skillet. After roasting for a time, ruby port and orange juice are added to the skillet and it is roasted a while longer. The finishing sauce is enhanced with orange zest and heavy cream. The sauce is what makes this chicken outstanding. It is absolutely delicious. This is another wonderful recipe from my bargain cookbook Simple Soirees by Peggy Knickerbocker.

ALICE B. TOKLAS CHICKEN

1 medium sized (about 3 1/2 pounds) roasting chicken, preferable free-range
Salt
2 Tbls unsalted butter
2 Tbls olive oil ( I used less )
1/2 cup ruby port
1/2 cup orange juice
3 Tbls heavy cream
Zest of 1 orange, grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

When you bring the chicken home from the market, unwrap it and sprinkle it generously with salt. Cover and refrigerate it until ready to cook. Bring the bird to room temperature before cooking. Do not rub off the salt.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large ovenproof skillet warm the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Brown the chicken breast side down, for 3 to 5 minutes then turn it over and brown the other side for 3 to 5 minutes.

Place the skillet in the oven and roast the chicken for 45 minutes. Pour the port over the chicken and baste it. Roast for 10 minutes more, then add the orange juice and baste again. Roast for about 5 minutes more ( I roasted it for 10 to 15 minutes more). The chicken is done when the juices of the thigh run clear when pierced with the blade of a sharp knife, or when the thigh wiggles easily. Remove the chicken from the oven, transfer it to a cutting board, and let it rest as you make the sauce.

Skim as much fat off the top of the juices in the skillet as you can and discard. Place the skillet over medium heat and add the cream, stirring up the crispy bits on the bottom. Add about half the orange zest and allow the sauce to reduce as you stir constantly for a few minutes.

Carve the chicken and transfer it to a serving platter. Pour some of the sauce over the chicken and transfer the rest into a gravy boat or small pitcher and serve it at the table. Sprinkle the remaining orange zest over the chicken.

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There is no better time on the lake than Summer. Early mornings on the porch are cool and refreshing. I gaze at the still water from my treetop aerie while sipping my morning coffee and reflect on the day ahead. Occasionally a fish will jump creating ripples on the flat surface. The hum of a fishing boat can be heard above the bird song. Pileated woodpeckers, unaware of my presence, peck away at the trees surrounding me. The ski club members are up early as usual and the first ski boat slices through the water pulling the gracefully weaving skier.

But the day’s chores beckon and I return to the kitchen to make lists and organize the house. David starts working on projects. He greets Don, our contractor friend who is helping us. We are making progress on the lower level. Our old bathroom has been transformed into a small spa retreat with a jacuzzi tub and steam bath. The two small bedrooms have new bead board paneling and old hardwood floors that need refinishing after pulling up the carpeting. You can also call experts and avail upholstery cleaning to enhance the look for your home .Sometimes I am the gopher and head to Lowe’s or Home Depot to get building supplies. The day passes with occasional forays to the deck or boathouse to watch the passing parade of boats pulling delightedly screaming children on floats or the local police boat on it’s way to Larkins on the Lake for lunch.

Lately, afternoons have been predictable with darkening skies and rumbles of thunder. But the storms pass quickly and by the time we are ready for dinner the sun is shining, reflecting millions of diamonds on the churning lake surface. It is time to light the grill.

I have many recipes for grilled chicken but this is my favorite. I can’t give credit for the origin because frankly I copied it years ago and do not remember where I got it. You do have to plan ahead because it is best if it marinates for at least six hours. I love what goes into the marinade. The citrus gives it a refreshing flavor and the brown sugar helps create a succulent glaze. We eat on the porch surrounded by the darkening evening sky, the smell of others’ grills, and conversations drifting across the water.

CITRUS GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS

3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbls grainy mustard
1/4 cup vinegar
1 lime, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 Tbls olive oil

6 boneless chicken breasts

Combine marinade ingredients in a blender or small food processor and pulse until everything is emulsified and smooth. Marinate chicken in mixture for at least two hours and up to 24 hours. Place chicken on a hot grill which has been brushed with oil. Grill for 5 minutes per side basting often.

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Balsamic vinegar is a product of Modena, a province of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. True aceto balsamico requires specific sweet grapes produced in Modena which are aged in a succession of barrels made of different woods. The process can take years. For this reason it is very expensive. Most of the balsamic vinegar available today is mass produced using techniques that simulate the aging process. The bottle I got from Trader Joe’s does state on the label that it was barrel aged, but because the price was reasonable, I am assuming that it was not in barrels for any length of time. I use balsamic vinegar in salad dressings and sauteed cabbage or sprinkled over cooked greens. I love the sweetness and depth of flavor of this vinegar. It is the most assertive of all vinegars and to really experience it’s goodness try sprinkling it on strawberries for a wonderful sensation in your mouth.

I found this recipe for Balsamic Vinegar Chicken with Wild Mushrooms in an old issue of Gourmet. The article was written by David Rosengarten so I knew the results would be guarenteed. David Rosengarten is one of my favorite people in the food world. He is the author of his own cookbook called Taste and the author of The Dean and DeLuca Cookbook. For a time he had a program called Taste on the Food Network and it was one of the best productions they have ever shown. It was intelligent and insightful and David’s passion and credibility were evident with every episode. I wish the Food Network had not “dumbed down” so much. But that is another story.

We had this chicken for dinner last night and it was wonderful. There was so much depth to the flavors that it is hard to describe – woodsy and earthy from the porcini mushrooms, sweet and assertive from the vinegar, mellow from the red wine and down home good from the bacon and sauteed chicken. We are having it again tonight and I have a feeling that it will have improved with it’s rest in the refrigerator. As a matter of fact, it would make a good “do ahead” dish for guests. I served it with plain rice to soak up the juices.

BALSAMIC VINEGAR CHICKEN WITH WILD MUSHROOMS
1 ounce (about 1 cup) dried porcini mushrooms
6 chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry ( I skinned them)
all-purpose flour for dredging
1/4 pound bacon, cut crosswise into 1/3 inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fruity red wine, such as Beaujolais
1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup drained and chopped canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon arrowroot dissolved in 2 teaspoons cold water
minced fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves for garnish
In a small bowl let the porcini soak in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes, or until they are soft, and drain them well, reserving the liquid. Season the chicken with pepper and dredge it in the flour, shaking off the excess. In a large heavy skillet cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until it is golden and crisp, transfer it with a slotted spoon to paper towels, and let it drain. Add to the skillet the chicken, skin side down, and cook it, turning it occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until it is golden and crisp. Transfer the chicken with a slotted spoon to a plate, season it with salt, and discard the fat in the skillet. Add the oil to the skillet and in it cook the garlic over low heat, stirring for 1 minute. Add the reserved porcini liquid, the wine, the broth, and 3 tablespoons of the vinegar and boil the mixture for 4 minutes. Add the arrowroot mixture in a stream, stirring, stir in the tomatoes, and add the chicken, turning it to coat it with the sauce. Simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 minutes, stir in the porcini and the bacon, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle the mixture with the parsley. Serves 6.
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We had a wonderful holiday with the family. It was the first time we had seen them since Christmas and the changes in little Rachel were quite noticeable. She will be three in May and is now communicating with great enthusiasm. She helped me prepare dinner one night and although we made quite a mess, she was very good at rolling chicken strips in breadcrumbs and placing them on the baking pan.

The only down side to our visit was that I got food poisoning from a fast food sandwich and lost all interest in eating and cooking. Even a trip to Trader Joe’s, which I was looking forward to, was a disaster. My plan was to stock up on hard to find condiments while getting the chicken and panko crumbs for dinner. I ended up spending all of my time in their bathroom – quite nice, by the way – and rushing through the check out line with my meager purchases.

On the way back to Lake Lure we had to stop for groceries for dinner and the only thing that appealed to my sensitive stomach was the thought of chicken and dumplings; a mild, filling and therapeutic dish. I am finally back to normal and will get back my enthusiasm for blogging, but for a while there I was worried that I would never want to look at, or for that matter, think about food again.

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

1 3 to 4 pound whole chicken
2 stalks of celery
2 carrots
1 onion
6 cups of water
1 or 2 chicken bouillon cubes
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup minced parsley and chives

Place chicken in large dutch oven and add the two stalks of celery, carrots and onion, roughly chopped. Add the six cups of water, thyme sprigs, and bouillon cubes. Bring water to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for one hour. Remove chicken to cool slightly and strain broth.

Return broth to dutch oven and add the 3 stalks of chopped celery and 2 chopped carrots. Simmer for 10 minutes while removing the chicken from the bones. Add the shredded chicken and frozen vegetables to the broth.

For the dumplings, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the chopped fresh parley and chives. Add melted butter and milk. Gently mix with spoon until mixture comes together. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls into pot. Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Do not lift lid while cooking.

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It is Barefoot Blogger Thursday and today’s recipe was chosen by McKenzie of Kenzie’s Kitchen. Visit her blog to see the changes she made to this delicious dish. I have to say, I thoroughly loved making this chicken salad. What’s not to like about succulent chicken, fresh asparagus, red pepper strips and scallions in a tasty sesame, peanut dressing. And I enjoyed doing it in my Lake Lure kitchen.

It has taken us awhile to get the computers up and running. Reception is not good here in the mountains. Our original computer port was in the garage apartment up the hill from the cottage. We have been staying there while much of the construction has been going on. Now that we have moved permanently to the cottage, everything had to be dismantled and brought down the hill. I am not technically inclined, so I waited patiently (Ha!) while David cussed and wired. I took the time to sit on the deck and enjoy the beautiful Spring display all around me. Florida is wonderful, but the soft greens, pinks and whites of a changing landscape are breathtaking. Here is a view out the sliding doors to the water.

I did make a few changes to the recipe. After reading so many reviewers who said the chicken salad was too salty, I added just a pinch instead of the 4 teaspoons called for. Also I used 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts because that is what I had and there were just the two of us. I also halved the dressing and cut back on the peanut butter. The changes worked perfectly and we enjoyed a lovely lunch on a warming Spring day. Thank you McKenzie for the perfect choice of Ina’s recipe.

CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD

8 split chicken breasts (bone in, skin on)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound asparagus, ends removed, cut into thirds diagonally
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
4 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, toasted

For the Dressing:
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large, bite-sized pieces.

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers into strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the shredded chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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