Ah well, there is plenty for lunch today, should be a great addition to a salad or a sandwich.
My chef in training is getting more adventurous, and surer that she can cook without supervision (although I assured her that because this involved hot oil she would definitely be supervised). She has been given a couple of recipe books designed for collecting recipes and she has been busying herself on occasion going through my notebooks and recipe box copying out recipes. Mostly it has been dishes she is familiar with, but sometimes something catches her eye. That was the case with this recipe. She came across it Saturday afternoon and announced, "This is what I'm making on Monday!" I was surprised, since she doesn't like honey, but know it's a tasty dish, and not terribly difficult. I've only made it myself once or twice, since it was too spicy for the people I was cooking for, and then was just too much for the pair of us.
I glanced at it again, realizing the chicken needed marinating and that she wouldn't be home from school in time to allow for the 2 hours marinating time. Then I suggested she make the marinade Monday morning and set it aside. I could put the chicken in it at the appropriate time; or we could table it for next week, when she doesn't have school. She opted for the former suggestion, not one to be deterred once she has made up her mind.
Monday morning, in the midst of the usual chaos of getting ready to start the day she measured together honey and wine vinegar. She wondered if red wine vinegar was the best choice, but I explained I didn't have white wine vinegar, and that I had always used the red. She measured and stirred, complaining she didn't like the smell of the vinegar as she recapped the bottle and put it away.
When she came home from school she asked when I had put the chicken in to marinate, doing the math in her head as to how long it had been in and when she could start cooking in earnest.
The recipe calls for a whole chicken, cut up, I had a package of chicken breasts in the freezer I used instead. Either she didn't notice the substitution or she didn't read her recipe carefully. Then again I rarely buy a whole chicken, just pieces, so maybe it didn't even register.
We had a discussion about side dishes, agreeing on the snap peas I had in the fridge and rice for her.
She turned the chicken again and I handed her a pie plate to mix her ingredient to dredge the chicken in.
Emily pulled out the big pail of flour, asking what my abbreviation "w wh" meant. Whole wheat, I clarified (this what happens when you use your own shorthand!) Yes, we had some I assured her, in the back, behind the sugar. I measured oil into a pan and started it heating for her, and lay the chicken pieces on paper towel to drain. When I looked back the dredge she had made looked very scant, so picking up her measuring spoons I asked which she had used. The teaspoon. I asked her to look at her recipe again. OH. I spooned in more flour and more cayenne pepper, which I had already advised she reduce, as the original amount can be quite overwhelming.
She deftly (I was impressed) coated the chicken breasts with the flour mixture and placed them in the oil as I started the rice for her.
The chicken turned out very good, although I did wonder if perhaps I shouldn't have had her cut back the cayenne quite so much, it seemed a little bland to me. but that's me.
Emily learned to always double check amounts, there is a huge difference between 2 teaspoons and 2 tablespoons....and even more a half cup. But she is certainly learning to read a recipe and decide whether or not it is appealing. She relished every bite, and took a plate of chicken, rice and vegetables to school for lunch the next day.
Honey Fried Chicken
1/2 cup honey 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons wine vinegar 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper (we reduced it to 1 Tbsp)
1 chicken, cut up salt & pepper
1/2 cup flour
In a glass bowl combine honey, vinegar and chicken. Marinate at least 2 hours.
Combine white and whole wheat flour and cayenne pepper. Remove chicken from marinade, drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge in flour mixture.
Cook in hot oil (not deep fry) until browned & cooked through.
No comments:
Post a Comment