I started my day late. My father's snoring has kept my mind wide awake while my dreary eyes are begging for infinite peace. As I looked at my clock I've got 4 hours to cook for lunch and the chicken is frozen as a rock. I took the frozen chicken out and submerge it with hot water. The dizzy longing to bed was unbearable - even if the frozen chicken's cold stings on my fingertips numb my reactions.
A dose of coffee should do the trick. The news was on - depressing as it can be I found myself listening to the world's cry for an hour.
Today roasting a chicken seems to be the perfect meal for lunch. When roasting a chicken it is the most easiest thing to do; since you just stuff it, put it in the oven and vola! a roasted chicken.
Preheat the oven for 10-15 minutes to high temperature.
To make the stuffing - chop the a medium size onion and the parsley. Mix the the chopped onion and parsley with extra virgin olive oil and chicken broth cubes.
When the chicken has been cleaned thoroughly inside and out; put one chicken broth cube followed by the stuffing mixture in the chicken. Close the opening of the chicken wherein you place the stuffing - either by folding the excess skin of the chicken side of the hole or sew it up. Sprinkle sufficient amount of salt and pepper all over the chicken's body. Make sure your baking pan or iron skillet have been coated by extra virgin olive oil as well as the body of the chicken. Bring the oven temperature to low and wait for 2 hours to cook.
The number of hours of cooking a bird differs on the size of the bird. As for chicken which are not enormous, I cook it for 2 hours in the oven.
See how easy it is. Now you can do whatever you want for 2 hours. By the way make sure you are aware of the time. To be sure set an alarm for it.
Sunday, 13 December 2009
Saturday, 12 December 2009
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Attempt 12: Veal Cacciatore
I can't seem to get some sleep nowadays. I blame my sleepless nights because of my dad's annoying loud snore. Every time I go to bed I would wish I was a quick sleeper. Unfortunately I have to count the sheep before I doze off to blank land. Due to countless "Bah, bah, black sheep..", I woke up late and found out I had 3 hours to cook for lunch.
As I lunged the meat out of the frozen mountains of Everest, I submerge the icy veal with boiling hot water. I have an hour to wait for the icy veal to get on its feet and ready to chopped.
Prepare the tool kits skillets, ladle, measuring cups, wide shallow bowl, knife, chopping board, and serving plate.
The following ingredients serves four people. 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 4 4-oz. veal cutlets, pounded 1/4 inch thick kosher salt and freshly ground peppers, 2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbs. unsalted butter, 1 small yellow onion (chopped), 2 medium cloves garlic (minced), 8 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms (3 1/2 cups), 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juices, 1/2 cup dry white wine, and 1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary.
Put the flour in a wide shallow bowl. Season the cutlets all over with 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Dredge in the flour and shake off any excess. Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Working in batches if necessary, cook the cutlets until dark golden brown, 1 - 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate as they finish.
In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and it reduces to a glaze, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, wine, and rosemary. Bring back to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 7 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cutlets and any accumulated juices to the sauce and cook until heated through, 1 - 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
When I was cooking the veal to taste because I had no time to marinate it, I boiled it with beef broth so as to tenderize it at the same time.
I prepared our lunch just in time the tasters came. I'm happy that this was the first time I made this attempt and surprisingly the tasters were pleased.
As I lunged the meat out of the frozen mountains of Everest, I submerge the icy veal with boiling hot water. I have an hour to wait for the icy veal to get on its feet and ready to chopped.
Prepare the tool kits skillets, ladle, measuring cups, wide shallow bowl, knife, chopping board, and serving plate.
The following ingredients serves four people. 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 4 4-oz. veal cutlets, pounded 1/4 inch thick kosher salt and freshly ground peppers, 2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbs. unsalted butter, 1 small yellow onion (chopped), 2 medium cloves garlic (minced), 8 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms (3 1/2 cups), 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juices, 1/2 cup dry white wine, and 1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary.
Put the flour in a wide shallow bowl. Season the cutlets all over with 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Dredge in the flour and shake off any excess. Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Working in batches if necessary, cook the cutlets until dark golden brown, 1 - 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate as they finish.
In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and it reduces to a glaze, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, wine, and rosemary. Bring back to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 7 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cutlets and any accumulated juices to the sauce and cook until heated through, 1 - 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
When I was cooking the veal to taste because I had no time to marinate it, I boiled it with beef broth so as to tenderize it at the same time.
I prepared our lunch just in time the tasters came. I'm happy that this was the first time I made this attempt and surprisingly the tasters were pleased.
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Attempt 11: Rib-eye steaks marinated with fennel & rosemary
I'm always fascinated of how steak could be so damn tender without even boiling it until tenderize. Although my mother told me to beat the meat, but i never actually want to beat up a meat when it is already dead.
In this second attempt of cooking outside the box will be intriguing for my critic tasters (that would be my dad and especially my sister).
Prepare the tool kit a skillet, food thongs, baking pans, pre-serving plate, serving plate, and paper towels.
The ingredients are 1 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup of chopped fresh rosemary (usually you can get it in a supermarket in a bottle which McCormick is my preferred brand), 4 tsp. ground fennel seed (i bought it ungrounded - it was the only fennel seed available), kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 2-bone standing beef rib roast (about 5lb.), chine bone and fat cap removed, cut between the bones into 2 rib-eye steaks (i was not sure what a rib-eye steak looks like - all i know its beef and i don't know where it was located in a beef meat to be called a rib-eye steak but to be sure just ask your butcher to cut you some rib-eye steak or just buy at a supermarket that has labels on it). Now when everything is ready.
To marinate the meat combine the oil, rosemary, fennel seed, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper in a small bowl. Put the steaks in 2 shallow baking pans. Pour the remaining marinade over the steaks. Cover & marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, turning every 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit. Remove the steaks from the marinade, scrape off the herbs, and pat dry with paper towels. Season each steak with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Heat 2 12-inch oven proof skillets (preferably cast iron) over high heat until hot. Turn your exhaust fan on high. Cook the steaks, undisturbed, until a deep brown crust has formed, 3 - 4 minutes more. Alternatively, heat one skillet, sear one steak at a time, and transfer to a baking sheet for roasting.)
Put the skillets in the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thick part of the steaks registers 115 - 120 Fahrenheit for rare, or 125 - 130 Fahrenheit for medium rare, about 20 minutes for rare and about 25 minutes for medium rare. Transfer the steaks to a large cutting board, tent them loosely with foil, and let them rest for at least 10 minutes. To serve, carve the meat from the bone and then cut the meat across the grain 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush the sliced meat with the reserved marinade and serve.
I cooked this attempt twice the first time was bland and too well-done. The second time it was fine but not as I wanted it to be.
In this second attempt of cooking outside the box will be intriguing for my critic tasters (that would be my dad and especially my sister).
Prepare the tool kit a skillet, food thongs, baking pans, pre-serving plate, serving plate, and paper towels.
The ingredients are 1 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup of chopped fresh rosemary (usually you can get it in a supermarket in a bottle which McCormick is my preferred brand), 4 tsp. ground fennel seed (i bought it ungrounded - it was the only fennel seed available), kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 2-bone standing beef rib roast (about 5lb.), chine bone and fat cap removed, cut between the bones into 2 rib-eye steaks (i was not sure what a rib-eye steak looks like - all i know its beef and i don't know where it was located in a beef meat to be called a rib-eye steak but to be sure just ask your butcher to cut you some rib-eye steak or just buy at a supermarket that has labels on it). Now when everything is ready.
To marinate the meat combine the oil, rosemary, fennel seed, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper in a small bowl. Put the steaks in 2 shallow baking pans. Pour the remaining marinade over the steaks. Cover & marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, turning every 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit. Remove the steaks from the marinade, scrape off the herbs, and pat dry with paper towels. Season each steak with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Heat 2 12-inch oven proof skillets (preferably cast iron) over high heat until hot. Turn your exhaust fan on high. Cook the steaks, undisturbed, until a deep brown crust has formed, 3 - 4 minutes more. Alternatively, heat one skillet, sear one steak at a time, and transfer to a baking sheet for roasting.)
Put the skillets in the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thick part of the steaks registers 115 - 120 Fahrenheit for rare, or 125 - 130 Fahrenheit for medium rare, about 20 minutes for rare and about 25 minutes for medium rare. Transfer the steaks to a large cutting board, tent them loosely with foil, and let them rest for at least 10 minutes. To serve, carve the meat from the bone and then cut the meat across the grain 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush the sliced meat with the reserved marinade and serve.
I cooked this attempt twice the first time was bland and too well-done. The second time it was fine but not as I wanted it to be.
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
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Attempt 10: Buttermilk Pancake
I was unemployed since November 15, 2009. I resigned to my last job as the Marketing Executive at Design2Print, Doha-Qatar. Now here I am still attempting - to cook.
We all know that pancakes are a breakfast "ala-must". I bought a fine cooking magazine.
My first attempt to cook this divinely looking buttermilk pancakes were unsure if it would come out right.
Prepare your tool kits. Two large mixing bowls - clear or not clear it does not matter as long as it is a large bowls. A whisk - make sure the size of the whisk fits the size of hand so as to avoid difficulties. Complete measuring cups and spoons. A large skillet. A spatula. Finally a baking sheet.
Now make sure ingredients are complete. 3 tbs. unsalted butter. 9 oz. or 2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour. 1/4 cup granulated sugar. 2 1/2 cup tsp. baking powder. 1/2 tsp. baking soda. 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. 2 cups of buttermilk - if buttermilk is not available you can substitute it with a. powdered buttermilk using to package directions, b. sour milk by adding 2 tbs. white vinegar or lemon juice to 2 cups whole milk and let it stand for 10 minutes to thicken slightly, and c. yogurt and milk by addling 1 cup of plain yogurt and 1 cup milk (both can be full-fat or low-fat). 2 large eggs. Vegetable oil for the griddle - if your skillet is not a non-stick pan. Pure maple syrup for serving - I prefer Log Cabin original maple syrup.
PS. mix separately the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls so as ingredients are evenly and properly mixed. After dry and wet ingredients were separately being mixed, take the wet ingredients and lavishly mingle them with the dry ingredients. Take your whisk or spatula which ever you feel comfortable using and combine the ingredients with happiness. Pre-heat in high temperature your skillet - its best if the skillet is non-stick. As the skillet have gone hot, provoke for the last time your mixed ingredients and fold them properly. Turn the temperature to medium or low-medium heat. Get a half measuring cup and attempt scoop a sufficient amount. Gently lay the gooey mixed buttermilk pancake to the heated skillet. Flip it as soon as the side near the heat turned golden brown and wait for the side to turn golden brown. Serve it hot with a tablespoon of butter and drizzle generously your maple syrup.
Just in time - my tasters have arrived. Thanks to Denise Mickelsen for that wonderful piece in fine cooking magazine.
We all know that pancakes are a breakfast "ala-must". I bought a fine cooking magazine.
My first attempt to cook this divinely looking buttermilk pancakes were unsure if it would come out right.
Prepare your tool kits. Two large mixing bowls - clear or not clear it does not matter as long as it is a large bowls. A whisk - make sure the size of the whisk fits the size of hand so as to avoid difficulties. Complete measuring cups and spoons. A large skillet. A spatula. Finally a baking sheet.
Now make sure ingredients are complete. 3 tbs. unsalted butter. 9 oz. or 2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour. 1/4 cup granulated sugar. 2 1/2 cup tsp. baking powder. 1/2 tsp. baking soda. 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. 2 cups of buttermilk - if buttermilk is not available you can substitute it with a. powdered buttermilk using to package directions, b. sour milk by adding 2 tbs. white vinegar or lemon juice to 2 cups whole milk and let it stand for 10 minutes to thicken slightly, and c. yogurt and milk by addling 1 cup of plain yogurt and 1 cup milk (both can be full-fat or low-fat). 2 large eggs. Vegetable oil for the griddle - if your skillet is not a non-stick pan. Pure maple syrup for serving - I prefer Log Cabin original maple syrup.
PS. mix separately the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls so as ingredients are evenly and properly mixed. After dry and wet ingredients were separately being mixed, take the wet ingredients and lavishly mingle them with the dry ingredients. Take your whisk or spatula which ever you feel comfortable using and combine the ingredients with happiness. Pre-heat in high temperature your skillet - its best if the skillet is non-stick. As the skillet have gone hot, provoke for the last time your mixed ingredients and fold them properly. Turn the temperature to medium or low-medium heat. Get a half measuring cup and attempt scoop a sufficient amount. Gently lay the gooey mixed buttermilk pancake to the heated skillet. Flip it as soon as the side near the heat turned golden brown and wait for the side to turn golden brown. Serve it hot with a tablespoon of butter and drizzle generously your maple syrup.
Just in time - my tasters have arrived. Thanks to Denise Mickelsen for that wonderful piece in fine cooking magazine.
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