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BUTCHER'S CUT
The wonders of chicken breast
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EDITOR’S LETTER
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FOOD FOR GOOD Moss Café in Riverdale, NY
16 ESSENTIALS What you need and where to get it + our favorite Ikea finds 18 LEFTOVERS Taco night
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20 DINNER BASICS Tips and techniques to make dinner a breeze 21
GLOBAL FLAVORS Sumac
BACK POCKET One meat sauce endless ways
40 L’CHAIM The art of wine pairing 42 GLOBAL FLAVORS Sumac 50 SEASONAL Soups to warm up to 72
56 DINNER FEAST
Prep & Rally
CULINARY SCHOOL Sous vide
80 HEALTHY HOT TAKE Utilizing the freezer section 84 RESTAURANT CHRONICLES Mama Kitchen 91 COOKBOOK The Weekday Vegetarians by Jenny Rosenstrach 94 THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CORK Celler de Capçanes 98 BREAKING BREAD Challah breadcrumbs 102 TRAVEL Key Largo
106 SOMETHING SWEET Epic cereal cookies
112 RECIPE INDEX 114 LAST BITE
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H I C K E N B R E AST is popular and versatile, but tends to have the same bad reputation as first cut brisket — dry and tasteless. We’re here to let you know that it doesn’t have to be that way. Start with the best quality chicken you can find (it really does make a difference), choose a cooking method that will build flavor without drying out the meat (more on that later) and the possibilities for a delicious dinner will be endless. Some anatomy: There are two breasts per bird — the larger, “white meat” muscles on either side of the carcass above the thigh and drumstick. The wings come out of the breast and are usually removed from breast fillets; they may still be attached if you buy chicken breast quarters. Most poultry these days is bred to be larger, since white meat is popular, leaner and can be cooked in so many ways. Since meat is muscle, the more the muscles move, the more developed they will be. Breasts don’t move as much as legs, so they’re generally more tender than thigh and drumstick meat, but that lack of connective tissue found in the legs also means that the breasts can dry out if cooked too long or allowed to reach too high a temperature. Chicken breast fillets are easy to find, but
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you can also make your own from a whole chicken should you happen to have one around (or want to use, say, the carcass and legs for stock). Start with the backbone up and, using a long, sharp knife, slice downwards, following the curve of the rib bones. Next, remove the wishbone at the neck end — it’s easy to miss, but unpleasant to discover as you take a bite of your dinner. If you’re filleting your own, leave the skin on. It browns beautifully and adds flavor, moisture and color to the finished dish. Alternatively, remove the skin by gently pulling it away from the meat. Finally, remove the wings. There are a few ways to ensure that chicken breasts will be tender. If roasting, keep the skin on and don’t cook past 155°F (the temperature will continue to rise to the recommended 165°F out of the oven. If you cook to 165°F, the carryover cooking out of the oven will take you way into the tough zone). If frying schnitzel or making stir fry, use tenders, thincut breasts or small pieces of chicken, so that you can get it in and out of the heat quickly. Poaching or cooking sous vide are two other options for low-heat methods that gently cook the proteins without causing them to toughen up. The recipes on the following pages will steer you in the right direction.
You may find chicken breasts butchered in a variety of ways: • Chicken Breast: skinon and bone-in • Boneless Breast or Breast Fillet: skinless and boneless (often available thinly sliced) • Skin-On Breast Fillet: skin-on and boneless • Airline Breast: “fancy” cut often served at weddings, which is a skin-on breast with the first joint of the wing attached • Chicken Tender: a thin, boneless, skinless fillet cut that is a distinct muscle within the breast. On a full breast fillet, you may notice what looks like two lobes, one larger and one smaller. The smaller lobe is the tender and may be sold separately. www.fleishigs.com
BUTCHER'S CUT
Naf Hanau is the CEO of Grow & Behold, which specializes in expertly-butchered premium-quality kosher meats that are delivered nationwide. Naf’s passion for kosher meat led him to learn shechita before founding Grow & Behold, which produces beef, veal, lamb and poultry raised on pasture with no hormones or antibiotics. Find out more at growandbehold.com. DECEMBER 2021
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GLOBAL FLAVORS
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TH E RE I S SO M E TH I N G so thrilling about using staple dishes in various ways throughout the week. It's truly the essence of the Prep + Rally meal prep plan, which helps save so much time, effort and even food waste! We prep staple items on Sunday and then rally throughout the week by quickly assembling them into unique and delicious dinners with zero stress. I love creating these menus because each meal is its own little puzzle that's
built in a very specific way to make your time in the kitchen as efficient and enjoyable as can be. In this brand new, exclusive menu, roasted garlic is the star of the show and finds its way into three different meals. Rice and broccolini are used twice in two totally different dinners. I'm taking you around the world with this menu and you'll want to buckle up for the ride because these recipes are bursting with flavor!
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RESTAURANT CHRONICLES
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RESTAURANT CHRONICLES
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SOMETHING SWEET
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