CHEF JEN COOKS SEPTEMBER 4th
Poached Chicken:
Chef Jen started the morning by placing a whole chicken in a large stockpot and covering it with water, adding a dozen black peppercorns and bringing it to a boil. Then she turned it down to simmer for 1-3l hours until the bird was completely tender and falling apart. ( a fresh tender chicken will take 1-2 hours, an older hen 2-3) Periodically, skim the scum and discard.
Roasted Cauliflower:
Break the cauliflower head into large florets, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and a dash of curry powder and put them in a pan and roast at 350 until golden brown. This can also be done on the grill.
Hash Browns:
Shred/grate the potatoes, Jen used a box grater but a food processor works too. Rinse them to remove the starch and then squeeze out all excess water so they don’t spatter and will brown better. Toss cleaned potatoes with a beaten egg and a tablespoon of flour, salt, pepper, paprika, minced onion and garlic. Sauté in a blend of butter and oil until crispy on one side and flip. You can also slide onto a cookie sheet and brown under the broiler.
Fresh Breakfast Sausage:
Jen took fresh ground pork from Crosscreek Farm and added spices. She made a seasoning mix of cumin, Mexican oregano, marjoram, black peppercorns and freshly ground dried hungarian paprika peppers from Windyhill Farm. She put it all in a coffee grinder and mixed it up. She added this to the pork and made patties and fried them until done.
Roasted Summer Squash and Okra:
Jen added the seasoning mix to sliced pattypan squash with salt, pepper and olive oil and roasted on the grill to lightly charred on both sides. Same recipe, sub the okra for the squash.
Pesto:
Niki washed and pulled off 6 cups of mixed basil leaves: thai, lemon and purple Italian. She added a large handful of garlic cloves, 1 cup of roasted pumpkin seeds, ¾ cup of grated parmesan cheese, and enough olive oil to form a paste into a blender.
Roasted Crowder Peas:
Shell fresh peas, season with season mix, salt and olive oil and roast at high heat until hot and crispy. They’ll be barely cooked. Tastes very similar to roasted edamame(soybeans)
Fried Okra:
Chop the okra into ½ circles. Place a beaten egg in one plate. Mix cornmeal, salt and seasoning mix well in another bowl. Dip okra into egg and then cornmeal mix and fry until brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and serve.
Chicken Sandwich:
Jen shredded the poached chicken, reserving the liquid for soup, see the next recipe. She sautéed garlic and and sliced shiitake mushrooms in butter. She added a bit of the broth to moisten and added a spoon of roux( roux is equal parts flour and butter mixed together to a texture like peanut butter) and roasted peppers and salt. She toasted a loaf of Honest loaves baguette, smeared it with roasted garlic and topped with the chicken mixture.
Chicken Soup:
Take the broth from poaching the chicken, add sauté mushrooms , shredded chicken ,and garlic and serve.