Poulet Poêlé à L'estragon

Casserole-Roasted Tarragon Chicken

I bought a new French cookbook the other day entitled French: Easy Recipes, Techniques, Ingredients (Food for Friends). While browsing with Grace, we saw this recipe, and it looks very simple and very easy. I remembered Julia Child also has this recipe, so I checked it out. It looked more complicated and requires more ingredients than the former book. And from the ingredient lists, I think that both recipes taste very differently. The first one is creamy, while Julia's is savory. Given that I don't have one of the main ingredient for the first book (heavy cream), I went with Julia Child's version.

So yes, this is Julia Child's version. I'm sorry for the poor aesthetics of the photo. I also forgot to place the vegetables around the chicken. Anyway, the chicken came out very tender and very flavourful. Once you open the casserole from the oven (actually, even before you open), you can smell the buttery aromatics, and especially tarragon. The flavour and the aroma of tarragon really locked in the moist and tender meat. To be honest, this reminds me of Hainanese Chicken, although it differs in taste because of the herb and butter.  The sauce beside the chicken is the (brown) tarragon sauce. It gave the chicken another doze of malinamnam tarragon kick. It's supposed to be brown. The recipe requires a brown chicken stock, but I only have chicken stock from broth.

I think this dish is great for those who are living healthy(-ish). However for me, I still like my Poulet Bonne Femme (coming soon) better.

What you need: (4-6 pax)

1.2kg whole roasting chicken
3/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
4-8 tbsp butter*
3-4 sprigs of fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp dried
cooking oil
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/4 cup sliced carrots
aluminum foil

for the Brown Tarragon Sauce

2 cups brown chicken stock
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with
2 tbsp Madeira (I used dry white wine. BUT THIS IS NOT A CORRECT SUBSTITUTE)
2 tbsp fresh tarragon
1 tbsp softened butter


1. Pre-heat oven to 325F

2. Season the cavity of the chicken with salt, pepper and 1tbsp butter. Insert the tarragon leaves. Truss the chicken, closing the cavity. (I don't know how to truss(tie) a chicken, I improvised)

3. Set casserole over moderately high heat with butter and oil. Once the butter foam subsides, place the chicken breast side down. Brown the chicken on all side for 2-3minutes per side. Be careful not to break the skin. Add oil and butter if necessary.

4. After all sides have browned, remove the chicken. Pour out the fat if it has burned. *Add 3 tbsp butter

5. Cook the carrots and onions slowly for 5 minutes without them browning. Add the 1/4 tsp salt and tarragon.

6. Salt the chicken on all sides well. Place it on the bed of vegetables in the casserole, breast side up. Baste it with butter in the casserole. Lay a piece of aluminum over the chicken and cover the casserole. Reheat the casserole on the stove until you hear little crackling or sizzling sound (around 2-3 minutes).

7. Place the casserole in the middle rack of the oven. Roast for 1 hour and 10-20 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Baste once or twice with the butter and juice.

8. The chicken is done when juice from its vent is clear yellow. Remove the chicken to a serving platter.



For the sauce,

1. Add the stock to the casserole and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping the coagulated juice. Skim of all but a tablespoon of fat.

2. Blend in the cornstarch mixture and simmer, then bring to boil until lightly thickened.

3. Stir in the herbs and enrich with 1 tbsp butter. Pour into a sauceboat. Serve.


There you go! You now have a Poulet Poêlé à L'estragon à la Julia Child. :) I recommend using fresh tarragon than dried for this dish.

Broiled Herb-Crusted Salmon

A few days ago, Chef John of Food Wishes posted a recipe for salmon. I got so excited because it is very easy! I remember I had a conversation with a very good friend of mine who said cooking seafood is very hard. Well, I still don't know. I guess I will probably figure that one myself. However, what I can say is that cooking salmon is really easy! (Plus, it is very healthy, with those fatty acids, omega3+).

Yes, I know that salmon is expensive. A kilo of salmon costs about P774 and that is really expensive for me. My first time cooking with it, I was so nervous. I was like, "I must not screw this up. I must not screw this up. I must not screw this up.... Must not undercook. Must not undercook. Must not undercook. Must not undercook....  Must not overcook. Must not overcook. Must not overcook...." repeat 1000x during the whole cooking process! At the back of my mind, I can hear Chef Gordon Ramsey yelling at me "IT'S RAAAAAWWWWWW!!!!"(especially when I tried cooking the infamous scallops. coming in the near future). But hey, conquer your fear and learn! Buy 1/4 kilo of that and you're good to go for 3-4 people. It only takes 10-15 minutes to cook salmon.

IT'S RAAAWW!
(From http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1192181/Why-does-British-TV-make-heroes-nasty-bullies-Alan-Sugar-Gordon-Ramsay.html)

So anyway, back to the recipe. I really enjoy watching the video recipes of Chef John because it is so informative, and witty. When I saw this recipe, I immediately said to myself, "Well, that's easy. I can do that.", and indeed I did. Voilà! Broiled Herb-Crusted Salmon.

Right from the oven. Mmm, I can still smell the aroma from the herbs

He is right, the salmon came out perfectly! Very moist salmon, topped with super simple, but flavourful crust, cooked in 10 minutes! Amazing! You gotta try this one! Don't be afraid of salmon, it won't bite. Oh by the way, you can do this too with other fish (with the same thickness) if salmon is really expensive, or even chicken!

What you need (For 4-5 people)

(I made a little variation with the ratio. To check the original, see Chef John's blog)

500g salmon, with skin

salt and pepper to taste

2 small garlic clove, sliced

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1.5 tbsp chopped tarragon

1.5 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

1.5 tsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp cream cheese*

pinch of cayenne

1-1.5 tsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste

*not in the original recipe

1. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic, kosher salt, and the herbs, into a paste for about a minute or two. You can use a blender though, but it is really recommended to use mortar and pestle.

2. Add the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise and cream cheese (optional), and continue to mash it for about another minute.

3. Using a wooden spoon (don't use metal), mix in the mixture a pinch of cayenne and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste (or not).

4. Place a foil on a baking pan. Lightly oil. Place the salmon, and season with salt and pepper (depending on how you seasoned the crust mixture).

5. Turn the broiler (top layer of gas inside the oven) to high for a while. While waiting, place the baking pan on top of the stove burner (high) for about 1 minute. You just want to give the bottom of the fish a "head start" since we are baking the fish using the broiler. When you hear crackling sounds, that's about done. Place the baking pan about 8 inches from the top/broiler.

6. Do not leave the fish. Wait for about 5minutes or so until the top is well browned (to your own liking).

7. When the crust has already browned, turn off the broiler and turn on your oven (bottom) to 350F and leave the fish for another 5 minutes or so. Cooking time varies with thickness of the fish.

8. After 5 minutes, serve.

That's it! Very easy, right? Now, tell me, how hard was that? I bet you can do that as well! C'mon, pick up a salmon and try this recipe. You won't regret it! :D

Boeuf Bourguignon

French Beef Stew in Red Wine with Bacon, Onions and Mushroom

Right from the oven.
(This may not look appetizing in my picture, but this is by far the most delicious beef stew I ever tasted.)

I finally have the guts to try what I think the most famous French beef stew, Boeuf Bourguignon. I first heard this dish on Julie and Julia some time ago. Towards the end of the movie, having a chance (Julie) to serve Julia Child a dish, she chose Boeuf Bourguignon. After watching, I really became curious on what this dish tastes like. Basically, it's beef stewed in red Burgundy wine and other aromatic flavors. Cooking this will take you around 4-5hrs, depending on the meat quality.

Following Julia Child's recipe (minus the bacon... I ran out of it), I was so nervous about the outcome halfway through. I tasted the stew before placing it in the oven and it was horrible. I was impatient to find out the end result, thinking that this will waste my time if not cooked properly. Praying that will turn out great, I trusted Julia's recipe, with a little hesitation. Besides, it's only halfway through. When the timer went off, I hurriedly took out the casserole and tasted it, and WOW! That's the best stew I ever had! Plus the fact that the beef is so tender. You can taste the flavor of the reduced Burgundy wine, the caramelized onions, and the beef in perfect harmony. Oh là là!!! It was perfect!

If you have the time to try cooking this dish, I swear, you got to do this one! Yes it's very long, not really tedious, but well worth it! You can use any good, dry red wine. Do not use the very expensive Burgundy wine. I used a younger Burgundy wine (read: cheaper than aged). You can use Pinot Noir if you have, or Boardeux, or any dry red wine of your choice. (Don't use sweet red wine)

(off topic: Today was a day of firsts for me. I met two kitchen-related accidents today while cooking this. Nothing serious, don't worry. First, while cutting some meat, I accidentally poked through my middle finger with the knife. It wasn't deep though, but very uncomfortable. Second was while getting the stew from the oven, my right arm accidentally touched the side wall of a 325F oven. Ouch! Don't get discouraged though. Every cook will encounter these small boo-boo's)

To make this awfully delicious Boeuf Bourguignon, you need the ff: (for 6 servings)

6 oz bacon, cut into 3-4 pcs per slice

3lbs (1.3kg) stewing beef cut into 2" cubes. (I used beef cubes from Monterey)

1 sliced carrot

1 sliced onion

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsp flour

3 cups red Burgundy wine

2-3 cups beef stock

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

1/2 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

18-24 small white onions braised in stock* (I used sibuyas tagalog)

0.5 kg qtr fresh mushrooms sautéed in butter (I used canned mushrooms)

Parsley for garnish

for braising the small white onions, you need:

oil

butter

1/2 cup brown beef stock, white wine, red wine or water

salt and pepper to taste

herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp thyme)

1. Sauté bacon in oil for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned.

2. Preheat oven to 450F

3. Pat dry the beef (Very important to pat dry meats. It won't brown if not dry). On a very hot casserole, sauté the beef until brown on all sides. Do not overcrowd the pan. Set aside with the bacon.

4. Using the same oil, brown the carrots and onions. When done, set aside. Discard the oil.

5. Return the beef and bacon into the casserole and toss with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat the beef lightly. Set the casserole uncovered in the oven for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, toss the meat around and return for another 4 minutes. Remove the casserole and cool down the oven to 325F.

6. Stir in the wine and beef stock until the meat is barely covered.  Add tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. Bring to a simmer on top of stove.  Cover the casserole and place it in the oven for 3-4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily. (I basted the meat every hour to prevent it from burning/drying up. But it's not necessary, hence the burnt mark on my arm)

*7. While the beef is cooking, remove the skin of shallots. (You can remove the skin easily by having the onion dip in a boiling water for a few seconds one at a time) In a small to medium pan, when the butter is bubbling, sauté the onions in oil and butter for 10 minutes. Pour in the liquid and season to taste. Add the herbs. Cover and simmer slowly for 40-50minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Set aside

8. Sauté mushrooms in butter and oil for 4-5 minutes.

9. When the meat is tender, pour the contents into a sieve over a saucepan. Return the beef and bacon in the casserole. Distribute the vegetables. onions and mushroom.

10. Skim most of the fat off the sauce. Simmer the sauce for a minute to skim off additional fat. If the sauce is too thin, boil rapidly until thick. If too thick, mix in a few tbsp of stock. Taste carefully. The sauce must be perfect after this. Pour the sauce over the meat.

11. Simmer for 2 - 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables. Decorate with parsley. Serve.

For later serving, wait until the stew cools. cover and refrigerate. When ready to serve, simmer very slowly for 10 minutes.

Overall, it's pretty long cooking, but I assure you, it is really worth it! Just don't let anyone ruin this dish. I can't wait to do this for my lucky friends. 

Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs

One of my favourite food show would be License to Grill on AFC (Asian Food Channel), and it's hosted by Chef Rob Rainford. All his grilled-to-perfection food makes my mouth water. I really want to learn how to grill, however, we don't have a griller at home. Plus, I want to serve my friends some baby back ribs for our mini christmas party. So what's my solution? I searched the web for oven baked baby baked ribs and I stumbled upon foodwishes.blogspot.com.

This blog is by Chef John, an American chef based in California. He has tons of video recipes that's really easy to follow. I recommend you visit his blog also for more info.

Last Saturday, I tried one of Chef John's recipes, and that's Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs. You can watch and read his video/blog here. And all I can say is I was really surprised with the result! The meat is so tender, at the same time it still has that "bite" into it. The dry rub was also a great surprise. Smell can be deceiving though. Personally, I don't like the smell of that dry rub mixture. But after the baking process, and taking the first bite, oh là là! I'm in meat-lovers' heaven!

Sorry again for the photo quality. I was really hungry that time and I wanted to munch on the meat real soon

Well, my baby back ribs looks a little different than the "real" baby back ribs (picture below). As you know, I don't have any proper knowledge/training in the kitchen and I just told the butcher that I want a full slab baby back ribs, and gave me those meat (picture above). Well, it is ribs, but with meat attached to it. Sorry! I don't know what part of the pic was my meat from. Anyway, it is still de-li-cious!

From Chef John's blog

If you're craving for meat and you have a spare ribs in your freezer (not spareribs, but spare ribs. get it?) I highly recommend you to try Chef John's Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs!

Oh one little comment about the ribs that I did. It was a little dry (but flavourful) for me. I guess I won't drain all the juice out from the meat after the first step in cooking. But despite that, this ribs recipe is really, really great!

What you need:

1 kg baby back ribs (full slab)

delicious BBQ sauce

for dry rub: (makes for about 6 kilos of meat, so for 1 kg or full slab, maybe use 1/3 of the proportions)

1/4 cup salt
1/4 white sugar
1/4 brown sugar
1/2 cup ancho chili powder (I just used 1/4 cup chili powder since I ran out)
2 tbsps freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper (I omitted this and added more cayenne pepper)

1. Pre-heat oven at 250ºF (120ºC)

2. Place full rack of baby back ribs on baking pan with heavy duty foil, bone-side up

3. Remove the membrane or poke holes along

4. Generously coat the ribs with the dry rub

5. Flip over and apply dry rub to meat side. Put the meat bone-side up again

6. Cover the ribs with foil and put in oven for 2 hours

7. Let it cool for 15 minutes

8. Pour out any liquid that has accumulated

9. Turn up oven to 350ºF (180ºC)

10. Baste ribs with BBQ sauce and place back in the oven for 10 minutes uncovered

11. Repeat step 10 about 3-4 times more until done