Sesame Crusted Chicken
(adapted from Epicurious)

Ingredients
6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 lb total)
1 large egg
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup sesame seeds (4 1/2 oz)
1/3 cup peanut oil

Preparation
If chicken breasts are more than 1/2 inch thick, put them between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin until 1/2 inch thick.

Whisk together egg and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish until whites are loosened but not foamy. Put sesame seeds in another shallow dish. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Dip chicken, 1 piece at a time, in egg, letting excess drip off, then dredge in sesame seeds. Transfer to a wax-paper-lined tray.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Reduce heat to moderate and cook 3 pieces of chicken, turning over once with tongs, until coating is golden and chicken is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Remove any browned sesame seeds from skillet, then cook remaining chicken.

Ginger-Soy Barbecue Sauce
(from Grill It! by Chris Schlessinger and John Willobughby)
Ingredients
1/2 cup ketchup 
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. This sauce will keep, covered and refrigerated for about a week.

Labels: The Chef de Plunge

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posted by Rachel Dines @ 10:12 PM 0 comments

1. Combine soy sauce, sherry, and water in medium bowl; add chicken and stir to break up clumps. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.
2. Mix sesame oil, cornstarch, and flour in medium bowl until smooth. Drain chicken in strainer; press out excess liquid. Toss chicken in cornstarch/flour mixture until evenly coated.
3. Whisk broth, sherry, soy, oyster-flavored sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons ginger in small bowl; set aside. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons ginger, garlic, and 1 teaspoon peanut oil in small bowl; set aside.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking; add half of chicken to skillet in flat, even layer. Cook, without stirring, but gently separating pieces, until golden brown on first side, about 1 minute; turn chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned on second side, about 30 seconds. Transfer chicken to clean bowl. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons peanut oil and remaining chicken.
5. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until just smoking. Add broccoli; stir-fry until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Push vegetables to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic/ginger mixture to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds, then stir mixture into broccoli and continue to cook until stalks are tender-crisp, about 30 seconds longer. Return chicken to skillet. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately over rice.

Labels: The Chef de Plunge

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posted by Rachel Dines @ 11:52 AM 0 comments

• Preheat oven to 350
• Whisk cocoa and boiling water until smooth, cool
• In another bowl lightly combine eggs, 1/4 cocoa mixture, vanilla
• In another bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients, mix on low for 30 sec
• Add butter and remaining cocoa mixture, mix on low until moistened
• Increase to medium, beat 1 1/2 min, scrape down sides
• Gradually add egg mixture in 3 batches, beat for 20 sec after each addition, scrape down sides
• Push about a tablespoon of crushed graham cracker into the bottom of each cupcake paper
• Add some chocolate on top
  
• Scrape batter into cupcake papers
  
• Bake 20 min or until tester comes out clean
• Let cool in pan 10 min, then place onto wire racks and cool slightly
  

• Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.
  
• Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined.
• Pipe marshmellow frosting onto warm cupcakes and lightly toast them with a kitchen torch.
  

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posted by Rachel Dines @ 8:24 PM 0 comments

• Mix 1/2 c sugar with 2 T flour and 1/2 t cardomon.
• Halve peaches, pit, then cut each into a smaller slice, and cut off skin
• Drizzle vanilla over then toss in flour and sugar mixture.
• Wash blueberries, toss with lemon juice and remaining sugar mixture.
• Quarter each dough disk and roll out
• Put one peach ring in the middle of each dough on cookie sheet, fold sides up, fill with blueberries and close up as much as possible.
• Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle sugar on the outside.
• Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

• Make whipped cream. Pour cream, a touch of vanilla and a spoonful of powdered sugar into whipped cream dispenser (Obviously, if you don't have one of these amazing gadgets, just make it the regular way in the mixer).
• Prep, shake, plate the galettes and add tastefully.

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posted by Rachel Dines @ 9:09 PM 0 comments

• boil water + 3/4 Tbsp salt + bay leaf
• meanwhile dice an onion and grate 2 large carrots and 3-4 small beets (save the stems and leaves for later). add those to the boiling water
• cube 2 large or 3 small potatoes (small cubes). cut up a large red pepper. throw those in
• cut up the beet stems (NOT leaves). throw 'em in.
• cook all the veggies for 1/2 hour
• throw in a bouillon cube or 2 here
• add 3-4 Tbsp of ketchup (this is key, don't laugh!)
• boil another 10 minutes
• add half a can of red kidney beans
• add chopped beet greens. cook another 5 min
• make a little bundle of dill and parsley and put it in the pot for 15 min. (you can brace it with the lid so that one end of the bundle isn't submerged, so that you can get it out later!)
• you're done. serve with sour cream!

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posted by Rachel Dines @ 7:46 PM 1 comments

1. Crush 3 cloves of garlic, and put into food processor while running, add two shallots and one seeded jalapeno
2. Put most of the berries (we had one pint in total), one tomato (2 lbs brandy-wine tomatoes in all), 1/3 c red wine vinegar, 2 t salt, some black pepper and pulse
3. Add rest of red chopped tomatoes, one chopped red pepper and chopped and seeded cucumber and pulse a until generally mixed
4. Pour into second bowl
5. Add one chopped orange pepper, yellow tomatoes (a few yellow grape tomatoes for color), a dash of Tabasco and chopped cilantro and basil and chill, possibly with an added few ice cubes.
6. Add the rest of the cilantro to a bowl with goat cheese and mix, let warm.
7. Pour gazpacho into small bowls and add a dollop of herbed goat cheese and remaining raspberries.

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posted by Rachel Dines @ 1:42 PM 0 comments