Roasted Chicken + Bev’s Rolls + Bethany’s Salad

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Roasted Chicken

Samin Nosrat’s Buttermilk Marinated Roasted Chicken


Ingredients 

  • 3½- to 4-pound (about 1.5 kilograms) chicken

  • Salt

  • 2 cups (475 ml) buttermilk



Instructions

The day before you want to cook the chicken, remove the wingtips by cutting through the first wing joint with poultry shears or a sharp knife. Reserve for stock. Season the chicken generously with salt and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Stir 2 tablespoons of kosher salt or 4 teaspoons of fine sea salt into the buttermilk to dissolve. Place the chicken in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and pour in the buttermilk. If the chicken won’t fit in a gallon-size bag, double up two plastic produce bags to prevent leakage and tie the bag with a piece of twine.

Seal it, squish the buttermilk all around the chicken, place on a rimmed plate, and refrigerate. If you’re so inclined, over the next 24 hours you can turn the bag so every part of the chicken gets marinated, but that’s not essential.

Pull the chicken from the fridge an hour before you plan to cook it. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), with a rack set in the center position.

Remove the chicken from the plastic bag and scrape off as much buttermilk as you can without being obsessive. Tightly tie together the legs of the chicken with a piece of butcher’s twine. Place the chicken in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or shallow roasting pan.

Slide the pan all the way to the back of the oven on the center rack. Rotate the pan so that the legs are pointing toward the rear left corner and the breast is pointing toward the center of the oven (the back corners tend to be the hottest spots in the oven, so this orientation protects the breast from overcooking before the legs are done). Pretty soon you should hear the chicken sizzling.

After about 20 minutes, when the chicken starts to brown, reduce the heat to 400°F and continue roasting for 10 minutes and then move the pan so the legs are facing the back right corner of the oven.

Continue cooking for another 30 minutes or so, until the chicken is brown all over and the juices run clear when you insert a knife down to the bone between the leg and the thigh.

When the chicken’s done, remove it to a platter and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

(If you can’t find buttermilk, use plain yogurt!)



Bev’s Basic Rolls 

Notes: Oven to 400 degrees 

Ingredients 



  • 3½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 package active dry yeast

  • 1¼ cups milk

  • ¼ cup sugar

  • ¼ cup shortening

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 egg


Directions

In a mixing bowl combine 1 ½ cups of the flour and the yeast. Heat milk, sugar, short-ening, and salt just till warm (115-120°), stirring constantly til shortening almost melts. Add to try mixture; add egg. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for ½ minute, scrape bowl. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in remaining flour to make a soft dough. Shape into ball. 

Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in a warm place till double, 1½ to 2 hours. Punch down; turn out on floured surface. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. Shape into desired rolls. Cover; let rise in a warm place till double, 30 to 45 minutes. Bake on greased baking sheets or in greased muffin pans in a hot oven (400 degrees) for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 2 to 3 dozen rolls.

Once you have prepared the Basic Roll Dough, and added the remainder of flour, place dough in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease sur-face. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or till needed. (Use within 3 to 4 days.) About 1½ to 2 hours before serving, shape into desired rolls. Cover; let rise in a warm place till double, 1 to 1¼ hours. Follow baking times above.

Bethany’s Salad

Maple Dressing

2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar 

½ Cup Olive Oil (Or sunflower oil)

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 - 2 Tablespoons of Maple Syrup 

1 Clove of garlic pressed in garlic press 

2 Tablespoons of Mayo to make creamy 

The Salad 

Organic mixed greens 

Cucumber 

Radish 

Red onion 

Green Apple

Mandarin oranges 

Caramelized pecans (or walnuts)

Goat Cheese 

Beacon 

Strawberries 


Caramelized Pecans 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

Ingredients 

  • 1 Tablespoon of honey 

  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 

  • 1 Cup of walnuts (halved)

  • Pinch of salt 

Instructions 

Combine honey & sugar, add walnuts, stir until well coated. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 5 - 8 Minutes 

Complimentary drink options:  White wine is really tasting with this chicken & salad

Grilled Rubens, Sauerkraut, Chips & Beers

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Ingredients

Reuben Sandwich

8 slices rye bread

 4 tbsp. butter, softened

 1/4 c.  Russian dressing

 8 Slices Swiss cheese

3/4 lb. corned beef

1 c. Sauerkraut



Russian Dressing

1/2 c.  Mayonnaise

3 tbsp. Ketchup

2 tbsp. Horseradish 

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. Granulated sugar 

1/4 tsp. Paprika

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper


Don’t Forget!

Kettle Chips 

A Good German Beer (A great opportunity for beer tasting for your own) … Would be really fun to do a flight tasting.

Instructions

Step One: 

Make Russian dressing…

In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire, sugar, and paprika until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Step Two:

Making the Rubens…

  1. Butter one side of each slice of bread. On the non-butter side spread Russian dressing on each slice. Top half of the slices with cheese, corned beef, and sauerkraut. Top each sandwich with remaining slices, dressing side down. 

  2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Place a sandwich in a skillet and cook until golden and cheese is melted, 3 minutes per side.




SAUERKRAUT

How to make your own…

 
 
 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2-2 teaspoons salt for every pound of cabbage (9-12 grams salt per 450 grams of cabbage) (use sea salt, pickling salt, or kosher salt - avoid iodized salt because it can inhibit fermentation and make sure that whatever salt you use contains no anti-caking ingredients)

  • very fresh green cabbage (The fresher the cabbage the more juice it will have to make a sufficient amount of brine. The finished sauerkraut will also have a much better texture.)



Instructions

Step One: Prepare the Cabbage…

Remove any bruised or damaged exterior leaves from the cabbage, then cut the cabbage in half and remove the core.  Slice the cabbage very thinly, approximately 1/8 inch thick.  For the best texture we recommend slicing it very thinly by hand, not with a food processor.  You can slice it by hand, use a mandolin, or cabbage slicer.

Place the sliced cabbage in a large bowl and toss in the salt.  Let it sit for about 20 minutes until the cabbage has begun to wilt and release some of its juices.  Use a tamper/pounder to crush the cabbage until it is wilted and has released a lot of liquid.  This will take several minutes.

Step Two: Pack the Cabbage in a Crock or Jar…

Transfer the cabbage and all the juices to a glass or ceramic jar or crock a bit at a time and mash it down with a tamper.  Fill the jar to about 2/3 full (the cabbage will bubble as it ferments and could overflow if the jar is too full).

Continue to mash the cabbage with the tamper, releasing more juice, until the cabbage is completely submerged under the brine and any air pockets have been removed (important for preventing mold growth).

If you've mashed all you can mash and you still don't have enough brine to cover the cabbage you'll need to make some supplemental liquid that is consistent with the salinity of the cabbage brine:  Dissolve 2 teaspoons salt in 1/2 cup water (12 grams salt in 118 grams water) and add that to the jar until the cabbage is completely submerged under the liquid.

It is imperative that the cabbage remain submerged under the brine during fermentation, otherwise mold will form (See blog section "My Sauerkraut Has Mold on it:  Is it Safe to Eat?").  To do this choose a heavy object whose diameter is roughly the same size to the inside of the crock you're using.  The object should be glass, ceramic, or non-reactive metal.

Note: I have made sauerkraut multiple times in large mason jars (usually 1/2 gallon size but you can use smaller jars) without needing to use a weight.  Because of the small diameter of the jar, after a day or two of fermenting the cabbage usually remains below the liquid level.  If the cabbage rises above it I just mash it back down with the tamper.  If you choose to use mason jars without using something to weigh down the cabbage, just be sure to keep a close eye on it each day throughout the fermentation process.

Screw on the lids to fingertip tightness (this is important to prevent exploding jars!).  If using airlock lids, follow the instructions provided.

Step three: Ferment Your Sauerkraut…

Place the jars in a dark place that is between 65-70 degrees F, the ideal temperature for fermenting.  (See blog section "How Long Does it Take to Ferment Sauerkraut" for information on temperature variations.)

At the ideal temperature range of 65-70 F we recommend fermenting the cabbage for at least 2 weeks (we recommend longer) but follow your own taste.

After 4 days of fermenting, start tasting the cabbage daily until it reaches the desired texture and level of tanginess.  Don't be alarmed if the brine becomes fizzy, this is completely normal and a positive sign of microbial activity.

Note: If you're not using an airlock lid be sure to open the lid of your jar/crock every day to release the pressure and prevent your jar from exploding.

The color of the cabbage will change from green to a pale yellowish beige.

Step four: Store Your Sauerkraut

Once your sauerkraut has reached the level of tanginess that you want, it's time to screw the lid on tight (remove the airlock lid if using and replace it with a regular lid).

Store the sauerkraut in the fridge or a cold cellar (storage temperature should be between 38-50 degrees F).  Fermentation won't stop but it will be greatly slowed down.

Stored in the fridge the sauerkraut will keep for many months.  (See blog section "Does Sauerkraut Go Bad?")

Eat your sauerkraut raw to reap the benefits of the probiotics or use it in any recipe calling for sauerkraut.


Sarah’s Riff on The Defined Dish’s Easy Ramen 

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Note: This is a recipe for 2 BUT I always double it for a party of 4. This recipe is simple but it’s all about the TIMING which is hard to figure out the first few times you make it. 


Ingredients

1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp. avocado or olive oil

1/2 white or yellow onion, diced finely

2 stalks of celery, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

2 carrots, cut into half moons 

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts OR drum sticks are good too!

4 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage (about 1/2 head napa cabbage)

2 tbsp. fish sauce

4 tbsp. coconut aminos

1 (32 oz) carton chicken broth

2 green onions, sliced thin

1/4 jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional for serving)

black sesame seeds, for garnish

Korean chile flakes, for garnish (can sub crushed red pepper flakes)

2 - 4 eggs depending on how hearty you wanna make this dish

kosher salt, to taste

black pepper, to taste

Ramen Noodles OR Brown Rice Noodles 

Instructions

  1. Boil pot of water for ramen noodles (this is the last step you will do)

  2. Boil a second pot with your eggs in it (this will be your second to last step 

  3. Heat 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil and 1 tbsp. avocado oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or soup pot. When hot, add the diced onion and sliced celery and saute until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes.

  4. Add the sliced garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, or until fragrant but being careful not to burn.

  5. Add the sliced cabbage, the coconut aminos, and the fish sauce. Toss to coat and saute until the cabbage just starts to wilt, about 3-4 minutes.

  6. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and let simmer, covered, while you cook your eggs and chicken.

  7. Meanwhile, heat a separate skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp. avocado oil. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and sear, skin side down first, until golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until cooked through (no longer pink), about 4-6 more minutes depending on the size of your chicken breast. When cooked through, set aside and rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

  8. Meanwhile, Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. When boiling, carefully lower two eggs into the boiling water by using a large spoon or "spider". Reduce heat to a rapid simmer, but not a boil, and let cook for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, carefully transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water and let rest for 1 minute prior to peeling, slicing and serving.

  9. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper, if desired.

  10. Once the chicken and the eggs are cooking, Drop your ramen noodles in the boiling water - they will cook fast so make sure not to over cook them.

  11.  Ladle soup + noodles  into two large bowls. Top with sliced chicken, the soft-boiled egg, and garnish with black sesame seeds, Korean chile flakes, and sliced jalapeno.

  12. Enjoy!

The Defined Dish’s Easy Ramen