Let’s Eat Chicken – Part two
Drumsticks — Iam continuing the chicken series in partnership with Jamaica Broilers Best Dressed Chicken this week. It’s my second feature, and based on reader feedback, I am on the right track. Thanks so much for the dialogue; your e-mails mean a lot and inspire me to keep this column going.
Last week I focused on our cultural attachment to chicken, so today I wanted to turn the spotlight on how to safely handle poultry. Food hygiene is extremely important, especially when tackling raw meats. Chicken, although nutritionally healthy, can carry the salmonella virus, so it is prudent to be clean and safe in the kitchen. Nothing bothers me more than seeing people use the same cutting board to prepare all foods. I have gone over this topic before, but it is relevant to repeat that cross-contamination can be a serious issue. Please use separate boards for different foods to prevent damaging your health.
Another thing that is both hygienic, and may I add cultural, is how Jamaicans wash chicken in the preparation process. When I was living abroad it used to gall me when people removed the chicken from the packets and immediately started seasoning or cooking it. In fact, you may even witness this practice on cooking shows, sometimes. It would rub me the wrong way. Growing up in a Jamaican family, I was used to seeing chicken being rinsed off with water and either vinegar, lemon or both before it was patted dry and the other cooking steps duly followed. I had a few friends from other countries who followed these practices, but I soon realised that what I thought was normal was indeed far from true in other cultures.
I remember losing points for taking time when preparing chicken at Le Cordon Bleu in Europe because the French chef instructors would marvel as I did this before continuing with the rest of my mise en place, a culinary term for prepping. They told me that cooking would kill the germs, and I told them with a feisty attitude that I was raised having my chicken washed, and was adamant that if it was going to enter my mouth, it had to be cleaned first. In time, I gained their respect and they even remarked that my chicken dishes tasted nicer than my classmates’, and clearly the secret was in my “washing” technique. Nothing irritates me more than taking a bite of cooked chicken that tastes or smells raw, and I can see some of you in my mind’s eye nodding in agreement.
JuicyChef’s Chicken Preparation and Hygiene Tips:
1 Use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim off excess fat and tissue.
2 To check if chicken is cooked, test on the thigh, which is the thickest part of the chicken. If the juices run bloody, it needs to be cooked some more, if the juices are clear, the chicken is ready.
3 If you are making a marinade with dual purposes, that is, to marinate the chicken and to create a sauce, prepare extra. Discard the marinade you used to soak the chicken and add the extra marinade, which has not come into contact with the raw chicken, to the pot.
4 Do not use the same utensils you used on the raw chicken on other food items such as vegetables etc. If you have only one set of kitchenware, please wash them thoroughly in hot soapy water to fully disinfect before you use them on other items. Do the same with your hands!
5 If you purchase a cold chicken from the supermarket and are not going to use it immediately, put it in your freezer straightaway. However, if you are going to use within a day, two maximum, it can be safely kept in the fridge which has a minimum temperature of 40o F or colder.
Today I am featuring chicken legs. These popular dark meat parts are also known as drumsticks. Children tend to like it because they can grip them it easily in their hands, while adults love the moisture factor.
Special thanks to my series sponsor Jamaica Broilers Best Dressed Chicken.
Thanks to my weekly sponsor MegaMart.
Please contact me at juicycheffoodmedia@gmail.com
Bon Appétit!
JuicyChef’s Crunchy Thyme-Scented Breaded Drumsticks
I love fried chicken, but these days I want the mouth feel without the guilt. My oven-“fried” chicken gives the same crunch factor using a mixture of regular breadcrumbs with Panko, the lighter Japanese-style breadcrumbs. I had some leftover Panko from a shrimp dish I featured recently in this column. I experimented using both and was pleased with the texture I created.
Secondly, I need lots of flavour in my food, and I use herbs for everything. My chives are flourishing in the garden but if you don’t have access to this herb, you can use the green part of escallion.
The beauty of this dish is that it can be eaten hot or at room temperature, so would be ideal to take on a picnic by the river.
Ingredients:
12 Best Dressed Chicken Legs
1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
1⁄2 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tsps Scotch bonnet pepper sauce (optional)
Zest of 1 lime
1 Fresh thyme sprig, leaves stripped
A fistful of chives, roughly cut
170g/3⁄4 cup Panko
170g/3⁄4 cup breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper to tasteMethod:
Vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 425oF
Brush baking dish with vegetable oil.
In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, Scotch bonnet pepper sauce and lime zest.
In a separate bowl, mix breadcrumbs, Panko, thyme and chives.
Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Dip each drumstick into the mayonnaise mixture, and then dip into the breadcrumbs.
Layer breaded drumsticks on the baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Potato Salad with CeleryIngredients:Method:
I can’t even begin to count the variations potato salads come in. They are versatile, filling and make great side dishes. This particular recipe goes well with my breaded drumstick recipe.
4 large potatoes, cut into bite-sized cubes
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, deseeded and diced
100ml/1⁄2 cup low-fat sour cream
Chopped parsley or dill for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste.
Boil potatoes until just cooked through for about 15 to 20 minutes, then drain and cool down.
Add potatoes to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix well without breaking the pieces.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add freshly chopped herbs.
Chill until ready to serve.