Catch Up 12-2-10

This week I thought we would look at a sandwich done a couple of different ways.  What would happen if you took a chicken sandwich and did it super easy and then a few things you could do to upscale it.  There are plenty of ways to do a little tweak on current items to make them look totally different, but at the same time not bring in new items into your establishment, but bring more money into it.  Thinking outside the box is what will set you apart from others in the industry.

Below is an ingredient list for a chicken sandwich, it’s still a very nice sandwich, and would make for a very nice lunch special.  Very easy, but the Sourdough bun makes it a little bit more upscale, this is a really great product and alone it makes a regular sandwich outstanding.  Served with a little guacamole on top and some melted Swiss cheese, this is a great lunch special.

Fried Chicken Sandwich

Breaded Chicken Breast 487831

5x6 Tomato 210004

Romaine Lettuce Washed & Trimmed 126085

Guacamole 311156

Pre-sliced Red onion 151121

Bacon 530544

Plain Sourdough Bun 394591(There is actually a Jalapeno and Cheese Bun by this same company that is very sweet and has a great flavor.)

Swiss cheese 760014

Now if we take that same chicken sandwich and just do any of the following things to it we can get a little more money for it.  I have included several different recipes here that could help you increase the asking price.  Adding some avocado aioli, charred sliced or oven dried tomatoes, fried jalapenos, green chili sauce, sautéed onions and peppers, balsamic glazed caramelized onions, smothering the whole thing in some chicken gravy.  Below are just some ideas to get the wheels turning.  If you need any recipes for any other items mentioned, please don’t hesitate to give me a call.

  

Confit Chicken Thigh:

Confit is a classic cooking style, originally used as a preservation technique before refrigeration.  In the past 10 years it has seen a large resurgence.  While just reading through the recipe sounds like it will be greasy and fattening.  It is actually not greasy at all and, well it is fattening, but worth it.  Top this with some sun or oven dried tomatoes and some guacamole or basil aioli certainly a fantastic dish, that works either as this sandwich, or can easily be transformed into a dinner special.

• 4 chicken leg portions with thighs attached, excess fat trimmed and reserved (about 2 pounds total)
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 10 garlic cloves
• 2 oz fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, I usually use a mixture of several)
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 1 ½ teaspoon coriander seed, lightly toasted 
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 4 cups olive oil

Directions

·         Lay the leg portions on a platter, skin side down. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and black pepper. Place the garlic cloves, and fresh herbs on each of 2 leg portions. Lay the remaining 2 leg portions, flesh to flesh, on top. Put the reserved fat from the chicken in the bottom of a glass or plastic container. Top with the sandwiched leg portions. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.

·         Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

·         Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Remove the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and chicken fat and reserve. Rinse the chicken with cool water, rubbing off some of the salt and pepper. Pat dry with paper towels.

·         Put the reserved garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and chicken fat in the bottom of an enameled cast iron pot. Sprinkle evenly with the peppercorns and salt. Lay the chicken on top, skin side down. Add the olive oil. Cover and bake for 12 to 14 hours, or until the meat pulls away from the bone.

·         Remove the chicken from the fat. Strain the fat and reserve. Pick the meat from the bones and place it in a stoneware container. Cover the meat with some of the strained fat so that there is a 1/4-inch layer of fat on top. The chicken confit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Pork Rind Chicken Breast

In my experience it has been pretty rare that someone complains when you find a new way to fit pig into a meal.   This recipe gives you the added bonus of having the pork also is part of keeping the chicken moist.  Top this with the pork belly confit or some good quality bacon and easily add a couple of dollars to your asking price.

2 cups Panko Bread crumbs

1 cup Pork Rinds

3 oz Chicken Breast

Salt and Pepper to taste-Feel free to use some flavored salt, make some bacon salt for a little added zip, or smoked salt

2 eggs Eggs

.25 cup Milk

1 cup Flour

In a food processor combine bread crumbs and pork rinds until mixed through.  Season chicken with the salt and pepper, then using the three step breading process bread the chicken, first in the flour, then the eggs whisked with milk, and finally the pork rind mixture.  Reserve under refrigeration until ready to fry, in either a fryer at 350 degrees, or shallow pan fry, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  

Pork Belly Confit

This recipe is adopted from Michael Ruhlman’s charcuterie, one of the best cook books ever in my opinion.  I have changed his original recipe slightly to get a little more punch out of it.  During the holiday season I often added more cinnamon and allspice to my cure to get a holiday taste from a course besides dessert.  This is definitely one of lives little pleasures, not something you could eat every day, but definitely worth it the few times a year you allow yourself the guilty pleasure.

2 T freshly ground black pepper

2 T Kosher Salt

1 ½ T granulated garlic

1 ½ T whole coriander

1 T crushed red pepper
½ t ground cinnamon
½t ground clove
¼ t ground allspice

¼ t ground nutmeg
4 bay leaves crushed
10 springs fresh thyme (if you do not have fresh do not substitute dried, simply add another fresh herb)
2 ounces kosher salt


6 lbs pork belly, skin removed and cut into 1x3 inch chunks
Rendered pork or duck fat as needed
Dry white wine

1.)     Combine all the cure ingredients in a bowl and stir to distribute the seasonings evenly.

2.)     Toss the pork with the cure to coat evenly. Pack into a nonreactive container and cover with white wine. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.

3.)     Preheat oven to 250 °F

4.)     Remove the pork from the cure and pat the pieces dry with paper towels. Place pork in an ovenproof pot or Dutch oven and cover with the rendered fat. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then place in the oven, uncovered, and cook until the pork is fork-tender, about 2 to 3 hours.

5.)     Remove the pork from the oven and cool to room temperature in the fat. Refrigerate the pork in the pan it was cooked in or transfer to another container and add the fat; the pork should be completely submerged in the fat, I usually top it with a couple of #10 cans or aluminum foil wrapped bricks I always kept around just for this type of use. Refrigerate until completely chilled, or for up to 2 months, basically when mold starts to grow on the pork it might be time to toss it, but I can pretty much guarantee it will not last that long.

6.)     To serve, remove the pork from the refrigerator, preferably a few hours ahead. Remove the pork from the fat, and wipe off the excess. Heat a sauté pan with a small amount of canola or blended oil.  Place a small piece of confit into the pan and brown on all sides, allow to rest on paper towel before serving.

Tomato and Onion Jam

• 1 tbsp good olive oil
• 1 large sliced yellow onion
• 4  large garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
• 2 t Corainder Seed
• 2 t Cumin Seed
• 11/2 t kosher or sea salt
• 11/2 t fresh ground black pepper
• 1 t Mustard seed
• 2 T good quality balsamic vinegar
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 2/3 c brown sugar
• 8 large ripe tomatoes, chopped roughly (about 4 cups)

Add olive oil and onions to a non-stick pan over low to medium heat, cook and stir until softened and well browned, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook and stir 5 minutes more. Add tomatoes, fresh ginger, coriander, cumin, mustard, (I usual toast and puree the dried seeds first), salt and pepper.  You may think at first it need more liquid added to it, but the salt is going to get the tomatoes to give up their natural liquid, if you simply can’t resist or it starts to burn add a touch of water.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Add brown sugar, and vinegars, stir almost constantly making sure it does not begin to burn, if it burns there is no saving it, throw it away and start over.  Allow to continue simmering until it is reduced by about half, and begins to reach a jammy consistence.  Allow to cool, this will get a better depth in flavor if you can allow it to set overnight before serving.  It goes well with grilled cheese, as a side to omelets, pairs well with boursin or goat cheeses, and last for at least two weeks.