Get Your Kids Cooking with Tom Colicchio

Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably know who Tom Colicchio is, from his Craft and Colicchio and Sons restaurants to Bravo's Top Chef, just to name a few. Not only has Tom received five James Beard medals for his high-class comfort food, he makes exquisite "Pan-Roasted Carrots!" This unbelievably simple recipe, which came from the New York Times, is a standard on my holiday table. Long thin carrots, slowly roasted with fleur de sel and pepper until tender and golden brown, then enhanced with aromatic rosemary, honey, and a pat of butter! Delicious!!! 

If you can't find sweet thin carrots and have to use larger ones, cut them into quarters lengthwise. In addition, if you don't have fleur de sel (which I highly recommend), sea salt will work just fine. Not only are these a wonderful addition to any meal, my oldest kid loves to make these, something any parent likes to see! Thanks Tom!

Tom Colicchio's Pan-Roasted Carrots

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

16 long, thin carrots, peeled and trimmed (leave a little of the green tops, so cute!)

Fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper

4 rosemary sprigs

4 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over low heat. Add the carrots and fleur de sel and pepper to taste. Cook, turning the carrots occasionally, until tender and golden brown on all sides, 15-20 minutes.

Add the rosemary during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Just before serving, add the honey and butter and mix well. Serve hot with an additional pinch of fleur de sel.

Tres Delicieux!

With the holidays upon us, we all need some stellar recipes that are fool-proof, delicious, and perfect for friends and family! One of my absolute favorites is "Coq au Riesling!" (My husband goes crazy for this!) This fantastic dish comes from the Alsace region of France and is similar to Coq au Vin, but made with Riesling rather than red wine. As I've talked about before, braising is an excellent technique for cooking chicken, see "Lacquered Chicken" and "Braised Paprika Chicken." Not only does the chicken remain incredibly moist, it makes the most addictive creamy sauce! Coq au Riesling is traditionally served with buttered egg noodles, but I like it just as it is with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the sauce. Add a salad and a bottle of Riesling, and you'll have a meal that is chic and sophisticated! 

Coq au Reisling

Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 chicken legs, split at the joint (I usually make this with 8 chicken thighs instead, with great success!)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 shallots, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons Cognac (I like Camus VS.)

1 cup dry or off-dry Riesling (I like Chateau Ste. Michelle from Washington state.)

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered

1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream (I actually prefer Mexican crema, specifically "Salvadorian" variety, if available, which I think is more flavorful than readily available American creme fraiche from Vermont, or the "Mexican" variety crema.) 

A squeeze of lemon juice (optional, but I like it!)

Chopped fresh parsley or tarragon, for garnish

Directions:

*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper. Melt half the butter with the oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat, and brown the chicken on all sides, working in batches. As the chicken browns, remove it to a plate. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan, and saute for 1 minute. Pour over the Cognac to deglaze. Put the chicken back in. Pour over the wine and stock, and simmer* until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes, turning once. (To check if the chicken is done, cut a little slit underneath next to the bone. *No need if you finish it in the oven!)

*My preferred technique is to place the (oven-proof) pan in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes. This method is easier and creates a more crispy skin. The thighs are always fully cooked and the pan sauce perfectly reduced.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a frying pan over medium heat, and cook the mushrooms until golden. When the chicken is cooked, remove it to a serving platter, and cover with foil to keep warm. Boil the cooking liquid down to sauce consistency. Stir in the creme fraiche and the mushrooms. When hot, taste, and correct the seasonings, adding a squeeze of lemon if you think it needs it. Pour the sauce over the chicken, scatter over the parsley, and serve. Mmmmmm!

Recipe adapted from French Taste: Elegant Everyday Eating, by Laura Calder.

Ancient Chinese Secret!

Braising, from the French word "braiser," is a combination of dry heat cooking (searing to create a flavorful crust and appealing color) and moist heat (by adding liquid, covering, and cooking gently over low heat). Usually, the resulting liquid is then boiled down to create a luxurious sauce. It is one of the best techniques to create delicious moist meat. Braising is especially well suited for pieces of chicken, which can be difficult to cook without drying out.

This recipe for "Lacquered Chicken" is a fabulous example! The chicken is marinated in a combination of Chinese five-spice powder and soy sauce, then seared and braised. Finally, a combination of honey, sugar, and balsamic vinegar is added to create a syrupy sweet-and-sour sauce that is unique and delicious! Chinese five-spice powder is usually a blend of ground fennel seeds, cloves, star anise, cinnamon, and Szechuan pepper corns, although other variations may include ginger, nutmeg, white pepper, and turmeric. Chinese five-spice powder compliments the five principal tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty) and is designed to provide the perfect balance of yin and yang. After endless research, I was unable to pinpoint any history regarding the creation of this wonder powder, so for now, it remains a mystery. 

Lacquered Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 chicken thighs, excess skin trimmed

6 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably low sodium

2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 plus 1/4 cup water

2 sliced scallions, for garnish

Directions:

Place the chicken thighs in a dish large enough to hold them snugly. Combine the soy sauce and five-spice powder and pour over the chicken, turning to evenly coat. Leave to marinate on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour, turning occasionally.

Heat the oil over high heat in a large saute pan with a lid. Brown the chicken thighs on all sides. Pour over the 1/2 cup water, cover, lower the heat to low, and braise, turning often, until the meat is tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, dissolve the sugar and honey in the 1/4 cup water. Uncover the pan and pour it over the chicken thighs. Raise the temperature to high and boil, without the lid, to reduce the sauce to a syrupy consistency, turning the chicken to lacquer them in the sauce. Add the balsamic vinegar, mixing well. Serve with white rice, garnished with the scallions, and extra sauce on the side. Yum! 

Recipe adapted from French Food at Home, by Laura Calder.