F6 Tuesday, October 19, 2010 • THE BULLETIN
A classic stroganoff made with chicken that’s a hit with kids By Julie Rothman
RECIPE FINDER
The Baltimore Sun
Sharon Skarbek, of Bend, was looking for a recipe to make chicken stroganoff. She had misplaced a recipe she had for the dish, which came from a package of frozen chicken breasts from Trader Joe’s. She said she called the market chain but was informed that they no longer had the recipe. Since I did not receive any reader responses to her query, and because I know people are always interested in new and different ways to use chicken, I thought this one was worth investigating. An Internet search turned up a wealth of recipes for making chicken stroganoff. Some could even have been made in a crockpot. In the end, I decided to tweak and combine a couple of recipes I found on various sites. In little time, I came up with a dish that my family, kids included, found to be very pleasing and satisfying. It has all the components of a classic stroganoff minus the beef. It’s a true comfort dish that
I hope is close to what Skarbek had in mind. RECIPE REQUEST Larry Yunker, of St. Augustine, Fla., is looking for a recipe for a Grecian sandwich that he says was similar to a sub, only smaller. When he was in the Army in 1965 stationed at Fort Myer in Arlington, Va., the sandwich was served in the cafeteria at the Pentagon, where he worked at the time.
If you are looking for a recipe or can answer a request, write to Julie Rothman, Recipe Finder, The Baltimore Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278. Names and cities must accompany recipes for them to be published. Please list the ingredients in order of use, and note the number of servings each recipe makes.
CHICKEN STROGANOFF
Joyce Dopkeen / New York Times News Service
For your next dinner party, consider placing a silencer, which is a layer of thick, soft fabric, underneath the tablecloth. It helps protect the tabletop from stains and hot serving dishes, and muffles the sound of clanking dishes and silverware.
Quiet time: Make your own holiday tabletop ‘silencer’
Makes 6 servings. 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves Salt and pepper 1 TBS vegetable oil 3 TBS butter 1 med onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ lb fresh button mushrooms, sliced
2 TBS all-purpose flour 1 C low sodium chicken broth 1 ⁄3 C dry white wine 1 TBS Dijon mustard 1 C sour cream (OK to use reduced fat) 1 TBS minced fresh parsley, for garnish
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Trim any visible fat, and season with salt and pepper. Cut into 1-inch chunks. In a large skillet, heat the oil until hot; add the prepared chicken and cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in same skillet; add onion, mushrooms and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from skillet, and set aside with the reserved chicken. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter in the same skillet. Add flour and stir for 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and wine, and stir vigorously until sauce is thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat, and stir in sour cream and mustard. Add reserved ingredients along with any accumulated juices to skillet. Heat until warmed through. Serve over cooked rice or noodles. Garnish with parsley.
Scones that speak the king’s English By Mark Bittman New York Times News Service
Most scones in this country are overly sweet and loaded up with some ridiculous combination of raisins, apples, cherries, chocolate chips, almonds, ginger and perhaps a few other ingredients. Traditional English scones are actually barely sweet, although they’re usually eaten with sweet jam and clotted cream, which is not easy to find here. In general, they’re lighter, flakier and tastier than what you buy. And they’re easy to make. They’re not dissimilar to buttermilk biscuits but generally richer, thanks to a not-insignificant amount of butter. I make mine in the food processor, processing the dough very little, so that they stay delicate. You can make these in a bowl if you’re willing to incorporate the butter by hand. I understand that people like doing this, but I’m simply too lazy. I suggest a range for the amount of cream to be used, and
Evan Sung / New York Times News Service
Serve your scones warm with the best jam you can lay your hands on, and a dollop of creme fraiche, mascarpone or, if you’re lucky, clotted cream.
Q:
When my mother used to set the table for holiday meals, she placed a “silence cloth” under the tablecloth. Where can I find one? Also referred to as a “silencer,” this is a thick, soft fabric that mutes the clanking of plates and cutlery, and shields the table’s surface from spills and heat. It’s typically made from double-faced cotton flannel or heavy felt. More broadly, the term applies to any type of padding used between the table and the tablecloth. The covering is usually in a neutral hue, such as white or cream, and often secured with ties to the table legs. Its even surface ensures that a tablecloth lies smoothly and attractively. While cotton flannel or heavy felt will guard against damage from warm plates, it won’t protect against hot serving dishes. For these, trivets are still a good idea. It’s easy to make your own table cover. Silence cloth or similar heavyweight felt can be purchased at specialty fabric stores, and felt won’t fray when you cut it, so there’s no need for hemming. Just measure the size of
A:
What’s that white haze on chocolate? By Kathleen Purvis McClatchy-Tribune News Service
the lack of a specific measurement might make some less-experienced bakers nervous. But it shouldn’t. The ultimate amount depends on ambient temperature and humidity, as well as the kind of flour used and how it’s been stored. You’re looking for a slightly sticky but not messy dough; start with a half cup of cream and see how it goes.
CLASSIC SCONES Makes 8 to 10 scones. 2 C cake flour, more as needed 1 ⁄2 tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder 3 TBS sugar
MARTHA STEWART
5 TBS cold butter, cut in pieces 1 egg 1 ⁄2 to 3⁄4 C heavy cream, more for brushing
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the flour, salt, baking powder and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the egg and just enough cream to form a slightly sticky dough. If it’s too sticky, add a little flour but very little; it should still stick a little to your hands. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead once or twice, then press it into a 3⁄4-inch-thick circle and cut into 2-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter or glass. Put the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet. Gently reshape the leftover dough and cut again. Brush the top of each scone with a bit of cream, and sprinkle with a little of the remaining sugar. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the scones are a beautiful golden brown. Serve immediately.
Q:
I have some semisweet chocolate squares with an expiration date of September 2011, but the chocolate has turned white or pale. Is it OK to use? The white haze is called bloom. It happens when chocolate is stored improperly, usually when it is kept somewhere that is too warm or it is exposed to extreme temperature changes. A couple of things can cause it. Either moisture dissolves some of the sugar in the chocolate, then rises to the surface, leaving sugar crystals behind when the moisture evaporates. Or, more commonly, the fat or cocoa butter in the mixture separates and rises to the surface. If you’re using the chocolate in a recipe where it will be melted, you can still use it. Nibble a little bit first to make sure it doesn’t have an off flavor. Good-quality chocolate is delicate, and it’s certainly expensive, so it’s worth storing it correctly. Keep it well wrapped in a dark place where it doesn’t get too warm or too damp.
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Kathleen Purvis answers food questions at www .charlotteobserver.com/food.
your tabletop, and cut the fabric to fit. If you like, attach ties to the corners to secure it to table legs.
Q:
How do I adapt recipes for my new convection oven? My food comes out overcooked or underdone. Convection ovens make home cooks look good — think cookies that are evenly baked and roasts that are browned on the outside, juicy on the inside. What’s more, foods are ready faster, since the appliances heat them more quickly than traditional ovens. But using one may require tinkering with a recipe’s cooking time or temperature, which can make even the most seasoned cook nervous. Two features make convection ovens heat food faster and more evenly than standard ovens. One is a fan in the rear wall, which circulates warm air around the food. The other is an extra heating element, also at the back. (Although some convection models don’t include this additional element, the best ones do; look for a “true convection” oven.) You can adjust recipes in a couple of ways to work with the appliance’s speedier performance. One option is to reduce the cooking temperature by 25 degrees. Or, for dishes that take a long time to cook, such as a holiday turkey, cut the time by 25 to 30 percent.
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You’ll also want to dispense with kitchenware and techniques that may block the air’s movement. Use rimless cookie sheets or low-sided baking pans, and avoid covering meat with foil. But don’t stress over the details. “Just plunge right in and start using your new appliance,” says Linda Stephen, author of “The Convection Oven Bible.” In the beginning, stick with your favorite and most familiar meals. “You’ll know when they’re done, based on your knowledge of how they should look and taste,” Stephen says. There’s good news for those tempted to purchase a convection oven. Many new models include a converting option, which allows cooks to type in the standard time and temperature, as well as the type of dish; the oven adjusts the time and temperature automatically, so you can worry less about the math and stay focused on the meal.
Q: A:
I want to avoid chemical food dyes. Can I spot them on ingredient labels? Chemical dyes show up in all kinds of foods, and manufacturers like to use them because they provide vivid, consistent results. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration monitors the production of nine synthetic color additives that the agency has deemed safe.
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Despite these precautions, consumer advocacy groups have linked two of these dyes, Red 40 and Yellow 6, to hyperactivity in children. Later this year, the European Union will require products containing these dyes to be labeled: “May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.” Some British companies have phased them out voluntarily. The easiest way to reduce your exposure to chemical coloring is to avoid processed foods; make meals with fresh fruits and vegetables. When buying groceries, check the ingredient labels for these FDA-approved dyes: Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, Citrus Red 2, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. The names may be listed two ways: for example, “Red 40” or “FD&C Red No. 40” (FD&C stands for “food, drug and cosmetics”; it means the FDA allows the dye’s use in those types of items). Oddly enough, the term “artificial colors” denotes dyes from plants and minerals, not synthetic sources. Two of these ingredients are caramel, used in cola, and annatto extract, derived from a red tropical seed, found in some cheeses. Questions for Martha Stewart can be e-mailed to mslletters@ marthastewart.com. Please include your name, address and daytime telephone number.
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