Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard Sauce

 

 

Long before I became a dietitian, in my youthful days when I ate everything and anything without feeling guilty, I'd indulge in McDonald’s at least once a week. It was worse when I had to deal with a wave of homework, my parents left to go out for dimsum and I’d head to the golden arches (which was conveniently just below our apartment building). I always ordered the same thing: McChicken with fries. I loved the fried chicken. Skin that crisped and crackled in my mouth, like a mini fireworks party, it was the best part of my weekends as I stressed over mind-numbing calculus equations and English essays. Nowadays, I stay away from McDonald’s (except when it comes to an Oreos McFlurry) though I still eat the occasional fries (with spicy mayo!) when I dine out and try to make a conscious choice to eat less deep-fried foods.

 

But once in a while I have a hankering for fried chicken. Maybe because I forbid myself to eat it so all I can think about is eating crackly chicken skin, ripping meat off the bone, slathering some sauce, chew, chew, chew, swallow, and repeat. I wanted tender, juicy bits of chicken. I wanted to get my hands dirty. McDonald’s and KFC was out of the question, nor was I going to sacrifice vats of oil for deep frying. The solution, my friends, is panko.

Typically used in Japanese tempura, panko crumbs are light breadcrumbs. They don’t burn in the oven and retain their crispness. Here, I used them in chicken wings. I dredged them in an egg wash, coated them in panko breadcrumbs and before baking them for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, I mixed together a mustard dipping sauce using whole grain mustard and lemon juice. It was easy peasy. The hardest part was whether to dig into my wings first or take these pictures during dinner, thankfully, I managed to do both. 

The crust is undeniably flaky, one bite into these wings and you hear multiple crackles as your teeth give way to moist strips of chicken. My mom and I ate these for dinner with mashed sweet potatoes and a brussels sprouts slaw (I always have a nice dish of veggies on the side). Now you too can relish in the carnal pleasure of eating meat without the deep-fryer. Go on, eat it double-fisted, I won't judge.

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Beer Chicken and Potatoes with Salsa Verde

 
I've never liked the taste of beer. I have a high school friend who deemed it was like drinking “carbonated piss”, but ever since last summer, I found myself slowly enjoying the bubblyness and developed a newfound respect for pee beer.

A few weeks ago, we got a taste of summer—in March. It was sunny, blue skies, I even drove to work with the window all the way down, letting the warm air blast through my hair. As the temperature continued to rise, I switched on the air-con at home, which would have been effective if I didn’t cook coconut lentil soup for dinner. Apparently burning hot dishes are better left for a cold winter’s night.

I still don’t know the difference between the various families of beer/ale/lagers/pilsners and always look up each one on Wikipedia when curiosity strikes, but I do know one thing’s for sure, beer makes food, both sweet and savoury, taste freaking awesome. 
 

This beer chicken, adapted loosely from Laura Calder’s French Food at Home, is a fine example of how an ordinary can of an everyday beverage can convert you. It’s a simple recipe, so simple in fact, I bet you can do it blindfolded. All you need is chicken pieces (I used chicken thighs—I’m a dark meat kinda girl), wash and pat them dry, then tuck in some bacon and plenty (and I mean plenty) of garlic cloves between the skin and scatter it over the roasting pan. Pour beer over the pan and stick it in the oven for about forty-five minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. 
 
Trust me, fifteen minutes in, your home will smell like a garlicky bacony microbrewery. You will wonder what took you so long to make this dish. You will find it hard, excruciatingly painful even, to wait for the chicken to cook, because at this point, it will smell so damn good. The good news (I promise there’s always good news) is you can crack open the same beer and lounge on your balcony, enjoying the beautiful sunset while your dinner bubbles away in the oven. 




If you’ve ever had drunk chicken, this is what the meat tastes like with a distinct bitter flavour. The chicken is exactly how it should be, moist, tender, juicy, laced with sharp garlic and smoky bacon. I highly recommend you eat this double-fisted, with your elbows on the table, chewing loudly and with a second (or third, or fourth, why stop there?) glass of cold beer on the side--it's the only way.

The words salsa verde have always allured me, its fancy name slides off the tongue like a slick dance move. I used Molly’s recipe which is a slurry of lime juice, cilantro, olive oil, jalapeno and lots of raw garlic, drizzled over plain baby potatoes to give it a kick. It’s not only pretty, but the acidity brings out the brightness in the beer chicken. In other words: try it. If were like me and think beer tastes like fizzy piss, this might just change your mind.

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Ruby Watchco

I've been meaning to tell you all along. There’s a restaurant right here in Toronto that will knock your socks off. For real.

At Ruby Watchco, almost all the ingredients are sourced from Ontario. Every night, there’s one set menu, and each table is given large platters for sharing. There's an unanimous sense of satisfaction among the patrons who try to fit every morsel of dinner into their mouths.


The restaurant is led by the talented Lynn Crawford, if you haven’t seen her on the Food Network, you're missing out on how creative, how amiable and how much zest for life this woman has. On her show, Pitchin’ In, she travels to various towns to rekindle her passion, discovering one ingredient, say turkey, wild boar, crawfish, avocados...you name it, she’s on it.

She befriends farmers, pitches in, learning how they harvest the freshest food. In the second half of the show, she uses that ingredient and prepares a special dinner for her new friends. Audible sighs of pleasure span the table.

Chef Lynn’s ability to transform an ingredient into something extraordinary illuminates into her restaurant, I brought my mom to Ruby Watchco so we could experience something magical too.


Our waiter seated us at a table just metres from the kitchen. Already, I was anxious to be in such close proximity to her (Aren’t chefs intimidating? Not to mention TV chefs!). My mom, on the other hand was mad excited for dinner, she couldn’t sit still. Like me, she admires Chef Lynn’s gusto and originality. My mom had the biggest smile on her face, like a little girl in a candy shop.


To start, I ordered the Apple Sour cocktail; a fusion of apple cider, bourbon and maple syrup (you can never go wrong with maple syrup). One sip made my lips pucker, but then the golden sap mellowed out the tartness and a shot of warmth ran down my spine.


The first dish was truffled white bean and 5 minute hen egg salad, with Sleger’s Living Greens, garden radishes, and A.F.G.’s Seedless cucumbers (I couldn’t figure out who A.F.G. was). The balance of red and green colors, each leaf slicked with vinaigrette, made the salad look like a painting. The egg was perfectly cooked, none of that murky gray tinge when I hard boil eggs. The yolk was a gorgeous yellow, so bright, so round, like someone sliced the sun in half and dropped it on our plate. There were also cheese scones flecked with chives: elegant, flaky pastries served with whipped butter.



The main course was a feast. I rarely go to restaurants that serve too much good food. There was chicken soaked in a beautiful puttanesca sauce, a sauce so rich, so succulent, it bolstered the tenderness of the meat.



There was a flurry of side dishes: delicate Boston lettuce with cucumber mint dressing. Strips of grilled eggplant that was so moist, I had to twirl it around the tines of my fork like spaghetti just to keep it together. And if that wasn’t enough, there was orecchiette with whipped goat cheese.




I was so full, I felt pregnant, or as the Quebecois say, “Je suis plein.” It's a good thing I could take my leftovers home, because why wouldn't you want to carry these adorable boxes?


Before long, the cheese course arrived. Today was Guiness 10 year old Ottawa Valley cheddar by Forfar Dairy served with date and jalapeno relish and biscotti. I usually stay clear from musty, moldy cheeses, but this fromage was nutty and not too strong.


Finally, for dessert was the lemon and elderberry trifle with vanilla sponge, Hewitt’s sweet vanilla cream and a meringue kiss. A spoonful of luscious berries doused in cream was pure bliss. The crunch from the meringue added extra texture to the smooth dessert.


We were just about done with our meal, but my mom really wanted to say hi to Chef Lynn. It took us a while to work up the nerve, but eventually, our waiter Jon introduced us. I was blown away by how gracious and approachable she was. I rambled several compliments to her (I’m not even sure I made sense), she politely said thank you. As Jon snapped a photo of us, Chef Lynn gave a big grin and said, “Smile guys!”



In front of the kitchen, there's a large wooden table where Chef Lynn adds the finishing touches to her dishes before service, you can't help but admire her attention to detail and love for her craft.

I'm curious to see how the menu will change in the summer, in fact, if I do return for dinner, I should prepare a few coherent compliments, so I don't seem like a total idiot when I greet Chef Lynn.

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Never enough

I spent the past week eating my way through Montreal. This is my sixth visit since I moved in February. It was also my longest stay which allowed me to whet my appetite of all good things edible.


Brunch was a must. Brunch at Fruit Folie with Angela. Then dinner at Laloux with Cora and Milos. Despite our distended stomachs, Cora and I ventured to a night of swing dancing.

I love Cora not only because she has such a razzle dazzle smile, but because she “dragged” me into swing dancing two years ago. In the If World, had I not gone swing dancing with her, I would not have fallen madly in love with dance and realized that my legs could move in rhythmic musical manner. If it wasn’t for Cora’s zest for adventures, I probably would not have met most of my fabulous friends in Montreal.

After dancing and not giving our limbs a moment to rest, we made our way back to the hotel. At 1am in the chilly night, our breath vaporized between us belting Love Me or Leave Me and Moondance. And it only made sense to stop by Fairmount bagels and pick up fresh bagels. We skipped down du Parc with a sesame bagel in one hand and chocolate orange squares in the other.


Cora and I spent a beautiful day in old Port the next day. We sipped lattes, giggled over a wasp that found a deep attraction to Cora’s nose, and pranced around abstract statues.



Later at night, I was pleasantly surprised when my friends slyly organized a dinner party with me at Jane (!!). Recently reviewed by the Montreal Gazette, touted for its “grown-up twist” on pizzas, it’s always fun to try new places. With its dimly lit interior and brick walls, it was cozy and warm.

My favourite, the Rosea pizza was doused in creamy cheese that oozed with each mouthful. Another pizza was dressed generously with taco toppings. The third called the Schwartz was draped with smoked meat and shaved pickles.


I spent the following days lazying about: sleeping in, lying on the couch watching cartoons, and gazing out the window as the sunlight danced in the shadows.


There was also Romado’s. A Portuguese chicken take-out joint. Barbequed chicken served with seasoned fries makes for a good meal and sharing opportunity with a friend.


And who wouldn’t want to share when your friend looks this excited?


Though Milos may blessed with a stomach of steel, I am not. Nor did I decline his offer to go to Juliette et Chocolat for dessert. I was already a little queasy from hoarding all the fries; I knew sweets wouldn’t be a good idea. But what do I know?

There were profiteroles—cream puffs filled with chocolate, vanilla and hazelnut ice cream covered with dark and milk chocolate sauce.


There was fondant au chocolat—molten chocolate cake with hazelnut ice cream. The contrast was truly delightful. The ice cream melded with the soft and tender cake. Then there was me promising not to be too greedy when it comes to food.


I stayed with my friend during the rest of my vacation. As he went to work, I prepared roast chicken with sweet potato fries and maple-roasted brussel sprouts for dinner. There were fresh croissants dipped in maple syrup and cream for breakfast.


There was also banana bread for any time of the day.

I added dark chocolate, keeping them roughly chopped. I like biting into shards of bittersweet chocolate; it’s rustic, without being too showy. It’s deliciously eaten at room temperature, but resistable when it's still warm from the oven.


I’ve made this banana bread several times, playing with various additions including: toasted coconut flakes, walnuts, almonds, chocolate chips, or toffee chips. Milos suggested something his Swedish friend did: chopping up an entire chocolate bar (Mars or Snickers) and adding it into the batter. Which ain’t such a bad idea.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chunks
Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients
-1 cup all purpose flour
-1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 cup dark chocolate (70% cocoa content), roughly chopped
-3/4 cup of anything else (walnuts, slivered almonds, desiccated coconut, or raisins)
-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
-1 cup sugar
-2 large eggs
-1 cup mashed ripe bananas (from 2 bananas)
-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5x2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Combine chocolate chunks and any other additions in small bowl; add 1 tablespoon flour mixture and toss to coat.

Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat in flour mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of chocolate mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter over. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate mixture. Cover with remaining batter. Run knife through batter in zigzag pattern.

Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool.

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