The week’s topics include the joy of the Hispanic market, a run-in with wannabe hippies, the WF is simply not right in the head, more lessons from culinary school, and a fancy but easy chicken recipe, just for you.
The Joy That is the Hispanic Market. Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time at one of my local Hispanic markets. For some non-Latinos, the Hispanic market can be intimidating. It’s hectic, it’s got a number of products you can’t identify, and the meat counter has far more critter parts than you’re used to seeing at your local market.
Intimidating? Hell no. It’s a blast! Put your issues (and possible prejudices) aside and wade into the glory that is the Hispanic market.
Why? Simply put, it’s loaded with fresh vegetables that are often cheaper and better than you find elsewhere. I believe that’s true because of the clientele they cater to. Most Hispanic food is made with lots and lots of fresh produce. Peppers, chiles, root veggies, fruits, etc. Plus, they have lots of stuff I love which I simply can’t find at other markets, such as any fresh or dried chiles I may desire. Habaneros, Serranos, Jalapenos, Anchos, Guajilllos, and loads and loads of them.
The prices? Let’s use tomatillos as an example. My ‘normal’ market had about 20 on display and they are 2 for $1 or so. At the Hispanic market, there are hundreds and they are something like 2 lbs for $1 or!
Limes? They’re ridiculously expensive, right? Not here. I think I bought about 10 for $2 or so.
Lately, Thing 1 and I have been making weekly pilgrimages to the Hispanic market, where we spend an hour or so loading up for the week. Imagine me and my red-headed Thing 1 picking through mountains of produce surrounded by middle-aged Hispanic women, all speaking rapid-fire Spanish.
Are we uncomfortable? Not one single bit. Thing 1’s clearly being raised right!
There’s another upside to the Hispanic market. You can buy those brightly colored Mexican sodas. I personally think the lime flavored one is crack in a bottle.
Whole Foods. I often go from the Hispanic market to Whole Foods. Talk about 2 different worlds. My diesel F-250 fits right in at the Hispanic market. At Whole Foods, it’s severely outnumbered by the Priuses. By the way, what is the plural of Prius?
In any event, I get some odd enjoyment out of parking my diesel truck in the Whole Foods lot. Clearly I’m not right in the head.
I love wandering through Whole Foods. The store is a veritable cornucopia of wonderful sights and aromas. The bread shop, the meat counter, the cheese counter, the hot food buffet, and the beautiful produce.
There are some things I prefer to buy at Whole Foods, such as fresh whole chickens, awesome pork, and special occasion steaks. Some of it’s expensive, but in my experience the quality of the product justifies the cost, particularly for special occasions.
However, not everything there is expensive. Wander through the bulk section some time. You can find high quality spices, grain, rice, etc., at a great price.
What’s annoying about Whole Foods? The holier than thou wannabe hippies that look down at you for using produce bags or, god forbid, not bringing your own bags. The horror! Let’s be clear, I’m not putting my produce in a cart that 90 people used that day before I did and I’m sure as hell not putting it on the nasty conveyor belt at the checkout. Perhaps you should worry more about shaving your armpits than my shopping habits.
More Lessons from Culinary School. Until you cook with great product, you can’t appreciate what you’re missing. As you can imagine, the CIA has fabulous product in its kitchen. Great produce, all the fresh herbs you could ever want, fresh bay leaves, and any spice you need. Man I miss that kitchen! (insert your favorite day dreaming music here. I for one am going with 38 Special and Back Where You Belong).
One example of great product was the chickens we cooked with. When I pulled one out, my first thought was that this is most definitely not a Costco chicken. Absolutely beautiful organic chicken from Santa Rosa, and it tasted awesome. Even the texture was different and more, well, textured.
So I decided that I will no longer use crappy chickens if I’m making a dish where the chicken is the star. I may still smoke with the cheap chickens, but that’s all. Plus, they’re not that much more money. A cheap whole chicken may cost $4-$7. The same sized organic chicken might cost $8-10. I can afford to spend an extra $3 or so on a really good chicken once in a while.
What Am I Working On? Another dish from culinary school, and I’ll even share the recipe. It’s called 40 Clove Chicken. Try this at home and I promise you that your family will love it. It’s VERY easy. Here’s how it looks when it’s done:
Here’s what you need:
A 3-4 lb. chicken cut into eight pieces. Yes, you should start with a whole chicken if you can.
1-2 cups of flour
1 bottle of dry white wine.
40 cloves of garlic, unpeeled. Don’t worry. Yes, it’s a lot of garlic, but it’s fine. Trust me.
2-3 sprigs each of Thyme and Rosemary
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Canola oil.
Marinate the chicken in the wine for 1-2 hours. Take the chicken out and save the wine marinade. Salt and pepper the chicken and dredge it in flour.
Brown the chicken on all sides in a large sautoir or French or Dutch oven. I prefer the latter. Take the chicken out and sauté the garlic until it’s nicely browned.
Put the chicken back in pot on top of the garlic and pour the reserved marinate into the pot. Place the thyme and rosemary springs on top. Cover the pot and put it in a 325 degree oven with the lid on. Cook for about 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
Remove the chicken from the pot and reduce the sauce on stove. Salt and pepper to taste. Don’t forget to season! Ladle the sauce over the chicken and serve with some fresh sprigs of thyme and rosemary.
That it’s. As easy as falling off a log and truly a great dish. Let me know if you try it.
You Know It’s Thanksgiving Time Because…. The WF is frying a turkey. More on that in future blogs.
Happy cooking.
WF
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