So, What did we make? (in the kitchen)?

A number of people have asked what we were going to make in the newly remodeled kitchen (when it was done).

Well, it's not completely done yet, but we do have all the appliances installed. We have some tile and paint left to go, but tonight we did actually cook our first (nice) meal in the kitchen. The meal was a nice Chicken Parmesan with some fresh green beens. I cooked.

The Chicken Parmesan was done traditional style, frying the breaded, seasoned, chicken first and then baking it. I used one of the de Buyer mineral steel pans for a one-dish meal.

Pounded the chicken, seasoned and sprinkled with flour. Then dipped in an egg wash and breaded with mixture of Panko and parm. Fried until golden, and then topped with Marinara, lots of fresh basil and two cheeses (Provolone and Mozzarella). Then baked in the pan at 450.

The dish came out exquisite. Perfect texture, nice browning, crunchy coating, tender chicken and absolutely delicious! Even my wife (the Chef) was impressed! (that's saying something!)

I had an ulterior motive too. I wanted to re-season the de Buyer pan. So, following dinner, I deglazed it, and re-seasoned the pan to perfection.

All in all, everything worked out very well! Oh, and the fresh snap beans were great too!!!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Sounds delicious, now I am hungrrrryyy! Congratulations to y'all.

Boy, you guys are really into foods Fly. If I cooked all those great foods I would be three hundred pounds. The wife and I are pretty good cooks, but I am only two hundred eighty pounds, not three hundred.

When I was working hard and mostly muscle I was two hundred fifty pounds, so I gained thirty pounds of fat over the last fifteen years or so. I still have lots of muscle though, carrying that weight isn't much of a problem at all. I have always had bad ankles though, really weak cartilage there and in my knees, but I had just as much problems with those when I was fit and two hundred fifty pounds. Maybe if I lost all the fat and seventy pounds of muscle, I wouldn't have a problem with the ankles anymore.

Just got the best results cooking a whole chicken with a new technique. Slowly separate the skin from the meat ( don't remove it). Just slowly lift it up, even the drumsticks skin. Easy once you get the hang of it.

After that, with about TBS of salt, work the salt under the skin real good. Let it sit uncovered in the fridge anywhere from a few hours to a day. Depends on how much time you have really. I have done it for a few hrs and still came out great.

From there just bake it, add some pepper or chicken season to the exterior. Best chicken I ever had. Super moist, tender.

That sounds really good.

I'll bet it was even better for being made in the new kitchen.

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

Sort of like how we do turkey. We rub an herb/salt/lemon paste up under the skin on it.

Just last night my mum made my favorite meal...very similar to yours. Chicken thigh crumbed with a mixture of bread, parmesan, pepper and salt, then wrapped in a piece of bacon, oven paper and into the oven....amazingly good...

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

Salted butter is what I put under the skin of my roasting chickens. Heavy garlic salt, ( if not herbs de provence or other) on the outside of the skin to crisp it up nice. Either way, salt or butter, you can't go wrong.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
The Chicken Parmesan was done traditional style...

I'm glad you got the kitchen up and running but my head is about to explode.

I'm taking you to Italy and I'm giving you $1,000 if you can find a 'traditional' chicken parmesan dish there.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Okay...traditional "American" style.

Better?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Much. Thank you.

Next you need to roast a steer and provide pics.