"Chicken in Lager," A Partial Fail.

Post number 11, I am well two out of the single digits and was just starting to feel in The Silver Spoon groove.  Tonight's recipe, "Chicken in Lager" read like a very easy recipe.  Ah Silver Spoon, you elusive creature!  This easy recipe is for sure the most unsuccessful I have done.

Essentially, SS says to salt and pepper the cavity of a chicken, cut up leeks, carrots and onion and add everything into a pan with four cups of beer.  The recipe also says that the beer should almost cover the chicken entirely.  This is where I went wrong.  I added a little more than the amount stated and it still didn't cover the chicken, I mean it was not even close, so then I added a lot more.  Then, as directed, I brought the mixture to a boil and set a timer for 30 minutes.

After thirty minutes I flipped the bird, as SS told me to, and then began to worry that none of the beer had evaporated as SS had it would.  I set the timer for an additional 30 minutes as directed and tried to watch The Wire with my fiance.   I don't think I gave it a fair chance because of the beery quality of my chicken.  When the timer went off my chicken was still drowning in beer so I gave it a little more time and grilled some left over polenta from my dinner party.  Checking in with the chicken again, the beer level was still too high and it hadn't turned the golden brown that SS had described.  The color was more of a rubbery tan.  Damn.

Ah well, dinner was served and predictably my fiance said it was delicious.  He called the left over beer "beer gravy," (more like beer soup, - Ed.)  and was excited that it combined two of his favorite things.  The chicken was tender and tasted fine, but I wanted the caramel color and crisp skin.  If I had it to do over again, I would add only four cups of beer, maybe a little less depending on the size of the bird.  I think that would do it.   Oh well, I look onward to a week filled with SS recipes including but not limited to "Pot Roast with Cream," " Sausages and Leeks," and "Warm Mushroom Salad."

Chicken with Green Peppers at Long Last

Ah, the joy of having a cold on my day off.  I spent most of the day alternating from resting and fretting about my recipe.  I was concerned about the chicken going bad.  I bought it on Wednesday at Trader Joe's. I try to buy all my meats at McKinnon's or Market Basket because they have better prices and variety.   For example at Market Basket, I can get a whole roasting chicken for 2.50.  It would have been whole, but I don't mind breaking down the chicken into its parts if it saves money.  At TJoe's cut up or whole I had to pay 10.32.  Aggravated by the cost however, at that point I might as well get it cut up.  So I did.

So I am fretting and coughing, still and it is getting to be around dinner time.  I look longingly into the eyes of my dear, dear fiance and point sadly at my very short, very easy Chicken with Green Peppers recipe in the SS and he acquiesces.  Yay!  Okay, so my fiance starts the dish with melting some butter in olive oil (there is certainly an olive oil/butter pattern developing here and I am fine with it).  He then pan fries the chicken pieces for about 15 minutes.  I am able to sustain coughing long enough to chop up some green peppers.  He seasons the chicken with salt and pepper, then adds the peppers to the pan with some cut up garlic. We let that simmer for another 20 minutes on low heat.  My BFF made some delicious homemade macaroni and cheese earlier, and so dinner is served.  It is essentially fried chicken, Italian style.  The chicken was perfectly seasoned and very juicy. Thanks fiance!  Thanks BFF!  Maybe this cold thing isn't so terrible.

Next up, meatballs?  I might surprise you.