11.10.2009

Week 1, Recipe 2: Brined Chicken, Creamed Spinach, Crispy Potatoes

I brined a chicken for the first time and also made creamed spinach for the first time.  Here are the recipes and results.

Brined Chicken
  • 1/2 Kosher Sea Salt
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 gallon cold water
  • 1 4-5 lb. whole chicken
  • 3 tsp. oregano
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary (optional)
  • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. garlic puree
  • Juice from one lemon
  • Pepper

In a bowl large enough to submerge chicken, mix salt, sugar & water until ingredients dissolve.  Add chicken to brine and refridgerate 6-24 hours.  Drain & pat dry, discard brine.  Preheat overn to 375.  Combine oregano, garlic & EVOO.  Loosen chicken skin & spread garlic mixture between skin & meat.  Place sprigs of rosemary inside chicken cavity.  Squeeze half of lemon over chicken.  Cook 40 minutes, turn chicken & baste with juices.  Squeeze remaining lemon, season w/pepper and cook an additional 40 minutes until done.  Let rest 10 minutes prior to carving.

Result: I got this recipe from the Alessi Sea Salt box.  I'd wanted to brine a chicken and was really excited!  I only had quarters so I used that instead of a whole chicken.  I probably should've cut back on the amount of salt I used.  It wasn't sweet at all if that was your concern but it was unreasonably TENDER!!  WOW!!  So moist and juicy and fell right off the bone!  I brined it for about 20 hours and it was amazing!  I also accidentally put the dried rosemary & dried oregano in the brine but scooped most of it out and that worked well anyway.  Very lightly flavored with rosemary & oregano.

Creamed Spinach By Ellie Krieger in Food Network Magazine (Nov. 2009)
  • 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 small shallots, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups 1 percent milk
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons fat free evaporated milk
  • Pinch ground nutmeg
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Squeeze all of the water from the spinach. In a large pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the milk and broth and cook, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the evaporated milk and nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Result: I was out of shallots so I subbed garlic.  I also didn't want to open a can of evaporated milk for 2 tbsp. so I used heavy cream I already had in my house.  I halved this recipe since there were just two of us eating it.  I still probably used a little too much nutmeg.  It wasn't bad but a little more there than it should've been.  It tasted like Thanksgiving, though!

Crispy Potatoes
  • red potatoes
  • salt
  • pepper
  • oregano
  • EVOO

Combine all ingredients, roast for 35 minutes at 375 degrees or until crispy and cooked through.

Result: This is my "recipe," not a new one.  I use it regularly in varying versions.  I used oregano because it's in the chicken.

I would use all of these recipes again!!

10 comments:

Adei von K said...

yummy!! that chicken sounds like something i need to do soon!!

creamed spinach, not so much.

crispy potatoes? YES! you make potatoes so good!

Ladynay said...

I'm hungry now :-(

Patti said...

I'm thinking I need to make that chicken soon too. And I love that you used chicken parts rather than the whole bird - I'm much more likely to have those on hand.

You even made that creamed spinach sound good. I'm not sure Hubs will eat it without cheese tho...think I can slip some in?

And I love that you finished it off with roasted potatoes...everything sounds delish!

Not so Anonymous said...

I'm drooling...

Thanks for sharing because I'll be making this at some point.

Rashan Jamal said...

That chicken was ridiculously good. I liked the nutmeg in the spinach. It made it taste holiday-ish.

Sparkling Red said...

That looks FANTASTIC! I want those potatoes.

At first I thought I read that you "brained" the chicken. Like, you went to a farm, picked out a chicken, and whacked it on the head; then plucked and cleaned it yourself. Hardcore! Then I looked again...

Miss Snarky Pants said...

Mmmmmm...chicken!!!! Looking good Jameil...Lookin' good!!!!

Jameil said...

adei... you should! my sister loves creamed spinach. i should make that for her. these weren't even my best potato effort, but still tasted fine.

lady... lol! you know how i roll!!

patti... definitely! i'll buy a big pack of chicken on the cheap and freeze a few pieces of it in individual bags. The spinach would be even better w/some parm!

nsa... lol. no prob!

rj... mmmmmm. glad you liked it!

red... thanks! lolol @ brained! hilarious! i can't imagine i'll ever be that hardcore!!! i'm gonna have to pass on killing my own food!

ms. b... thanks!

DaniColoredGlasses said...

I've never been a fan of the word "brined" always sounded instantly vile. How and ever...that recipe is on my very immediate to-do list....right after "purchase chicken"

Jameil said...

dani... lol. you know i may have to come on your blog and say brined like 10xs now, right? lololol.