Everything-Crusted Chicken Rolls Stuffed with Scallion Cream Cheese (pg 245) is a take-off on an everything bagel. The idea appealed to my obsession with all things bagel, and it seemed kind of whimsical, so I gave it a go. Chicken coated in poppy, sesame, onion flakes, and kosher salt? How could it be bad? (Actually, the recipe didn't call for the kosher salt. I added it anyway. Anyone who knows anything about an everything bagel knows that big flakes of salt are key. Consider yourself schooled, Rachael.)
The bagel accoutrements are mixed with breadcrumbs (I used panko). Smear scallion cream cheese on the chicken, roll it up, flour it, egg it, breadcrumb it, fry it.
I worried that this wouldn't cook through, since they were thick when rolled up. I filled the pan halfway with oil, and they cooked nicely on the inside by the time they were golden and crispy on the outside.
Conclusion: Matt and I both liked this a lot. It's a tasty, fun take on breadcrumb chicken. Yum.
I think I'm trying to conjure Fall by baking. Weather-wise, it's not working, but it sure is making my mouth happy. I'd bought fresh pecans at the farmer's market a few weeks back, and have been daydreaming about Lebovitz's
Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread cookies (pg 198 of
Ready for Dessert) ever since.
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| Cookies in photo are smaller than they appear. |
Matt thinks they taste like Christmas cookies (as if that's a reason to dismiss them), but that's only because both our mothers make pecan sandies/snowballs for the holidays. My mom calls hers "slugs" and gives them antennae. Ha! These shortbread cookies do not have antennae, but I have to say I like them better than either of our mother's cookies (don't tell!). The texture is more of a solid biscuit than a crumbly cookie. Toasting the pecans amp up their flavor, and the whole thing is buttery and rich. It's a good thing I froze half of the batter, because I could single-handedly eat the whole batch.
Lebovitz suggests dipping the cookies in bittersweet chocolate. You won't hear me say this about many desserts, but I don't think chocolate has any place on these cookies. They're perfect, just as they are.
Conclusion: Love. True love.
This is more like it :) I love the happy recipes! That chicken sounds pretty yummy and I'm all ABOUT 'Christmassy tasting' cookies
ReplyDeletePhew, good to hear that Ms. Ray came through with a good one. I too love bagels and I'm sorry to say that you will probably either have to learn to make them yourself or go without once you move to Italy. Just think of it as a trade off because the pizza will probably be amazing!
ReplyDeleteFinally some good recipes!
ReplyDeletehehe--I've already had to learn to make good bagels, oneexpatslife. What they call a bagel here in Corpus Christi is a disgrace. I only wish I'd learned sooner, because I've lamented the crappy bagels in DC and Norfolk for years before coming to TX. Now, proofing bagel dough is my activity of choice on a Friday night. :-)
ReplyDeleteGlad you hit a good patch.
ReplyDeleteI swear that once you leave the Northeast, the next place you can find good bread products is the West Coast. It's just wrong what is out there posing as bread & bagels.