Wild Ginger

Traditionally, this is a veal dish. But a local restaurant makes it with chicken breasts and Cherie and I love it. The acidic zing of the lemon with the salt of the capers make for a well balanced dish.

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, patted dry (2 1/2 to 3 pounds total)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp capers, drained
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

PREPARATION

• Cover the chicken breasts with a piece of plastic wrap and, using a meat pounder, flatten each breast to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow bowl. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour and shake off any excess.
• In a large sauté pan, heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the chicken and cook until golden brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the chicken and brown the other side, 1 to 2 minutes. When done, remove the chicken from the pan, sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice and capers, scraping up any brown bits and pieces left from the chicken. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Return the chicken to the pan, turn the heat to medium, and heat for 1 minute. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

As an homage to Julia Child, and to my friend Peter for whom this is one of his favorite dishes to cook, I present Julia Child's recipe for Coq Au Vin.

INGREDIENTS
½ cup
lardons*, cut into 1/4 by 1 1/2-inch strips (optional)
2 or more tbsp olive oil
2½ lbs ready-cut frying chicken (a selection of parts, or all of one kind), thoroughly dried
¼ cup Cognac or Armagnac

Salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp dried thyme
16 to 20 small white onions, peeled (may be frozen)
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups red wine (Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, or Pinot Noir)
About 2 cups brown chicken stock or beef bouillon
2 cloves garlic, mashed or minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
¾ lb fresh mushrooms, trimmed, washed, and quartered

*Lardons: (Pronounced larh-DOHN) Fatty bacon that has been first diced, blanched, and then fried.

PREPARATION

• If you are using lardons, sautéseveral minutes in 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole until lightly browned; remove lardons to a side dish and leave fat in pan. (Otherwise, film pan with 1/8 inch of oil.)
• Heat fat or oil in pan to moderately hot, add chicken, not crowding pan; turn frequently to brown nicely on all sides. Pour in the Cognac, shake pan a few seconds until bubbling hot, then ignite Cognac with a match. Let flame a minute, swirling pan by its handle to burn off alcohol; extinguish with pan cover.
• Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper; add bay leaf and thyme. Place onions around the chicken. Cover and cook slowly 10 minutes, turning once.
• Uncover pan and sprinkle on the flour, turning chicken and onions so flour is absorbed; cook 3 to 4 minutes more, turning once or twice.
• Remove from heat, gradually stir and swirl in the wine and enough stock or bouillon to almost cover the chicken. Add the browned lardons, garlic, and tomato paste to the pan. Cover and simmer slowly 25 to 30 minutes, then test chicken; remove those pieces that are tender, and continue cooking the rest a few minutes longer. If onions are not quite tender, continue cooking them; then return all chicken to the pan, add mushrooms, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes. Taste carefully, and correct seasoning. Sauce should be just thick enough to coat chicken and vegetables lightly. If too thin, boil down rapidly to concentrate; if too thick, thin out with spoonfuls of bouillon.

Every year, one the Christmas treats we look forward to the most is the small plate of Christmas goodies that my Aunt Sue makes. Sue Zanteson is an amazing cook, an accolade she would quickly shrug off but everyone in her life will affirm. We love the carmels, the cookies... but the big hit is the Almond Roca. I think this is the recipe she uses and it sure is good.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb unsalted butter, cut into chunks, plus more for the pan
3 cups granulated sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
½ tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp light corn syrup
3½ cups coarsely chopped toasted slivered almonds
9 oz 41% milk chocolate, melted

PREPARATION

• Lightly butter a 17-by-12-by-1-inch baking sheet, and line with parchment paper to cover the bottom and all sides. (The butter will anchor the parchment to the pan.)
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sugar, water, lemon juice, and corn syrup and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture boils, stop stirring. Brush down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in water.
• Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot and cook for 15 minutes, or until the mixture reaches 300°F (150°C). If the mixture threatens to boil over, lower the heat as necessary. (If the liquid is too shallow for the thermometer to measure the temperature, tilt the pot to get an accurate reading.) Resist the temptation to stir; if the caramel is not coloring evenly, swirl the pan from time to time.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 2 cups of the almonds. Quickly spread the caramel in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely. Spread the chocolate over the top of the caramel, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups almonds. Let the chocolate harden at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
• Break the roca into irregular pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.