Poulet tchoupitoulas

Active: 45 minutes; Total: 2 hours 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6

Butter, unsalted	1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons
Onions, yellow; julienned	3 cups
Bell pepper, red; chopped	½ cup
Salt	2 teaspoons + 1 tablespoon
Cayenne	¼ teaspoon + ⅛ teaspoon + ½ tablespoon
Pepper, freshly ground	1 tablespoon +
Andouille sausage	½ pound
Garlic; chopped	1 tablespoon
Sweet corn; kernels removed	1 ear
Eggs	5 large
Heavy cream	2 cups
Tabasco	¼ teaspoon
Worcestershire sauce	1 teaspoon
Crusty bread; cubed	4 cups
Parmigiano-Reggiano; grated	½ cup
Paprika	3 ¾ teaspoons
Garlic powder	1 tablespoon
Onion powder	½ tablespoon
Oregano, dried	½ tablespoon
Thyme, dried	½ tablespoon
Vegetable oil	½ cup +
Chicken thighs	6 pounds

1. Preheat oven to 350°F; grease a 2-quart glass rectangular baking dish with 1-tablespoon butter. 
2. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt 2-tablespoons butter, then add the onions, bell pepper, 1-teaspoon salt, and ¼-teaspoon cayenne. 
3. Season generously with pepper, and sauté until the onions are soft and start to brown, about 6 minutes. 
4. Add the sausage, and continue to cook for 3 minutes. 
5. Add the garlic and corn, and cook for 1 minute; remove from heat and set aside. 
6. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs for 30 seconds. 
7. Add the cream, 1-teaspoon salt, ⅛-teaspoon cayenne, Tabasco, and Worcestershire; whisk until fully incorporated. 
8. Stir in the sautéed sausage mixture, and then add the bread cubes; mix well. 
9. Transfer the filling to the prepared dish, and sprinkle with cheese. 
10. Bake until golden brown and set, about 55 minutes. 
11. In a small bowl, combine paprika, 1-tablespoon salt, garlic powder, ½-tablespoon pepper, onion powder, ½-tablespoon cayenne, oregano, and thyme with the oil; mix well. 
12. Smear the mixture evenly over each piece of chicken. 
13. Heat a large oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat. 
14. When hot, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. 
15. Place the chicken in the pan skin side down, and sear until a deep golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. 
16. Turn the chicken, and place in the oven, roasting until the juices run clear, about 25 to 30 minutes. 
17. Remove from the oven, and rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Emeril Lagasse’s recipe featured in The Last Holiday.

One-pan chicken with basil-anchovy butter & shishito peppers

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 20 minutes; Serves: 4

Chichen thighs, boneless, skinless	1 pound
Salt, kosher	¼ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Pepper, ground	¼ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Garlic powder	¼ teaspoon
Olive oil	1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons
Butter, softened	1 ½ tablespoons
Basil, chopped	1 ½ tablespoons
Anchovies, minced	2
Shishito or Padrón peppers	6 cups
Lemon wedges for serving, charred if desired

1. Make three slits on one side of each chicken thigh; sprinkle with ¼-teaspoon salt, ¼-teaspoon pepper, and ¼-teaspoon garlic powder. 
2. Heat 1-tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. 
3. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165F, 3 to 4 minutes per side; transfer to a platter. 
4. Meanwhile, combine the butter, basil, and anchovies in a small bowl. 
5. Add 2-tablespoons oil and peppers to the skillet. 
6. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until starting to blacken in spots, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to a bowl, and sprinkle with the ¼-teaspoon salt. 
7. Top the chicken with the butter mixture, and serve with the peppers and lemon wedges, if desired. 

Recipe from www.eatingwell.com.

The Blue Pig

Active: 30 minutes; Total: 4 hours; Serves: 12

Pork tenderloin	2  1-pound tenderloins
Pepper, freshly ground	2 teaspoon
Salt	2 teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Garlic powder	4 teaspoons
Blueberries, fresh	1 cup
Garlic; smashed,  minced	4 + 2 teaspoons
Thyme	7 to 8 sprigs
Honey	1 tablespoon
Balsamic vinegar	½ cup
Rice, rinsed	1 cup
Water	1 ½ cup
Butterfly-pea flowers	6 blossoms
Lemongrass purée	1 tablespoon
Pansy, fresh picked	Garnish

The Blue Pig:

1. Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels.
2. Combine the pepper, 2-teaspoons salt, and garlic powder in a small bowl; rub the mixture all over the tenderloin.
3. Using a sous vide, preheat the water to 145°F; place each tenderloin in a separate foodsaver bag with two smashed garlic cloves and several thyme sprigs, seal, then cook them both for 3 to 4 hours. Let rest 15 minutes, then brown on all sides in a skillet over medium-high heat with oil.
4. Using an oven, preheat to 375°F; line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the tenderloin on the baking sheet, and onto the center rack of the oven; bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until an internal thermometer reads 140°F to 150°F; rest for 15 minutes before cutting. 

Blueberry balsamic sauce: 

1. Combine the blueberries, garlic, honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. 
2. Mash the berries with the back of a wooden spoon to release the juices. 
3. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until the berries are softened. 
4. Add the balsamic vinegar, and simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced and thickened. 

Blue rice: 

1. Beat the lemongrass stalk with a mallet, then tied it in an overhand knot. 
2. Place the rice, lemongrass, and butterfly-pea flowers in a small pot, add the water; bring to a boil, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. 
3. Let the rice rest for 15 minutes, fluff with a fork, and remove the lemongrass. 

Gussying up the pig:

1. Shape the rice onto a large serving platter with a crater in the center for the tenderloin. 
2. Slice the tenderloin into ¾- to 1-inch slices, and arrange in the center of the rice. 
3. Drizzle some of the blueberry balsamic sauce over the tenderloin, and serve the remaining with the dish. 
4. Garnish with flowers, and serve! 

Note: This is a work-in-progress for an upcoming color-themed dinner party. First attempt had the flavors but lacked the textures; might have been the meat thickness. Also, tried to dye the tenderloin in the sous vide by adding butterfly-pea flowers but was unsuccessful; it was a speckled sow. The sauce is addictive. Lastly, the forget-me-not flowers lacked any plate appeal as garnish. Second attempt: we baked one and used the sous vide on another tenderloin. I thought the baked was overcooked and was bland, and the sous vide was juicy and flavorful; however, James thought the baked was what his tastebuds expects, and suspects the sous vide version was undercooked. Non-jasmine rice worked better, and beware of overcooking the sauce.

Recipe from me having to figure out a “blue” dish for a color-themed dinner party.

Chicken nuggets with roasted tomatoes, olives & asparagus

Active: 15 minutes; Total: 30 minutes; Serves: 4

Tomatoes, cherry, halved	3 ½ cups
Asparagus tips	20
Garlic, halved	10 cloves
Oil, olive	1 tablespoon
Salt, sea	½ teaspoon
Plantain chips, crushed into breadcrumbs	6 ounces
Garlic powder	2 teaspoons
Pesto	7 ounces
Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, sliced into mini fillets	4
Olives, black, pitted, drained	4 ounces

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. 
2. Spread the tomatoes and asparagus on a rimmed sheet pan, and scatter over the garlic cloves. 
3. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt; roast for 15 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the crushed plantain chips and the garlic powder. 
5. Place the pesto in a separate bowl. 
6. Dip each chicken fillet into the pesto, then into the plantain mixture to coat. 
7. Add the olives to the roasted tomatoes, and place the chicken nuggets on a separate sheet pan; bake for 12 minutes, or until the nuggets are cooked. 

Recipe mildly modified from Sheet Pan Dinners by Jenny Tschiesche & Liz Franklin.

Roasted turkey legs

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 1 hour 10 minutes; Serves: 4

Oil spray, avocado
Turkey drumsticks, bone in, skin on	4 10-ounce each
Butter, melted	¼ cup
Salt, sea	1 teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon
Garlic powder	1 teaspoon
Thyme, dried	1 teaspoon
Paprika	1 teaspoon

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F; set a rack in the middle position. 
2. Spray a rack with oil, and place in a baking sheet lined with foil. 
3. Combine the seasonings in a small bowl. 
4. Pat the legs with paper towels. 
5. Brush them with butter, and sprinkle with the seasoning mix, pressing to make it adhere. 
6. Spray the legs with oil to prevent the seasonings from burning. 
7. Roast for 20 minutes uncovered, then cover loosely with foil and roast 15 to 30 minutes more. 
8. Let rest covered in foil for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Healthy Recipes.

Super crispy fried chicken sandwich

Active: 30 minutes; Total: 2 hours 30 minutes; Makes 12 sandwiches

Pickles, dill chips; ½ cup brine reserved, about 60 pickle chips reserved	32 ounces
Salt, kosher	1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon
Paprika	2 teaspoons
Pepper, freshly ground	1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon +
Cayenne	½ teaspoon +
Garlic powder	½ teaspoon
Onion powder	½ teaspoon
Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless	12
Buttermilk or well-stirred whole milk yogurt	1 cup
Water	½ cup
Egg	1 large
Flour, all-purpose	4 cups
Cornstarch	¼ cup
Oil, peanut
Mayonnaise	1 cup
Hamburger buns	12
Lettuce, shredded	6 cups
Tomatoes, ripe, sliced	12

1. Stir together the pickle brine, 1-tablespoon salt, paprika, 1-teaspoon pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. 
2. Place chicken thighs in a gallon-sized ziplock plastic bag; pour in the brine mixture. 
3. Seal the bag, and massage until the chicken is evenly coated. 
4. Place in the refrigerator; let marinate at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours or overnight. 
5. Whisk together the buttermilk, water, and egg in a large bowl. 
6. Remove the chicken from the brine; discard the brine. 
7. Add the chicken to the buttermilk mixture. 
8. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, 1-tablespoon salt, and 1-tablespoon pepper in a shallow dish; set aside. 
9. Preheat your oven to 200°F. 
10. Pour oil to a depth of ½ inch in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet; heat oil over medium to 350°F. 
11. Working in batches, remove three or four chicken thighs from the buttermilk mixture, and place in the flour mixture, pressing to adhere. 
12. Lift from the flour mixture, and gently shake off excess. 
13. Carefully place the chicken in hot oil, taking care not to overcrowd the skillet. 
14. Cook, adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil temperature of 350°F, and turning every 1 to 2 minutes using tongs, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of thigh registers 165°F, and the breading is golden browned and very crispy, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. 
15. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and place on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. 
16. Place in preheated oven to keep warm while repeating the frying process with the remaining chicken. 
17. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise onto the cut sides of each bun. 
18. Arrange five to six pickles on each bun bottom; top with one chicken thigh, ½-cup lettuce, and a tomato slice. 
19. Cover with top bun; serve immediately. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, August 2020