Jan24

Another Sunday, another roast chicken

Meal

Is this turning into a habit? or a tradition?

They had the cutest fingerling potatoes at Whole Foods. So, I put them into a sauté pan with salted water for about 10 minutes.

Fingerlings in Salted Water

Then, after being covered, I dump the water, and add some butter. More salt, pepper, and then after 5 minutes in the butter, I add 5 cloves of roughly-chopped garlic. To finish, I squeeze on a little lemon and herbs. Herbs tonight were dried thyme and fresh lemon thyme.

The chicken this time got a little massage in EVOO, then salted and peppered. I continued my tradition of 1 half lemon in the cavity, quartered. Tied up, I cooked it for the first 20 minutes at 450 degrees upside down. Then, I flipped it and cooked it for 30 minutes more right-side up. Checked for temperature, it was “just” under in in the thigh area (by 4 degrees) and a little over in another… time to let it come out and rest.

Perfect doneness… it was still moist and cooked through.

The sauce gets started with melted butter.

Melting Butter

Then add Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice, and finally, your favorite herbs.

Sauce Components

So, the sauce then goes over the carved pieces.

Plating Chicken

And for fans of the vegetable shot: Ina Garten’s brussels sprouts recipe with golden raisins. Simple, but genius.

Brussels Sprouts with Golden Raisins and Lardons

They got cooked in a little bacon fat before being cooked-off for 15 minutes, covered, in the oven.

To finalize this grand meal, I whipped up a little bread pudding using left-over Panettone from the holidays, with a healthy dose of vanilla to the eggy/cream custard mixture. To guild the lilly, so to speak, I added some dark and white chocolate to the pudding. Outstanding comfort food.

White and Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding


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About Messy Cuisine

What is Messy Cuisine?

Several years ago, friends and I decided to produce our own cooking show. What might we call it? The Messy Chef was born, a moniker inspired by my own mother’s description of my abilities in the kitchen. “You might cook well, but you sure are messy.”

Messy Cuisine is a website dedicated to restaurant reviews and future online video productions of The Messy Chef. I hope to find ways to make the site more interactive for visitors.

How do I see all the restaurants you have reviewed?

Under the navigation section, choose Category > Restaurant Reviews and the page that is displayed will show all reviews in alphabetical order.

Is Messy Cuisine a business?

No, a pasttime and a passion.

Messy Cuisine Logo

Who designed the logo for Messy Cuisine? I did. It was produced using Adobe Illustrator. It’s adapted from the typeface PMN Caecilia.

Tell me more about the Restaurant Reviews…

Unlike the NY Times, or other well-established locations, the reviews I write may be based on one or more visits, but sometimes it is just one. Typically, I’ll cover the best and worst points. I usually mention what I had, and make comments too on the service and the atmosphere of the restaurant. The ratings I assign are not derived from some complex rubric, but are a genealized, overall reaction to my meal at the particular restaurant. I do not discriminate on price: cheap eats can earn a top rating, just the same as an expensive restaurant. I think price and formality, however, can affect your choice when dining, so I’ve begun to use a 3-tiered indicator for price to guide your choices.

About the Chef

Not a chef, really… a gourmet, or simply an enthusiast for good things in life. I have shared reviews of places I eat online for over 6 years. I typically go out a lot, due to convenience and a desire to try new things. At home, I gravitate towards Italian cuisine, but also French technique and simple dishes and dinners. My baking skills aren’t great, but I do love a good pie or croissant.

Show Models

Probably my favorite TV program for cooking is TV Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa, for its style and content. We’re also inspired by NBC’s hit comedy show, The Office, and have attempted some take-offs on that filming style and charactature.

The Blog

The blog is powered by WordPress, the open source blog engine. I evaluted several content management systems (CMS) when beginning, but I was most familiar with this and its templating system.

Where else do you recommend I learn about good food online?

I really like a number of food blogs, which I link to up above in the main navigation area, a blogroll, so to speak. I also have included a link below to Vaynerchuck’s Wine Library TV.

WLTV