Bittman riffs on Marcella Hazan

[MatthewB]

An Italian Classic Looks to the East

I did this tonight on request from my SO.

That she enjoyed it is an understatement. (I enjoyed it, too.)

Recommended. Very easy to do & very light on the pocketbook.

[fifi]

Interesting. I do a baked chicken with Thai seasonings and some lime in coconut milk that I baste often as the chicken is getting done. It does form a sort of caramelized glaze on the chicken that is really gorgeous.

[maggiethecat]

Matthew: Thanks for this post. I checked out the recipe over coffee at the Wednesday morning breakfast table and wondered if the coconut milk thing would work.

I trust M. (You too, of course!) Glad I clipped the recipe, will make it this week, and report back.

[mags]

Interesting. I do a baked chicken with Thai seasonings and some lime in coconut milk that I baste often as the chicken is getting done. It does form a sort of caramelized glaze on the chicken that is really gorgeous.

Fifi, recipe? That sounds seriously delish.

[fifi]

Interesting. I do a baked chicken with Thai seasonings and some lime in coconut milk that I baste often as the chicken is getting done. It does form a sort of caramelized glaze on the chicken that is really gorgeous.

Fifi, recipe? That sounds seriously delish.

Hmmm... Recipe... Um... Er... I made it up. I don't have a recipe. It is really a technique rather than a recipe and I have rarely, if ever, made it the same way twice. I don't even know what to call it. Coconut Glazed Chicken? Citrus - Coconut Chicken? I can't really say Thai because I have been known to drift into the lemon rosemary direction. I will see what I can do.

[MatthewB]

Glad I clipped the recipe, will make it this week, and report back.

I forgot to note--but it's pretty obvious--that adjusting the sauce at the end is key. I added juice of 1 & 1/2 limes, a couple more tablespoons of fish sauce, & about two teaspoons of garlic-chile sauce.

[fifi]

Here is my best shot at explaining Coconut Glazed Chicken.

[mags]

Thanks a lot, Fifi. I had never thought of basting with coconut milk, and this really looks great.

[fifi]

I forgot to note--but it's pretty obvious--that adjusting the sauce at the end is key.  I added juice of 1 & 1/2 limes, a couple more tablespoons of fish sauce, & about two teaspoons of garlic-chile sauce.

I included adjusting the sauce in the chicken recipe and I am going to add my encouragement to MatthewB's recommendation to do this. The whole balance seems to shift during what I call the glazing process and the final sauce needs to be brought back into balance.

The glazing technique needs some practice to perfect. I tagged the recipe as "intermediate" because of that. You really just have to get a feel for the details of the technique. I tried to put that in the recipe but it was getting awfully long. Hopefully, a fairly experienced cook will "get it". I have had some failures. Once I used "not my usual brand" (Chaudoc is what I use.) and it never did form a good glaze. Then I had a chicken that for some odd reason the coconut would never stick. I never did figure out that one. It might be a good idea to try this first on some bone in, skin on chicken breasts or thighs. You may have to drop the temperature though so that the chicken doesn't get overdone before the glaze develops. I have done it with pork and even a turkey. (Don't bother with turkey. Turkey seems perversely impervious to accepting flavors.) The time temperture juggling act can drive you nuts but when it works, the results are pretty spectacular.