Tuscan Chicken with Green Beans and Bacon

On July 29, 2020July 29, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy, Recipes3 Comments

We have enjoyed many different styles of chicken dishes throughout our travels. Tuscany is known for its cooking and use of fresh ingredients, so we decided to create a Tuscan style chicken for dinner recently. Butterflying the chicken, technically called spatchcocked, is a great way to reduce the cooking time and still giving a crispy skin. Also, making an herb butter and spreading it underneath the skin and directly on the meat will also make sure that the chicken is moist and tender. We also sautéed some green beans with bacon to have with the chicken, which complimented the chicken extremely well. We decided to cook the chicken in a cast-iron skillet in the oven, but it works equally well on the grill. It truly was a wonderful meal.

INGREDIENTS

1 Whole Chicken – spatchcocked
8 tbsp Unsalted Butter – softened
1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary – chopped
1 tbsp Fresh Thyme – stems removed
1 clove Roasted Garlic – minced (unroasted garlic is fine)
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 lb Green Beans – trimmed
4 slices Bacon – cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

To spatchcock the chicken, take a sharp knife or scissors and remove the backbone of the chicken by cutting down either side of the spine. Then flip the chicken over so that the interior is exposed and remove the breastbone by sliding the knife between the bone and the meat. This will allow the chicken to lay flat inside of the skillet. In a bowl, combine the butter, rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Using your fingers, separate the skin from the meat and spread about two-thirds of the butter over the breast meat. Spread the final third of butter over the exterior of the skin. Place the chicken in a cast-iron skillet and roast in an oven heated to 500 degrees. Cook the chicken for 30 to 40 minutes or until an internal thermometer reads 165 degrees. While the chicken is cooking, place the green beans in boiling water for about two to three minutes to blanch them and then immediately place them in ice water to shock them and cool them down. Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for about 15 minutes while the beans are finishing. Heat the vegetable oil to medium-high heat in a skillet and add the green beans, bacon, seasoning the beans with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 10 minutes or until the bacon is crispy. Carve the chicken and serve with the green beans and bacon.

Spatchcocking (Butterflying) the Chicken

Look at How the Herbs Melt Into the Chicken Breast

Chicken Fried Rice

On May 20, 2020May 27, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Asia, Recipes6 Comments

Fried rice is one of those dishes that tastes wonderful and can be a vehicle for many different ingredients. It is a common dish in Asia because it is so versatile, inexpensive, and delicious. It is a great way to use up leftovers or vegetables that are starting to get a little old. We went pretty traditional as we had leftover basmati rice, a whole cooked chicken, and carrots that needed to be eaten. The sesame oil and soy sauce provide the flavor and frying the rice gives a nice mix of textures. Because it is a simple dish to make, it is a great weeknight meal or it can also be used as a side dish if you prefer. We only used two eggs, but the next time we make it, we’ll probably do three eggs instead. It was truly delicious.

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
5 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Fresh Ginger – grated
3 cups Basmati Rice – cooked and dry
1 cup Cooked Chicken – cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup Carrots – diced
1/2 cup Celery – diced
3 Scallions – white and light green parts chopped, the green part cut thinly on a bias to use as garnish
2 cloves Garlic – minced
2 Large Eggs
Salt and Pepper to taste

Sauté the Vegetables, Ginger, and Garlic

INSTRUCTIONS

Whisk the eggs and set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots to skillet and simmer until slightly softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the celery, garlic, and ginger and continue simmering for another 3 to 4 minutes, being sure not to let the garlic burn. Add the rice as well as the white and light green parts of the scallion to the skillet. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil, stirring to coat the rice. Using a spatula, gently press the rice mixture down against the bottom of the skillet. Fry until the rice on the bottom begins to crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat the chicken. Add the eggs and continue to stir the rice mixture until the eggs are set, about 1 minute. Transfer to a serving dish or to individual plates and sprinkle the green scallion over top.

Brasserie Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

On April 8, 2020April 9, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, Recipes3 Comments

During the time that we spent in Frankfurt, we enjoyed a wide variety of restaurants, especially French, Italian, and Thai restaurants. Because we went out for lunch and dinner almost every day, we looked for places to eat that were located around our apartment where the staff was friendly, the food was good, and the atmosphere was inviting. There was a restaurant near the underground train station that we used almost on a daily basis that became our go-to place to eat and have a glass of wine. The restaurant was called the Brasserie, but unfortunately it closed down shortly after we left Frankfurt.

Located next to Alte Oper (the old opera house), the Brasserie was basically a French Bistro with fresh food of the finest quality. We enjoyed many wonderful meals at the Brasserie, but probably our favorite meals would have been the plate du jour, which obviously changed daily. Like many European restaurants have a somewhat limited menu, but everything we ate there was truly delicious. The meals were not particularly expensive, despite being in the heart of the tourist area and only about a ten-minute walk from our apartment.