What To Do
1. Remove the chicken tender and place the chicken breasts shiny side up. Use a mallet to flatten the breasts and tenders to ¼-inch thickness. Cut the flattened chicken into 1-inch(ish) squares. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Set out 3 medium bowls. Place flour in one, crack the eggs into the second and beat them, and add panko, parmesan, oregano and thyme in the third. Line the three bowls in a row.
3. Toss about a third of the chicken in flour until well covered, then swirl in egg until well soaked, and finally, roll in panko mixture until completely covered. Transfer to a plate and repeat process with remaining chicken.
4. In a frying pan, over medium-high heat, melt butter and add oil. When butter begins to sizzle add chicken. Cook for approximately 3 minutes on the first side, or until bottom is golden brown. Turn once and cook for approximately 2 more minutes, or until the second side is golden brown and the nuggets are cooked throughout. To test for doneness, make a small incision in a sacrificial nugget. If any pink remains, return to heat for another minute or two.
5. Transfer your future pops to a plate. Remove pan from heat and immediately add lemon juice. Stir for ten to fifteen seconds to loosen up brown bits and let the lemon juice reduce by half. Drizzle a few drops over each tender and season with salt. Insert skewer through chicken, then stick skewers in pineapple.
Yield 12 – 16 popsicles
Uncommon goods 6-inch bamboo skewers
Level of difficulty Think Shake 'N Bake.
Active prep 20 minutes
Cooking time 10 minutes
Shortcuts Buy Italian-style bread crumbs that are seasoned with herbs and cheese.
Advance work Chicken can be breaded earlier in the day and refrigerated on a plate.
Multiplicity For each additional batch of popsicles, make an additional half recipe of the bread crumb mixture.
Surreal Gourmet , Chef Jeff Henderson, Aired on Tue 2/9
Healthy, Cheap Meals, gourmet
The Back Story
Who woulda thunk that cauliflower could actually become addictive? But it’s true. With this dead-simple, high-temperature roasting process known as caramelization, basic off-the-rack cauliflower is miraculously transformed into sweet, lip-smackin' candy bombs that the kids in your world—and even you—won't be able to get enough of.
1 head cauliflower
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
What To Do
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Cut out and discard cauliflower core and thick stems. Trim remaining cauliflower into florets the size of golf balls. In a large bowl, add cauliflower, olive oil, and salt. Toss thoroughly.
3. Spread cauliflower on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, if available, for easy cleanup). Roast for 1 hour, or until much of each floret has become golden brown. (That's the caramelization process converting the dormant natural sugars into sweetness). The browner the florets, the sweeter they will taste. Turn 3 or 4 times during roasting.
4. Use crumpled up aluminum foil or paper towels to create a false bottom in your popcorn container, fill it with cauliflower, and serve immediately.
Yield 4 servings
Uncommon goods An empty movie theater popcorn container or aluminum Jiffy Pop package
Level of difficulty The same as making real popcorn.
Active prep 10 minutes
Inactivecooking time 1 hour
Shortcuts Buy the precut cauliflower in the lazy boy section of the produce department.
Advance work Raw cauliflower can be precut and refrigerated for up to 2 days in an airtight bag or a bowl of water. With minimal sacrifice, cauliflower can be cooked earlier in the day and reheated in a 450°F oven for 10 minutes.
Meet the Guest Stars
Chef Jeff Henderson rose from humble beginnings in South Central Los Angeles to become the first African-American executive chef at the Bellagio Hotel. He has gone on to become a successful TV host with a cable show on the Food Network, a nationally syndicated series called, Family Style with Chef Jeff and the host of Flip My Food. When he isn’t cooking on TV he’s a highly sought-after motivational speaker, sharing the secrets of realizing your potential at... (full profile)
