On my own.
It's been at least three years since I finally learned how to do a decent glaze. I don't mean a pan sauce that thickens to coat the ingredients in a stir-fry, but a proper, sticky, glossy glaze of bubbling, caramelized sugar. It took me months and months of frustration to finally figure out what I was doing wrong.
Now, I'll be the first to admit that I hate recipes. They take work. You're reading through unfamiliar steps, double and triple checking measurements,* and often having to go back over it again and again as you work your way through the dish. The true joy of cooking for me is jumping in the kitchen, opening up the refrigerator, taking stock of what I have on hand, and making something up on the spot. This approach, however, has its limitations.
So, you get an idea in your head - like a sticky, glossy, jammy glaze - and you have no idea how to do it so you google a couple of recipes. It turns out those bloggers also don't really know how to glaze, so you end up with runny sauces running off your chicken thighs or pork chops.
Sometimes, it turns out, the fastest route to success is not going it alone. Success comes fastest and frustration flies away by consulting experience, either through a trusted recipe or face to face with a practiced cook. It's why I love cooking in front of audiences. It gives me the opportunity to demonstrate the fine points that don’t always come across just reading a recipe. It is also, at the end of the day, why sometimes I will hit the kitchen, cookbook in hand, and carefully follow the directions.
So, whether the kitchen is a space you prefer to play in, recipe-free, or a place for you to enjoy some rare and valuable time alone, remember, every once in a while, it is worth not going it alone.
*Yep, I used the Oxford comma for a list of compound thoughts. Was this grammatically correct or an unforgivable sin? Discuss.
Red Currant-glazed Chicken
The bright, colorful, sticky, glossy glaze offers sweet, tart and slightly tannic flavors dressing up weeknight chicken for special guests.
Ingredients:
3 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red currant jelly (see tip below)
1 tbs apple cider or Sherry vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Directions:
Make glaze: Warm 1 tbs olive oil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, about 1 minute. Add jelly and cook until melted and slightly thickened. Add vinegar and reduce to thicken again, about another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir through mustard.
Preheat broiler setting top rack 6-8" from the heat.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Warm remaining 2 tbs oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat.. Sear chicken thighs on both sides and nearly cooked through, about 150° F.
Brush chicken with the glaze and place under broiler until sugars bubble and begin to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Brush chicken with a second coat of glaze and broil again until bubbling and glossy. Serve.
TIP: Can't find redcurrant jelly? Substitute with 2 cups of raspberry or cherry preserves. Once the preserves melt in the pan strain them through a fine mesh strainer to remove solids.
TIP: This may seem obvious but I have several burns that suggest this reminder is salient. The skillet handle may get hot under the broiler so use a hot mitt to remove it from the oven.
