Off-Campus Kitchen: Easy party food
The idea for this week's post came from a challenge I set myself. I've had the busiest of weeks, with the result that I ate a lot of Kraft Easy Mac. My mother, my foodie friends and my doctor would cringe to learn how much. So I asked myself if I could make a party appetizer or study snack that was more sophisticated and used in-season produce, but took the same amount of time and skill.
The result? Blanched asparagus — which requires the culinary skill of boiling water — wrapped in Serrano ham to elevate it to classiness. You could also easily and deliciously substitute prosciutto for the ham, if you choose.
This student trick may be obvious, but it took me a while to figure out, so I'll share anyway: I like to buy chicken in advance, since I don't often have a ride to the Co-op. I buy enough meat for several weeks (not much, since I don't eat meat very often), cut it into individual serving size pieces, and freeze each piece in a plastic bag. Dartmouth solutions! To thaw your chicken, put it in the fridge the night before, or rest the chicken — still bagged — in a bowl of warm water for one hour, changing the water as it cools.
As a result, I always have chicken on hand — it's become both a blessing and a curse. The problem is that chicken is rather bland, so keeping it interesting requires a wide repertoire of flavor-infusing techniques. I asked myself how I could move away from the formulaic drizzle-with-flavor (lemon juice, butter, soy sauce, honey, marinara) route, and came up with coating the chicken with a crispy layer of Parmesan cheese. Problem solved, at least for today.
Serrano ham-wrapped asparagus and Parmesan-crusted chicken breasts (serves 5)
1 pound asparagus (it's finally in season!)
About 8 oz. Serrano ham or prosciutto
5 chicken breasts
3 eggs
1.5 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese
6 tablespoons breadcrumbs or 3 pieces of dry toast
3 tablespoons butter or oil
For the asparagus:
1. Boil a pot of water. Trim off one and a half inches of the stem of each stalk and rinse. After the water has reached a rapid boil, add the asparagus and cook for three minutes.
2. Prepare a bowl of cold water. After three minutes, the asparagus should be bright green and tender; quickly drain it and put the stalks in the bowl of cold water to stop the cooking and preserve the vibrant color.
3. Let the asparagus sit for 10 minutes or whenever you’re ready to use. Drain and pat dry with a towel. Roll each stalk in a slice of Serrano ham or prosciutto. Serve.
For the chicken:
1. Beat eggs. Grate Parmesan and make breadcrumbs — I crumbled pieces of over dry toast — and place this crust material on a plate.
2. Add oil or butter to skillet and warm on medium-high heat. Dip each chicken breast in egg, coating both sides, and roll in the crust mixture. Place the chicken into the skillet, which should be hot enough that the meat sizzles.
3. Cook breast on each side for two minutes or until browned. Reduce heat to medium and cook another three minutes on each side, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Don't despair if the crust blackens in places — you can always salvage the meal by scraping off the black bits — but avoid blackening by keeping the skillet well-greased as you cook.