William Penn Life, 2007 (42. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2007-08-01 / 8. szám

fhe JfegsriKitcheo

Dinner for 4

Mezes Csirke

4 large chicken breasts, boneless, skinless 3A cup flour Zi Vidalia onion, diced I teaspoon salt

I stick butter, unsalted 'A teaspoon black pepper

6 tablespoons honey Zi teaspoon paprika

In a large skillet, sauté the onions in butter until they are transparent. Put the flour, salt, pepper and paprika into a plastic bag. Add the chicken breasts and shake coating each piece thoroughly. Lay each breast in the skillet on top of the onions and brown the breasts turning once. Place the chicken in a shallow baking pan and pour the contents of the skillet on top of the chicken. Drizzle half the honey over the chicken and bake at 350 degrees for 'A hour. Turn the chicken, drizzle with remaining honey and finish baking until chicken is fork tender. Serve hot to your guests. Long grain and wild rice makes an excellent side dish along with fresh sautéed baby spinach.

insects. Some bacteria may survive cold temperatures and freezing. Some cause food spoilage while others cause illness to the person eating the contaminated food. Some cause illness by producing toxins as they multiply, die and break down.

With this type of bacteria, cooking will not destroy the harmful bacteria. When bacteria are introduced to food it goes through an adjustment period where it assesses what is available to help it grow and spoil the food. The bacteria look for moisture, oxygen and temperature because it already has a food source. Given enough time under the right conditions any food will spoil.

Now how can we keep the food from spoiling? You can accomplish this by CONTROLLING CONDITIONS for growth so bacteria cannot multiply to create toxins which in turn will spoil your food. If you control the conditions of your food, it will not be in the danger zone, which means it is safe to eat.

Here is a practical example:

You have just cooked a nice meal of roasted chicken, roasted potatoes, green peas and carrots, biscuits and cranberry sauce. It's dinnertime and everyone is ready to eat. In this case you don't have to worry about any food spoilage because the meal is fresh and hot. The food will be eaten

long before any bacteria can cause spoilage.

Now, let's take that same meal and go on a picnic or a day trip where you won't be eating right away. In this case your food could enter the danger zone if left as is. By controlling the factors that help bacteria grow we can protect our food.

TIME TEMPERATURE ABUSE is the most common cause of food borne illness. Simply put, you have left food in a state where there is enough time along with the right temperature for bacteria to multiply causing spoilage. With our meal of roasted chicken we can REFRIGERATE to cool the food down to a temp less than 40 degrees. The food can now be packed in a cooler with ice and transported safely. When we reach our destination we can eat the food cold or we can REHEAT the food to a temp over 140 degrees, then enjoy a hot meal. Reheating can occur using a stove, microwave or charcoal grill with the food wrapped in aluminum foil.

Okay, we are done with the technical aspects, so let me give you some pointers about handling food in a safe manner.

KEEP THINGS SIMPLE when planning your outing. Take only those items that travel well and are easy to consume. Chicken in a sauce is great to eat in your kitchen but on a

trip it would be too messy. A sandwich is always appreciated on a picnic, so take along the components and make your sandwich fresh so the bread doesn't get soggy from the tomato slices or tuna salad.

SHORTCUTS, like ready made products from your supermarket, save you time and are already packed for your convenience. Cooked meats, salads (whether lettuce based or composed like tuna), condiments, breads and desserts all fall into this category. Just buy them, pack in a cooler with plenty of ice and you're on your way.

WASH YOUR HANDS before handling any food at all. By washing your hands with soap and hot water you are making sure you won't contaminate your food with germs on your hands. You can even take along disposable wipes, or moist towelettes to clean your hands.

Make sure you have plenty of CLEAN PLATES and UTENSILS to serve your food properly.

After serving your guests PUT PERISHABLE FOODS BACK IN THE COOLER so they don't become a victim of time temperature abuse while you decide to take a hike or swim or play or fish. The safer you keep your food the healthier it will be for you and your family.

And now you know a little more about safe food handling. Have fun with the recipes.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Honey was found in the tombs of pharaohs in Egypt and edible after 2,000 years. It attracts and retains moisture making it a universal product which blends well with other foods. Honey can be used as a dressing for wounds and helps everything from sore throats and digestive problems to curing skin rashes and hay fever.

Have a great month.

Jé

Jögzaläas D*'*

"TheHungarian Kitchen" is a trademark of William S. Vasvary.

William Penn Life, August 2007

15