Bistro Chicken 101 Easy Yet Elegant Recipes With French Flair

A Chicken Primer Not all chickens are created equal. Some seem blessed with far more taste than others; some are also more expensive. Often the two go hand in hand. Let's start with the basic supermarket bird. Bred under less than ideal conditions, the industrial chicken is serviceable at best. Crowded together throughout a brief life span in large houses with flooring covered by litter, these chickens consume feed containing antibiotics to prevent infection and promote rapid growth. While economical, they are often exceedingly bland when cooked. From there, we head into the morass of terms used to describe other breeding conditions. The first, and most vague, is "natural." This description indicates that the processing plant uses no antibiotics but does not guarantee what the chicken received earlier in its life. "Free range" indicates access to the outdoors but it still pays to know your supplier. The access might be to a small concrete run and nothing more. These birds tend to be a bit larger in size and their flesh a bit firmer. Certified organic establishes a documented procedure for raising poultry according to specific standards, an organic feed of grains and soybeans, and a specific method of slaughter. Generally speaking, birds with any of these titles often have more flavor than those with a mass-market upbringing. Chickens come to market very quickly. The following describes the various types found in today's marketplace. * The most frequently sold poultry falls under the category of broiler/fryer. Most sources put these chickens at 2.8 to about 4.5 pounds, dressed and ready for sale, with a life span of 6 to 8 weeks. * Roasters are similar to fryers except larger, 4.75 to 7 pounds, taking a bit longer to come to market, 8 to 12 weeks. Sometimes older birds are marketed as roasters and can be tough. * Capons are castrated roosters with plump and moist flesh because of their high-fat content. They range from 4 to 10 pounds, with the majority weighing in at 6 to 9 pounds. They typically live to about 15 weeks but can be older. * Stewing chickens, categorized as hens by the USDA, are older, tougher birds that require long, slow cooking. They vary in weight, are most often heavier because of their age, usually 5 or 6 pounds, and are generally 10 to 12 months old. * Rock Cornish game hens are small chickens, weighing 1 1/2 to 2 pounds and only 4 to 6 weeks old. They are a cross between a Cornish chicken and a White Rock chicken. * Also available through certain sources are poussins, or squab chickens--not squabs, which are pigeons--that are truly tiny, weighing in at about a pound at 4 to 6 weeks of age. Chickens are graded by the USDA and labeled A, B, or C, in descending order of quality. Only buy Grade A. My personal preference is for a vegetable-fed bird; a vegetarian diet tends to guarantee an excellent flavor. When I can, I shop from favorite suppliers at local farmers' markets but, for the most part, for time and convenience, I pick up my chicken at the nearest supermarket. Many now offer a range of possibilities and provide excellent choices. The recipes in this book are based on commonly available sizes for whole birds or parts and will work with any type of chicken, from mass produced to organic. The term breast in this book refers to the most common usage, which is half of the whole breast section. Some general cooking techniques are important. Since chicken, and meat in general, will not brown when wet, make sure to pat all surfaces dry with a paper towel before seasoning. Don't crowd the pieces when sauteing or the meat will steam and stay pale instead of browning. The proteins in chicken, particularly breasts, do not take well to boiling, which results in tough meat. Check stovetop sautes, simmers, and stews to make sure they don't cook too vigorously. Investing in a glass cover makesEvans, Mary Ellen is the author of 'Bistro Chicken 101 Easy Yet Elegant Recipes With French Flair' with ISBN 9780767913782 and ISBN 0767913787.