Book Report: Don't Be a Chicken Fete-a-Tete 1

Book Report: Don’t Be a Chicken

When compared to the other delights that us carnivores crave, chicken can seem a wimpy choice. Surely, pork, lamb, or beef would be more impressive and flavorful, more fun… and less, well, chicken, right? Wrong.

Cree LeFavour’s Poulet is full of tips and tricks that’ll make this pretty poultry a direct competitor of those other party-pleasing proteins.

LeFavour’s first tip: Dinner should be made with simple steps, bold and bright flavors from spice and strong ingredients, not fat. Another important tip? Know how to choose the right ingredients. LeFavour starts out by guiding you how to choose what parts of the chicken, based on desired taste and cooking technique, ensuring that you’ll get the most out of your bird. She says go for the thighs, not the breast. Or, if you’re feeling crazy, try the legs! You’re not alone if these are exactly the parts of the bird that you thought were less desirable, but they actually pack the most flavor-punch. If you can, keep the skin on while cooking, and you’ll get a tender, moist, and iressistable meat.

LeFavour explains how to really read a label to make sure you find poultry from the right farmers and producers, because knowing that your chick has really been grazing outside, living life on the pasture is important. Certified organic is not the same as a free range chicken. Armed with label-reading knowledge and a grasp the process of production, you’ll be able to choose your meats wisely no matter the grocery store, farmer’s market, or butcher.

LeFavour goes on to explain the basics of working with the bird, before you set out on the recipes. It’s a great how-to guide for cooks looking to escape dreary, dried out grilled chicken breasts; the book also suits more experienced roasters and braisers. The methods she teaches are tried and true techniques, based in simple French cooking (hence the title of the book). Some methods may seem more complicated at first, but once you get the hang of it, they’ll let you stay out of the kitchen longer, and enjoy the other parts of your party.

LeFavour presents a variety of preparations, from simple American to spicy Latin, to European bistro-style chicken, Spanish, and South Asian.

A taste of Poulet menu inspiration:

LEMONGRASS CHICKEN STIR FRY WITH SIMPLE BROWN RICE

OVEN FRIED CHICKEN WITH ROASTED YAMS AND RADISH MINT SALAD

SPICY ROAST CHICKEN WITH AREPAS, AVOCADO BUTTER, AND BLACKENED PEPPERS

 

View Comments

Shop this Article

Poulet: More Than 50 Remarkable Recipes That Exalt the Honest Chicken Fete-a-Tete
Poulet: More Than 50 Remarkable Recipes That Exalt the Honest Chicken