Cooking

Answered by Chris Kimball

Hi, First of all, apologies for the late response. Slipped through the cracks. And yes, the Thai grilled pork works well indoors under the broiler. Definitely make sure to use a broiler tray or a wire rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet for cooking. You want to make sure the liquid can drip off rather than pool around the meat. Timing is similar to grilling, though subject to peccadilloes of any broiler. Pay attention! With the sugar in the marinade, the meat can easily scorch. Another possible variation is in the cut of meat. If you can find pork neck, sometimes called pork collar, it's remarkably flavorful and juicy. In Thailand, it's typically made with the collar.

Answered by Chris Kimball

Hi, Apologies for the delay in responding. Have you tried covered on the stovetop? Create divots in the sauce with a ladle, plop the eggs in, and then cover. Make sure there's still sauce underneath the eggs too so that the white doesn't sit on the bottom of the pan and overcook. And cover the pan, which traps the steam, so the eggs cook faster. Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes when cooked in this fashion. Medium-low heat. Report back please!

Answered by Chris Kimball

Spatchcocking poultry takes an awkward, 3-dimensional shape and renders it 2 dimensional for faster, more efficient cooking. We think it's always a good idea. Adding aromatics to the cavity really doesn't impart much flavor to the bird--really just a bit of aroma as the herbs basically steam in the cavity's juices. Much better off making a quick herby sauce to pour over the cooked meat.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Denise - We've found, in most cases, this is not necessary. The idea is that, by leaving meat out at room temperature, its internal temperature will rise and bring it closer to the final cooking temperature. This, it is said, will make the meat cook more evenly. However, in reality, the temperature barely rises in the 20 minutes - 1 hour that is typically recommended in recipes and has no impact on even cooking. Hope this helps! The Milk Street Cooking Team

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Kathy - I assume you bought the more modern "sweet" variety, not the bitter ones that require days of soaking to make them edible? If you aren't sure if you have the sweet variety, you will need to soak them for many days to If not prepared correctly, lupini beans are extremely bitter, indicative of toxicity, known as lupin poisoning. Lupin poisoning is relatively common with legumes high in alkaloids, like lupini beans, and can temporarily impair nervous system responsiveness and cause digestive discomfort. If you've got the sweet ones and soaked overnight or the bitter ones and ensured they are no longer bitter, you can use them as you would cannellini, borlotti, garbanzo, or in most white bean dishes. They actually have taste and texture that more closely resembles an edamame bean so feel free to use them in place of those too. These are a common bar snack in the Mediterranean and the Middle East when brined and/or pickled, which would be another great (and long-term) use for them if you've got too many. Once brined, you can toss them with olive oil, a little smoked paprika, fresh herbs, and a little lemon juice or wine vinegar for brightness. Hope that helps! The Milk Street Cooking Team

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Cathy - We would still recommend cooking the chicken with the skin on, even if you decide to remove it after cooking. The skin keeps the chicken moist and acts as a protective barrier to prevent the chicken from drying out in the hot oven. To address the seasoning issue, we would suggest loosening the skin and rubbing the mixture directly on the flesh to ensure you get the flavoring on the meat itself. Best, The Milk Street Cooking Team

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Sonya - We did run a conversion chart in our Kitchen Counts feature in the September-October 2019 issue. Here is a link - https://www.177milkstreet.com/2019/08/bean-counting-dried-vs-canned. Best, The Milk Street Cooking Team

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi MJ - According to the FDA, this is not recommended nor food safe. Here is what they say: "Never brown or partially cook meat or poultry to refrigerate and finish later because any bacteria present would not have been destroyed. It is safe to partially cook meat and poultry in the microwave or on the stove only if the food is transferred immediately to the hot grill to finish cooking." Best, The Milk Street Cooking Team

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Mike - They probably \do\ mean coconut cream and it likely has to do with all of the boiling done in the recipe. That's because coconut cream is higher in fat than coconut milk (about 20% for coconut cream and only 9-15% for coconut milk). This higher ratio of fat to water allows you to boil coconut cream without it curdling in the same way that heavy cream added to a sauce can be reduced but milk (or even half-and-half) cannot. We still think you could make this with full-fat coconut milk you would just need to keep the liquid at a simmer rather than a rolling boil to reduce which, obviously, will take a bit more time. Best, The Milk Street Cooking Team

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Josh - While any gluten-free flour \can\ work in a roux-based gravy recipe, one type provides the best results - sweet rice flour aka glutinous rice flour (despite the name, it contains no gluten). Sweet rice flour is made from ground sticky rice and is not actually sweet. It's often used in Japanese desserts, like mochi, which is why it has "sweet" in the name. The same properties that give mochi its signature bounciness are what make for such a great gluten-free gravy. Sweet rice flour has a high ratio of amylopectin (one of the elements that make up starch), which adds body and texture to a gravy without it being too thick or congealing too quickly. Most versions of all-purpose gluten-free flour blends will make a pretty good gravy but, because they usually contain xanthan gum, congeal almost immediately after cooking. If this happens, it’s easy enough to whisk in a little extra warm stock, but it’s not the ideal situation when you’ve got other things to try to get to the holiday table. You can usually find sweet rice flour in the International aisle of some grocery stores or in any Asian market. It's also pretty easy to order online too. Best, The Milk Street Cooking Team