Testing, 1, 2, Testing

Blogger recently added the feature of uploading video directly into these posts. So I thought I would test it out with an older, low-res, yet still incredibly delicious chicken recipe I previously posted using the standard YouTube embed. I'm curious if there is a big difference in quality. The other obvious advantage is I could post videos that would only be available to visitors of this blog, since I could avoid the need to upload to video sharing sites first, just to get the flash embed code.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, don't feel bad, I'm not that sure either. Anyway, we are basically comparing the two clips. Any and all input is welcome, especially from tech nerds.

Here is the blogger video upload of The "Ultimate" Roast Chicken at same size as the YouTube version:


Here is the regular YouTube flash embed of the same clip:


Here is the blogger video upload of The "Ultimate" Roast Chicken:


Well, so what do you think?

Chicken Parmesan – All you baby cows can relax!

As I said yesterday, this was the winner of our first reader poll used to pick a demo. This demo is dedicated to my niece Brittany. This is her favorite meal, or at least I think it is. Over the years I’ve probably gone out to eat with Brittany maybe 75 times and she has ordered this 73 of those times…the other two occasions we were at Chinese restaurants and I think she still tried to order it. Hopefully, she will try to make this at home after watching this clip. Anyway, I’m sure Brittany is not alone in her love of the Chicken Parm, as it’s probably the most popular non-pasta dish in Italian-American style restaurants. Back in my day, it was of course Veal Parmesan, but eating baby cows fell out of fashion, and the Chicken is now the protein of choice. What’s that? You don’t eat chicken either? Well, then you’ll just have to stay tuned for my amazing Eggplant Parmesan coming soon.

The main problem I have with the version served in most restaurants is that they drown the chicken in so much sauce and cheese, that it ends up being a big soggy chicken/cheese clump. I don’t put any sauce under the chicken cutlets, just a little bit on top, so the breading stays relatively crisp. If you like a lot of sauce, fine, serve it along side when the dish is served. I also actually use some Parmesan cheese! Most versions of this only use mozzarella; I’m going with a delicious mixture of fresh Mozzarella, tangy Provolone and “real” Parmesan. The other little trick you see in the video recipe is how I add some of the grated Parmesan to the breadcrumbs, which adds another layer of flavor. Be sure your oven is well preheated to 450F, we want the cheese to slightly brown and the breading to crisp up before the chicken gets over-cooked, and a nice hot oven is the way to go. The rest of the demo is pretty straight forward, so let’s get to it. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cups “Panko” Japanese style bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup grated provolone
4 oz fresh mozzarella
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
olive oil for frying
1/2 cup prepared tomato sauce (high-quality!)
1/4 cup fresh shredded basil, or pesto, or dried Italian herbs of your choice, or omit
*Baked for approximately 15-20 minutes at 450F

And the winner is…Chicken Parmesan!

The viewers have spoken! Tomorrow’s post will be my version of the ubiquitous Chicken Parmesan. It was kind of cool letting you, the readers, decide on what I would demo. But, since I wanted to do the 3-Corn Polenta, this is the last poll I’ll ever have. As we all well know, democracy just doesn’t work! Ok, just kidding, I’m sure you will see the occasional poll posted here on various topics. Anyway, like I said in the original post, this was more of a test of how the polling software works, and much to my surprise it did work and was easy to manage. By the way, I will eventually demo all the other options listed in the poll. So, be sure to tune in tomorrow to see this Italian-American classic done Chef John style.

Here are the "official" results:

I Can't Decide. What Do You Think?

I just ran across some polling software that I thought I would try out this week. Yes, another test! I'm not going to describe the recipes listed on the poll, so don't ask. Just pick the one that sounds the best to you, and click the button (if you feel like it). It's more of a test of the polling software than an experiment in culinary democracy. Thanks for participating. Speaking of polls and voting, in true American political tradition, I will be voting for which ever 2008 candidate’s campaign donates the most to this site. Yes, my vote can, and hopefully will, be bought.

Which recipe would you most enjoy seeing this week? (by the way, you have to vote without any recipe desciptions)
	"No Slice" Potato Gratin
	Romesco Glazed Salmon
	"3 Corn" Polenta
	Chicken Parmesan
Free polls from Pollhost.com