Sear Roasted Chicken Breasts with Shallot Herb Pan Sauce

*This was the first recipe I thought of when All-Clad asked me to test their new d5 Stainless pans. Enjoy!

The best part of chicken is crispy skin. This recipe gives you the crispiest skin that I know how to make.
*The only thing that comes close is cooking your chicken on a rotisserie. I don't think fried chicken counts, because you're frying the coating as much as the skin.
**Not that there's anything wrong with fried chicken.

The basic sear-roast technique is useful when you want to cook something with a deep, browned crust, but it's too thick to cook through on the stovetop without burning. You sear it to get the browning, then move it into the oven to gently finish cooking. I've sear-roasted everything from pork tenderloin, to thick-cut steak, to rack of lamb. This recipe is my favorite application of the sear-roast technique.

Recipe: Sear Roasted Chicken Breasts with Lemon Herb Pan Sauce

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Review: All-Clad Stainless Cookware with d5 Technology

Remember my post about how much I love All-Clad Stainless cookware? Someone at All-Clad read it, too. They got in touch with me, and asked if they could send a sample of their new line of cookware to test out.
"Of course!" I said. "What is it?" That's when they told me they were updating their Stainless cookware line with new technology.

I could not believe it.  I love their Stainless cookware, and thought they would have a hard time improving it.  I asked for a 12 inch fry pan for the review.  It's my workhorse pan, and I thought it would be the best way to test their changes.
*Remember the FTC disclosure policy I wrote a while back?  Here's my first chance to disclose anything: All-Clad sent me a free pan to try out.

What are the changes?
The new "d5" Stainless pans have an extra layer of stainless steel in the middle of the cladding, resulting in five layers of metal in the pan: (picture below):

Stainless with d5 technology, cross section

All-Clad says this makes the pan heat 20% more evenly, makes it more energy efficient, and makes it more durable.

The d5 handles have also been redesigned to make them more comfortable.  And their saucepans have been given pouring lips.
*Finally! If there was one thing I would have changed in their pans, adding a pouring lip to the saucepans would have been it.

Are the d5 pans better?
I have to admit that I was skeptical.  Did they really improve the pans?  The regular All-Clad Stainless pans are the best pans I've ever used.  They heat evenly, and hold on to the heat; you get better, more even browning from them.  They perform head and shoulders above any other pan I've owned, including aluminum clad pans from other manufacturers.  That's why I wrote my post on how much I love them.
*Well, that, and it was an excuse to tell you about their factory sale.

Better searing:
I didn't think they'd be able to do it, but they did.  They made my favorite pans even better.  The d5 pan heats up faster, and holds that heat longer than my older Stainless pan. This results in excellent searing:

*Yes, that's the seared beef picture from my Texas chili recipe.  I was holding out on you!  I was testing the d5 pan, but I wasn't allowed to talk about it yet.  I feel so guilty...so ashamed...OK, I'm over it.


The d5 pan is much more efficient; it almost caught me off guard the first time I used it.  I was doing a pork chop saute, and put a cold pan with oil and butter over medium-high heat, like I always do.  I started salting and flouring the chops, and was almost done when I noticed the butter was already browned across the entire pan.  Normally, I've got time to get the chops ready, and then I have to wait for the pan to be ready.  Not any more!

Also, they recommend that you use the pans over medium heat.  As I said above, my default for a sear or a saute is always medium-high.  I need to adjust that down with the d5 pan - on my stove, medium is just right for this pan.  In the past, when I've done my searing on medium, the second side of the meat doesn't brown as well.  With this new pan, that's not a problem - it holds the heat long enough to get a good sear on the second side as well.

Better handles:
I love the handle on the d5 fry pan. It didn't look like much of a difference; there's a subtle change in the thumb groove, and it's hard to see if you're not looking for it. All-Clad rounded the edges, and made the handle a little less thick. The result is amazing - it is much more comfortable in my hand. I can't wait to see what they did with the lid and helper handles on their other pots, to see if they're as improved.
*Yes, I'm a cookware geek. I get excited by how things feel in my hand when I'm using them.

Am I buying a whole new set of pans?
As I said, the d5 pans are a noticeable improvement over the regular Stainless line. It looks like they're going to be priced about 10% more for the d5 pans, and at first they will only be available through Williams-Sonoma.

If you're getting new pans, I would definitely get the d5 versions.

If you're like me, you already have a pretty complete set of pans.  Is it worth replacing the ones you already own, especially at full All-Clad prices?  Probably not.  As I said, the current line is great; these are just better.

That said, the the 2 quart saucepan with a rolled pouring lip is calling my name. And I always use the 6 quart stock pot for soups and stews, so I wouldn't mind upgrading that pan as well…
*In other words, at next summer's All-Clad factory sale, don't stand between me and the d5 counter. It might get ugly.

Chicken breast saute- recipe below

Recipes I used to test the d5 fry pan:
Texas Red Chili
Sear Roasted Chicken Breasts with Shallot Herb Pan Sauce
Chicken Breast Saute with Marsala Sauce
Pork Chop Saute with Orange Mustard Sauce

The d5 Stainless line will be available at Williams-Sonoma starting December 26th.
[Update 12/28:] All-Clad's d5 site is now open.

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Merry Christmas!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?  It came without ribbons!  It came without tags!  It came without packages, boxes or bags!"  And he puzzled three hours, 'till his puzzler was sore.  Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!  "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.  Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"
[Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas]

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Mike V
DadCooksDinner

Inspired by:






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Steam-Sauteed Green Beans

We have a strange relationship with green beans in my family.  I like them; my wife loves them.
*Diane loves green beans so much that I have to make them at least every other week.  If I don't, she starts poking around in the kitchen while I'm cooking dinner, asking if we're going to have them any time soon.

The kids won't touch them; they're green.  It's just not happening.  My dad picked beans for a summer job when he was a boy, and they're his favorite vegetable.  My two brothers can't stand them.  I was talking with Pat last weekend, and he said:

"I finally subscribed to your blog by email, and what's the first one I get?  Green beans!  Why did I bother?"

Trust me when I say this is a good recipe.  As I said above, I've made it every two weeks for the last eight years.  It uses a steam/saute technique I learned from Pam Anderson's How to Cook without a Book.  In fact, Pam put this exact technique on her blog a couple of weeks ago, right after I took the pictures for this post. You can check out the original recipe here: Simple Steam-Sauteed Green Beans.

Recipe: Steam-Sauteed Green Beans

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Dad Cooks Christmas Dinner(s)

I'm cooking two Christmas dinners this year; one dinner for Diane's side of the family on Christmas, and then another dinner for my side of the family the next day.  I'll be cooking a Rotisserie Ham on day 1, and a Rotisserie Prime Rib on day 2, and I'll be doing both with a side of rotisserie pan potatoes.
*My goal is to spend time with my guests, not with the meal. I'm trying to rein in my "if it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing" impulses. I've sent out a call for help from the rest of the families, and they've responded in a big way. I think I'll just have to fill in a couple of things.
**Yes, I'm trying to hold myself back. I'm making a grill-smoked side of salmon a day ahead that I can use as an appetizer for both dinners. Oh, and some green beans; recipe coming tomorrow. And…no, stop, that's enough. See? There I go again.

My tip for Christmas?  Cook your Christmas roast on the grill.  When I'm having people over, the space in the oven is always at a premium.
*Unless you're one of those lucky people with two ovens in their kitchen.  My grandmother had them, and now I understand how important that was to feeding our crowd on holidays.  Someday, when I remodel my kitchen, they will be mine.  Oh yes, they will be mine.

Moving the roast outside leaves the oven free for side dishes, so they don't pile up waiting to be cooked or re-heated.  And it doesn't hurt that grilling on Christmas will impress your guests.  Particularly if it's snowing.

Dad Cooks Dinner Christmas Roast Recipes:
Here are some suggestions for a grilled Christmas roast:
Rotisserie Beef Tenderloin with Shallot Herb Butter and Horseradish Cream
Rotisserie Boneless Pork Loins, Brined and Maple Sugar Glazed
Rotisserie Turkey

Don't have a rotisserie?  You can still use my recipes - set the grill up for indirect cooking, put a drip pan in the middle, put the grate back on the grill, and cook your roast over indirect heat, turning halfway through the cooking time.  If that's not specific enough instructions for you, then here are some good sources of grill-roasting recipes:

Good sources of Grill Roasting Recipes on the web:
Stephen Raichlen's PBS show, Primal Grill: [primalgrill.org]
Primal Grill recipes, season one
Primal Grill recipes, season two
(Or get one of his many cookbooks.  How to Grill is a great introduction to grill roasting)

Weber grills has a couple of different recipe resources you can use:
Weber.com recipes [weber.com]
WeberNation recipes and grilling videos with Jaime Purviance [webernation.com, free registration required]
(Or get one of their many cookbooks, like Weber's Way to Grill)

Merry Christmas, everyone!  And good luck with your Christmas dinner!

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

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Rotisserie Beef Prime Rib Roast

And now, my preferred cut of beef.  Prime rib.  There will be no messing around with it.  Beef with salt, pepper, time to rest, and a spin in the grill.  This recipe is simple perfection.

*It's so simple that I hesitate to call it a recipe.  It's almost all technique.  Salt the beef early, then cook it over a rotisserie until it's medium rare.  Done.

The key to this recipe is the beef.  You really want a Prime rib roast, not just a regular beef roast.  Yes, it will be expensive.  In a recipe this simple, the quality of the ingredients (ingredient?) really stands out.
*It will work with a good rib roast.  It won't be the transcendent experience that a Prime roast is, but it will work.

Prime rib is what I'm cooking for my side of the family at our Christmas dinner.  It's not that my wife's side of the family doesn't like beef; they do.  But us Vrobels, we LOVE our beef.
*I've been beef heavy on the blog recently.  We'll have a more balanced diet in the new year.  But for right now, it's Christmas!  It's time to celebrate!  This is one of the meals that I will pass up Christmas cookies for, just to make sure I have extra room.  Yes, it's that good.

Recipe: Rotisserie Beef Prime Rib Roast

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Orzo Pilaf

I just realized that I don't have many starchy side dishes on the blog.
*Also, I didn't want to miss a chance to annoy the Atkins people.  If there are any left…

Orzo Pilaf is one of my Pantry Emergency favorites - what do I do when I didn't actually plan out a starch for our side dish, and I need one right away?  This is it.  It's quick and easy.  Twenty minutes, start  to finish, with minimal effort while it's cooking, so you can concentrate on the rest of the meal.

The trick is to cook the orzo like you would cook rice.  You use just enough water that the pasta absorbs it all by the time it's done cooking - 2 1/2 cups of water for 8 ounces of orzo.  That way, you don't have to wait long for the water to come to a boil, and you don't have to drain the orzo when you're done.

Recipe: Orzo Pilaf

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Disclosure Policy

Who am I?  I am an enthusiastic amateur who loves to cook, and loves to tell people about it.  Cooking is my hobby, and my obsession.  I cook a lot, read about cooking a lot, and think about cooking a lot.  I've learned a few things over the years, through classes, reading, and trial and error.  Do I know everything?  Of course not.  That's part of what I love about cooking - there's always something new around the corner to learn about or try.  And it usually tastes delicious.

Recipes: I attribute recipes to their original publisher, or whoever inspired me to go wandering off on my own path.  I'm grateful to everyone who helped me learn what I know; they deserve all the credit I can give them and more.  When I don't attribute a recipe, it's because it is so traditional that it's tough to tie back to an original.

Biases: I have biases.  Weber grills with rotisserie attachments, say, or Alton Brown.  I think they're pretty obvious in my writing.  Just remember, this stuff is all my opinion.  If you don't like it, say so in the comments.  Or start your own blog.

How I make money: I make money on this blog through the advertising on this site, and when people buy something from Amazon through my links.  So far, that hasn't been much money.*  I'm hoping it will eventually defray the cost of recipe ingredients; rotisserie beef tenderloin is expensive.
*As of December 2009, it's supported my cookbook habit…slightly. I've bought this one, and this one, and this one with my Amazon proceeds. Yes, three books in one year. And I gave away the first one!

Free Stuff: This post was inspired by the new FTC guidelines on blogger disclosure.  I have just received my first free item to review, and it came from a company I trust.  (I'm not free to share my review about it yet, but I will soon.)  When opportunities like this come around, I'll decide if the item is worth reviewing.  When I write about it, I'll disclose that I received the item for free.
*Everything in my "Things I Love" series is purchased with my own money.  Those posts are because I'm a gadget geek, and I can't help sharing about the stuff I love to use.  I'm going to distinguish freebies with a different title, maybe "Dad Reviews…" or something like that. "Review:" is the title I'm using.  Not very original, I know, but it explains things best.
[Update 12/29/2009]: Now I can tell you it was All-Clad's d5 cookware - they sent me a pan to review.

What do you think?  Does this feel like the right approach?  Anything I missed?  Am I selling out to The Man?  Leave your thoughts in the comments, below.
*Written while listening to "Sell Out" by Reel Big Fish

Thank you for reading my blog. Your comments and questions are what keep it interesting!

Inspired by:
The new FTC guidelines on endorsements and blogging.

Guest post on Black Iron Dude: Grilled Green Beans

Self portrait: "Are the green beans done?  It's freezing out here!"

Check out my guest post on Black Iron Dude: Grilled Green Beans.
*[BlackIronDude.blogspot.com] is highly recommended, and not just because he let me loose on his blog.  I love reading about his obsession with cast iron cookware.    Trust me, I know obsession.

Swiss Chard Saute

This week, I'm sharing recipes that were inspired by my winter CSA box.
*Other than the turnips. The Locavore's Dilemma - What do you do with the turnips?

Swiss Chard is my favorite green. It has the deep, biting flavor of greens, but because it's a tender green, you can have it cooked in fifteen minutes. It is a regular in my rotation of weeknight side dish vegetables.
*Nothing goes better with pork chops and mashed potatoes than a side of greens. This is one of my core beliefs, right up there with family, god, country, basic techniques instead of recipes and making your own stock.

And Swiss Chard is so pretty! Instead of the usual monochrome vegetable, you get a rainbow of green, yellow, orange and red. The explosion of colors brings a smile to my face.

Recipe: Swiss Chard Saute

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Fennel and Orange Salad

This week, I'm sharing recipes that were inspired by my winter CSA box.
*Other than the bags and bags of potatoes.  I know how this person at The Kitchn feels, but potato recipes will be coming later this winter.

First up: fennel.

I've discussed the "what do you do with fennel" question before.  This time, I'm not going to cook it, I'm going to slice it thin and use it in a salad.

Raw fennel is very crunchy, and has a strong anise or licorice flavor. This pairs very well with orange.  This is good, because it is also the time of year where oranges flood into grocery stores.
*Yes, I know that's not very locavore.  I view local and sustainable as a goal, not an absolute requirement.  If I had to live without lemons, limes, and oranges, it would be a VERY long winter.

Recipe: Fennel and Orange Salad

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Favorite Cookbooks of 2009

Looking for a Christmas present for the cook in your life?  If they are like me, they will always appreciate a new cookbook.

Here are my top cookbooks from the last year:

Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking
Michael Ruhlman wrote the perfect book for someone like me, who believes that basic techniques are the most important thing in cooking. Commit his ratios to memory, and you can make almost anything without recipes.


Serious Barbecue: Smoke, Char, Baste, and Brush Your Way to Great Outdoor Cooking
Adam Perry Lang's elaborate grilling recipes are daunting, but the layers of flavors he builds are impressive.  His idea of basting with a brush made of a bundle of herbs won the Taste of Akron Steak Cook-off for me. That herb brush was the little bit of "wow, what a great idea" that pushed me over the top.



Good Eats: The Early Years
I'm a long-time Good Eats fan, so this book was like a walk down memory lane. It is full of recipes, details, and behind the scenes information from the first six years of Good Eats. I'm eagerly waiting for the next two installments.


Honorable Mention:
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl
I seem to be the last person in the world to find The Pioneer Woman. Her recipes are loaded with step by step pictures, and they translated that style to the cookbook extremely well.  I also love her stories about life with her rancher husband and their five cute kids. It gives me hope that I might bring my kids up half as well.
*Even if we live in the suburbs, not on a ranch.

Michael Symon's Live to Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen
Cleveland's local chef-hero. I haven't dug into the recipes in this one yet, except for his pickled chile peppers, which I loved.  There are a number of them I can't wait to try out.

Jane Snow Cooks
Another local hero of mine. I was thrilled meet her in person at one of her book signings.

Ad Hoc at Home
The only book on this list I don't already own. It's on back-order at Amazon, but people I trust have been writing good things about it.  Thomas Keller, the best chef in America, explaining his perfectionist techniques for the home cook?  I'm waiting (impatiently) for it to arrive.

What do you think? What cookbooks did I miss? Any you feel I should add to my list for next year? Leave them in the comments, below.

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Texas Red Chili

The first cookbook I bought after Diane and I got married wasn't really a cookbook. It was a recipe booklet from Betty Crocker, the ones they sell in the checkout aisle at the grocery store. Soups, Stews and Chilis was full of very bland recipes, except... In the middle was an insert. In that insert were the recipes that won the International Chili Society cook off between 1989 and 1993. Those recipes were another step on my way to becoming DadCooksDinner.
*In Ohio, in 1994, it was a revolutionary concept to make chili Texas style, with big chunks of beef and without beans. And the flavor! A half cup of chili powder! This was a culinary revelation.

Texas Red Chili became my signature recipe.
*Yes, I know I'm not from Texas.  I'm so far from being a Texan that I'm approaching it from the other side.

Over the years, I've brought it to potluck lunches at work, tailgating at Ohio State, family gatherings, and countless Super Bowl parties.*
*All of my younger brother's friends know this recipe.  My parents hold a Super Bowl party every year, and my brothers would invite their friends from college over.  All the starving college students would descend on the pot like locusts.  Nowadays, they're all successful professionals.  But they still come to the super bowl party, and they still clean out the pot.

This recipe started my Chili Fest tradition at work.  Someone suggested a chili cook-off among us computer programmers, and I brought in a crock pot full of my Texas Red All-Beef Chili.
*I still had to explain the "all beef" thing back then.

It was so popular, people started asking when I could bring it in again.  I couldn't make enough chili to feed everyone, so I sent out an email asking for other people to bring in some chili, and we'd make a lunch of it.  We've been doing our Chili Fest every fall for the last eight years, and last time I had volunteers bringing in twelve different types of chili, other main courses, side dishes, and desserts.  Chili just brings people together.  Today is this year's Chili Fest, and I'm publishing the recipe in its honor.
*This will also give me something to point people to when they ask for the recipe.

Recipe: Texas Red Chili

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Michael Symon Cooking Classes

[Update 12/17/2009]: Sorry everyone; according to lolabistro.com, the classes for 2010 are sold out.  I know it's a long wait, but they seem to go on sale on or about December 1st.  Try again on 12/1/2010...


[Update 3/2010]: Here is my post about Michael's Greek cooking class

If you're a Michael Symon fan, and live in Northeastern Ohio, then I have an opportunity for you!

His 2010 Cooking with Michael Series just started taking reservations.  The classes are $160 apiece (ouch), but include a signed copy of his book, Michael Symon's Live to Cook. I've taken a cooking class with Michael in the past; I learned a lot, and they're a lot of fun.
*His personality on TV isn't an act - that's how he is in real life as well.

If you're interested, sign up quickly, because the classes are filling up fast.* Also, don't be surprised if you have to wait on hold for a while. They're a little busy this time of year...
*Last night I signed up for his Greek class (on March 16th), and was told there was only one opening for his Comfort Food classes left.


[h/t gardengrocerygadgetgirl.blogspot.com for the heads up on the classes]

Rotisserie Beef Tenderloin with Shallot Herb Butter and Horseradish Sauce

Looking for a recipe to shock and awe your holiday guests?  Look no further.  I was going to start this recipe with my usual rant about needing fat to have flavor in meat, and how beef tenderloin needs a lot of help.  Then I tasted the results from this recipe.  Between the early salting, basting with herb butter, and the kick from the horseradish sauce, this dish is loaded with flavor.*
*OK, you do have to help it out a little...

Maybe it's not quite as flavorful as a prime rib, but it's still excellent.  And there is something about beef tenderloin that says "luxury". You and your guests will appreciate it.

Recipe: Rotisserie Beef Tenderloin with Shallot Herb Butter and Horseradish Sauce

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