Thighs -- a Quick Cook Tip

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

When it comes to poultry, there are white meat folks and dark meat folks and never the twain.... I am one of those rare birds who enjoys both, which ensures I get more than my share of turkey at Thanksgiving.

I always favored breast meat until Steve showed me the error of my ways, pointing out that thighs are juicier and have a deeper flavor. So I've acquired the taste and now I'm good with either.

Recently, I had some bone-in chicken thighs to cook and just 30 minutes to cook it. So I pounded the thighs with a meat mallet to flatten them out as much as possible, with the bone still in. By making the meat thinner, I knew it would cook faster.

Meanwhile, I cranked up the oven to 450 degrees. Once all the thighs were pounded and seasoned with salt and pepper, I roasted them. The thighs looked a little funny, but these misshapen pieces tasted just fine and dinner was ready at the appointed time.

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Another Reason to Vacation in Hawaii: The Food!

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

Years ago in Hawaii, when I was the food editor of the Honolulu Advertiser, “fine dining” meant an elaborate leatherette menu of classic French dishes prepared by European chefs, often made with imported European ingredients. My visiting New York friends used to wonder why food in Hawaii was always a disappointment, given the wealth of fresh produce growing abundantly everywhere (and obviously being ignored).

Today, of course, Hawaii continues its culinary renaissance, which started in the early 1990s with a dozen chefs vowing to use their talents to showcase the best of local ingredients in uniquely local interpretations. Once exclusive to high-end dining, the attitude has infected the next generation of young chefs across a wide spectrum of eateries, spurring them to push the boundaries as they draw on their cultural roots, fostering local pride.

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St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

I didn’t know anyone Irish, growing up in Hilo, Hawaii. And my only awareness of St. Patrick’s Day was remembering to wear something green to avoid getting pinched at school.

So there was definitely a learning curve when I started work on Kerrygold’s public relations ten years ago. And what a rewarding education it has been!

I have had the pleasure of traveling to Ireland four times, meeting the dairy farmers, the butter and cheese producers, and the chefs, TV cooking show stars, cooking teachers, and cookbook authors who personify Irish food today. And through these introductions, I have developed tremendous respect for the food culture of Ireland.

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My Favorite Time-Saving Appliances

Last week, I wanted to make lamb stew in my slow cooker, but I was late getting started. So I put a couple of inches of water in the slow cooker and turned it on, to get the heat going. Meanwhile, I heated more water in my electric hot pot.

Next I seasoned, dredged and floured the lamb and browned it in olive oil in a skillet. When the lamb was nicely golden, I transferred the pieces to the slow cooker. I added some of the now-boiling water from the hot pot into the skillet, scraping up all the tasty browned bits, and poured that into the slow cooker. Finally, I added more boiling water from the hot pot to cover the meat. Once I had the meat simmering, I could take my time prepping the veggies.

By preheating the slow cooker and using hot water to cover the meat instead of waiting for the slow cooker to come up to temperature, I probably shaved an hour of cooking time and dinner was ready on schedule.

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Winter Salads

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

For Valentine’s Day, I received a beautiful bouquet of…endive! The California Endive folks cleverly take advantage of the endive’s chicory root base to serve as the “stem” for the endive “flower,” which is a ringer for a French tulip. Gathered together in a bunch, wrapped in cellophane and tied with a red bow, it’s the prefect, edible valentine bouquet.

Endive is one of my favorite vegetables, so in no time, I was slicing some up for a salad. My favorite combination is to team endive with apples or pears, toasted walnuts and blue cheese, and toss with a slightly sweet dressing. The combination of the crisp, clean and slightly bitter endive, contrasted with the sweetness of winter fruits, the nutty crunch of walnuts and the creamy bite of blue cheese is a classic.

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