English
Translation Provided Below.
Ek koester heelwat
respek vir die hedendaagse, massa geproduseerde hoender. So ook ‘n diep en
meelewende sagte plekkie. Ons gewone stadsbewoners besef dalk net gedeeltelik
hoe vêr hierdie ‘voerband’ hoenders (en hul eweknieë: die battery, lê-hoender)
se lewensomstandighede die afgelope dekade of so gevorder het. Sensasionele (en
gereeld gruwelike) media exposé’s het
die samelewing sodanig hiervan bewus gemaak om die industrie te dwing om hul
sokkies op te trek. Nie almal was ‘sleg’ nie, maar . . .
Ons moderne winkelhoender
verskil uiteraard hemelsbreed van sy vry weiende, plaaswerf geesgenoot – ‘n
direkte gevolg van ons immer honger, pal groeiende, globale bevolking. Ek
wonder hoeveel van ons jeug weet vandag hoe proe ‘n werklike plaaswerf hoender
en wie gaan almal hul neuse optrek vir die ‘wilde’, stinkerige ding op hul
borde? Dit daar gelaat.
Ek onthou my Pa se
vry lopende, werf Leghorns destyds op die plot buite Port Elizabeth nog deeglik.
In vergelyking is die moderne, pekelwater deurdrenkte, kettingwinkelhoender
maar flou en papperig in beide die smaak en tekstuur departemente. Tog het die nederige
winkelhoender ‘n onbedoelde voordeel bo-oor sy plaaswerf eweknie. Vandag se
winkelhoender is ‘n egalige, maagdelike seildoek waarop ‘n bekwame kok na
willekeur kwistig mag skilder met geure, aromas, teksture en tegnieke soos en
waar die muse hom of haar lei. ‘n Plaashoender is nie naastenby so buigsaam en
tegemoetkomend soos ‘n ‘voerband’ hoender nie.
‘n Verskeidenheid
TV kook en kosmaak programme het ons opgelei en bewus gemaak van die aard, style
en voorkeure van ander kulture se kos voorkeure. Die onlangse gewildheid van
die fusion cooking filosofie en praktyk is ‘n lewendige (en soms misplaaste)
bewys hiervan. Die gevolg? Ons doodgewone, vervelige ‘voerband’ hoender het in
die regte hande gevorder van ‘n bleeksiel tot ‘n metropolitaanse, wêreldwyse entiteit
waarvan die verhewendheid suiwer en volwaardig afhanklik is van die vernuf,
inspirasie en skeppingsdrang van die moderne metro-kok.
SuurKiep is my refleksie
op hierdie kreatiewe voordeel wat die nederige winkelhoender bied. Dit is
eenvoudig, dog kordaad en bevredig my versugting aan ‘n pikante, sitrus ondersteunde
geurigheid met flitse uitbundige kruierigheid sonder om die hoender fondament
totaal te vertrap. Bak en geniet!
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Resep lewer:
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Hoeveel tyd?:
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4 Porsies
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± 120 minute
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Spesiale Toerusting Benodig:
1 x Ziploc
styl sakkie
Bestandele:
|
|
|
|
Hoender stukke
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1.0
Kg
|
|
Suurlemoene, in dun skywe gesny
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2
|
|
|
|
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Marinade:
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|
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Suurlemoensap
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80
mL
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Robertsons gemengde kruie (Mixed Herbs)
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15
mL
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Wit suiker
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15
mL
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Robertsons fyn, gedroogde knoffel (Crushed Garlic)
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5
mL
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Sitroensuur
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5
mL
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Gedroogde salie
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5
mL
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Vars gemaalde swart peper
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2.5
mL
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Water
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±
60 mL
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|
|
|
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Sout
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10
mL
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Metode:
1. Meng al die marinade bestandele, behalwe die
sout, saam in ‘n glas mengbak. Roer goed deur totdat al die oplosbare
bestandele opgelos het.
2. Sny kepe in die hoenderstukke met ‘n
skerppunt nutsmessie vir doeltreffende marineering. 3 Kepe per stuk sal genoeg
wees.
3. Rangskik die helfte van die suurlemoen skywe
in ‘n laag onder in die plat ziploc
tipe sakkie. Plaas die hoenderstukke eweredig in een laag bo-op die suurlemoen
skywe. Pak die res van die skywe bo-oor die die hoender stukke.
4. Voeg die marinade by en druk soveel moontlik
lug uit die sak. Seël die sak en vou die oorblywende, leë deel van die sak in
onder die hoender bevattende deel. Draai die sak twee keer versigtig om en maak
seker al die stukke is deeglik bedek met marinade.
5. Verkoel die sak hoender in die yskas en
marineer 24 uur. Draai die sak af en toe om soos en waar jy onthou.
6. Dreineer die stukke en pak uit (velkant na
bo) op ‘n draadrak binne in ‘n oondpan. Strooi die sout oor aan altwee kante. Plaas
van die marinade se suurlemoen skywe op die stukke, indien verkies.
7. Bak onbedek vir 45 minute by 170°C in ‘n voorverhitte
konveksie oond of 55 minute by 180°C in ‘n gewone, statiese oond. Bedien
onmiddelik terwyl die velletjies bros is.
Kommentaar:
·
Indien haastig: marineer vir drie ure.
· Bedien saam met ‘n lewendige Chenin blanc of ‘n yskoue Gewürtztraminer
(hoe nader die kelder aan Kaappunt geleë is, hoe beter).
· Sitroensuur is beskikbaar in die bak en brou gedeelte van jou
voorstad kettingwinkel. Dit staan ook bekend as ‘lemon crystals’ by die vriendelike, Indiese speserye handelaar.
© RS Young, 2017
Lemon & Herb Oven
Baked Chicken
I have a great deal
of respect for the modern, mass produced chicken. I also harbor a deep and abiding
soft spot for it. We, the common city dwellers, realize maybe only partially
how far the living conditions of these ‘conveyer belt’ chickens (and their
peers: the battery, egg laying chicken) have improved over the past decade or
so. Sensational (and often gruesome) media exposé’s
have sensitized society sufficiently to force the industry to vastly improve
their practices. Of course, not all producers were ‘evil’, but still . . .
Naturally, our modern, mass produced chicken chickens differ significantly
from their free ranging, farm yard brethren – a direct consequence of our ever
hungry, constantly growing global population. I wonder how may of our present
day Youth knows what a real farm yard chicken tastes like and who will refuse
the ‘untamed’, smelly thing on their plates? Let’s leave it at that.
I still vividly recall my dad’s free ranging Leghorns at our plot on the
outskirts of Port Elizabeth. By comparison, the modern, brine infused, chain
store chicken is lacklustre and flabby in both the taste and texture
departments. Yet, the humble chain store chicken has an unintended advantage
over it’s farm yard brother. It is a uniform, blank artist’s canvas upon which
a talented cook may paint flamboyantly with flavours, aromas, textures and
techniques as and how the muse leads him or her. Ironically, farm yard chickens
are not nearly as flexible or accommodating in this respect as the much
maligned ‘conveyor belt’ chickens.
A variety of TV cookery and food preparation programmes have trained and
sensitized us to the nature, styles and preferences of other cultures’ culinary
practices. The recent interest in – and popularity of – the ‘fusion cooking’ philosophy and practice
is vivid proof of this phenomenon (however twisted it sometimes became). The
result? Our ordinary, boring ‘conveyor belt’ chicken has progressed from a
nerdish back roomer to a metropolitan, world wise entity of which the level of
elevation is purely and wholely dependant on the skill, inspiration and creative
urge of the modern metro cook.
Lemon & herb chicken is my reflexion of this advantage offered by
the humble, mass produced chicken. It is simple but bold, and satisfies my urge
for a tangy, citrus founded savouriness with flashes of exhuberant herbaceousness
without trampling the underlying poultry foundation. Bake and enjoy!
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Recipe yields:
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Total Time?:
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4 Portions
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± 120 minutes
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Special Equipment
Required:
1 x Ziploc style bag
Ingredients:
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|
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Chicken
pieces
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1.0 Kg
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Lemons,
cut into thin slices
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2
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Marinade:
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Lemon
juice
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80 mL
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Robertsons
Mixed Herbs
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15 mL
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White
sugar
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15 mL
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Robertsons
Crushed Garlic
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5 mL
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Citric
acid
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5 mL
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Dried sage
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5 mL
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Freshly
ground black pepper
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2.5 mL
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Water
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± 60 mL
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Salt
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10 mL
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Method:
1. Mix
all the marinade ingredients, except the salt, in a glass bowl. Mix well to
dissolve all the soluble components.
2. Use
a sharp, pointed, kitchen utility knife to cut slots into each peace of chicken
to allow the marinade to penetrate. Three slots per piece are sufficient.
3. Arrange
half of the lemon slices in a layer inside the Ziploc bag on its side.
Distribute the chicken pieces in one layer uniformly over the lemon slices.
Arrange the remaining lemon slices evenly on top of the layer of chicken
pieces.
4. Add
the marinade and squeeze as much as possible air out of the bag. Seal the bag
and fold the empty part carefully in under the filled end of the bag. Turn the
bag carefully over twice to make sure all the pieces are thoroughly covered
with marinade.
5. Put
the bag of marinating chicken in the refrigerator and marinate for 24 hours.
Turn over occasionally as and when you remember.
6. Drain
the pieces and arrange skin side up on a wire rack inside an oven pan. Sprinkle
the salt evenly on both sides. Arrange some of the marinade’s lemon slices on
top of the chicken pieces, if desired.
7. Bake
uncovered for 45 minutes at 170°C in a pre-heated convection oven or 55 minutes
at 180°C in a normal, static oven. Serve immediately while the skin is crisp.
Comments:
·
If in a hurry, marinate for at least three hours.
· Serve with a crisp Chenin Blanc
or an ice cold Gewürztraminer (the closer the cellar is situated to Cape Point,
the better).
· Citric acid is available in
the baking section of your neighborhood, franchise groceries store. It is also
known as ‘lemon crystals’ at the
friendly Indian spices dealer.
© RS Young, 2017
