Hey ... remember me?

Good! 'Cuz it's been a while and you may've thought I lost my way. But no, I just went off in another direction. A better direction. A tastier one...

Lessee...

Some time ago, I declared myself Officially Retired from public relations --  couldn't stand that stuff anyway -- and commenced my second career. Or third, if you count my stint in newspapers. But, whatever...

While PR and reporting/editing are related, the only thing my new phase has in common with newspapers is the Wednesday Food Section: I'm a Chef. And, despite the name of this blog, a damn good one. Though, like any professional: even a Master can create A Recipe for Disaster!

Over the past few years I've honed my craft as a culinary instructor, baker, caterer and sous chef  - or Sue Chef as I like to refer to myself. (Get it?) I've trained on the job, at the Culinary Institute of America, and through the best teacher of all, trial and error. 
For the most part, I make my dough selling cookies. Original Wild Cookies, Citrus-Herb Shortbreads, Snickerdoodles, chocolate ones, spicy ones, rose-infused ones, fruity Kouign Amanns, rugelach... 

For a time, Suzy's Wild Cookies were for sale at Whole Foods. And while I'm always looking for new places to sell them - lemme know if you have any ideas! - I'm happily peddling my wares via mail order and at the Montgomery Farmer's Market each Saturday from June through October.  

Shameless sales pitch ahead...

Order online at www.suzyswildcooking.com

I hafta say, building my own business has been incredibly rewarding...even if I'm still working on making it financially rewarding. Every step, I've taken on my own... from researching those silly UPC codes that are on everything you scan at the market to creating valid nutrition labels to developing the recipes (natch) and creating my website ...So yes, I'll say it, I'm rather proud of myself. Mostly because I learned I could rely on only myself. Not too shabby for a validation- and buyin-seeking person like me.

So there you have it. 

It's been an interesting few years since we last spoke - full of successes and disappointments - but I wouldn't change a thing... Well, maybe just one. But success rarely comes overnight!

To celebrate, here's a fabu Curried Marinade for Chicken... It makes enough for about eight chicken breasts, but if you marinate four - AND DON'T CROSS CONTAMINATE!!! - the rest makes a nice sauce for when it's cooked.

Details? 
Here goes:

-Into a blender (or bowl, if you're using an immersion blender) put:

• 3/4 C Plain Greek-style Yogurt
• 1 T Olive Oil
• 1 medium Shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 t Fresh Lime Juice
• 2 t Dried Oregano
• 1/2 t each ground
• Turmeric
• Sumac
• Cardamom
• Cumin
• Fenugreek
• 1/8 t Cayenne
• 1 t Kosher Salt
• 1/2 t Ground White Pepper

-Give it all a whirl until you have a paste. C'est tout!!
-Put half in another bowl (NO CROSS CONTAMINATION!!), and spread the rest on both sides of the chicken. (I like to pound the chicken breasts so they are uniformly thick and cook quickly.) Marinate covered for about an hour.
-Grill on high heat for the first side, then turn down to medium when you flip 'em.

Pairs well with a Martini...then again, doesn't everything?

Chicken 'n Waffles...Skillman Style

I'll be honest: I've never understood the whole thing about fried chicken served on a waffle. I mean, really! I get the concept of a lovely square of leavened fluffiness as a repository for fallen juices or sauce, but this? The waffle seems to be there to sop up the grease? Ew.

Still, I've been intrigued....wondering how I could be immune to such a classic pairing. So much so, that I could almost say I was haunted.

So it's safe to say the notion of waffles is rarely far from my mind when I crave fried chicken. Ah, but even during Passover, you say? YES!, I say: Passover fried chicken is wonderful. Under a crunchy coating of seasoned matzah meal lies juicy, flavorful chicken! And since it was Passover, I dip one and a half times, not my usual two.

But Pesachdik waffles? Truly, I'm not one to try to fit year-round food into this holiday's mold, so no Passover Pasta or Pastries or Pain Perdu 'round here. That can wait the eight days. I prefer to put the holiday into the food and this year, the muses gifted me with uncanny inspiration: Waffles made from the batter I use to make potato gnocchi (NO flour!) for the Seder. A silky mix of mashed potatoes, eggs and herbs...yum!

Now, I get Chicken 'n Waffles! They were light; they had flavor; they added something to the meal. A light drizzle of pure maple syrup and I was entering the Promised Land!

Details?
Here goes:

Matzah Meal Fried Chicken 

-Heat about an inch of canola oil in a large cast iron skillet to 350.
-Place 3 or so cups matzah meal, seasoned liberally with salt, freshly ground pepper, granulated garlic and smoked paprika in a dish suitable for dredging.
-In another, similar, dish mix 6 to 8 egg whites with about a half cup of hot sauce.
-Dip the chicken in the wet mixture then the dry and repeat the process with just the tops. Place on a wire rack over a baking pan to dry and set the crust. 
-Fry to a crispy golden brown - about 10 mins per piece - or until the internal temp reaches 170 and drain on another wire rack over another baking pan.
(These proportions should coat the parts of a whole chicken.)

Potato Waffles

-Boil 3 large baking potatoes that have been peeled and cubed in salted water until fork tender.

-Rice them (or mash 'em if you don't have a ricer) into a large bowl.

-Mix in 4 T butter, salt and ground black pepper, about a third cup minced fresh parsley, 2 finely chopped scallions, and 5 beaten eggs. The mixture should be rather 'gloppy.'

-Heat your waffle iron, and using those directions and a lot of spray oil, ladle in your mixture and crisp to perfection.

I have seen the light...and it is good! Enjoy this variation - at Pesach or any time of year!