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A Kosher Epiphany

Photo by MICHELLE BAKER

Usher in Hanukkah with a kosher pan-roasted chicken breast recipe for this very special holiday.

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By GREG and MICHELLE BAKER

Tribune correspondents

Published: December 16, 2008

In our other life, the superhero personal chef side, we're asked to do more than a few things that we've never done before. No matter how outside our level of comfort, the answer is always the same: "Yes, we can."

Can you do a pig roast for 150 people? "Yes, we can."

Can you teach a class on how to make authentic Thai food? "Yes, we can."

You see, nothing is impossible and nothing is out of reach with the right amount of research and planning. We've pulled off culinary miracles, climbing from neophytes to experts in a matter of days, which brings us to this week's little story.

About a year ago, we answered a call to do a kosher dinner for eight people with the same pat answer: "Yes, we can." Then, we stood there like those poor proverbial deer in the headlights. Sure, Greg had done kosher parties in the past, but as a sous chef in a large restaurant with the facilities to handle those occasions. But as sous, he was never the one calling all the shots.

This could be fixed. We called rabbis, kosher food experts and friends, and pored over Internet info. And then we got really confused.

Kosher laws are strict. (We're not even going to pretend to explain them with any type of authority.) And there is no standard on kosher labeling of products. Symbols of kosher labeling can be almost anywhere on a package and can vary widely, from K's inside of triangles and stars, to U's within a circle, to almost 50 other symbols.

We looked at each other and panicked. Was this to be the first time we fell short on a commitment?

Greg went to the kitchen and made a cup of coffee to stew on it. While grabbing the sugar package, he noticed the U within a circle symbol on the side. It was one of those moments where a light bulb not only clicks on, but also literally blinds a body. Tearing apart the spice cabinet, he started finding kosher symbols on almost every container. Nuts? They were there, too. Kosher became quite easy in a matter of seconds. Half of what we cook is kosher, aside from using the proper utensils and kosher meat. So, yes, we were able to prepare this dinner without a hitch.

Sundown tonight marks the beginning of Hanukkah, so we thought we'd give a big friendly "Heyyy!" to all you Chosen readers out there, along with a kosher recipe for this very special holiday — with the proper dose of Sherpa-tude, of course.

PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST WITH GINGER GASTRIQUE AND RED GRAPES

(Gastrique is just a fancy French term for sweet and sour sauce.)

Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (Kosher, of course.)

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon sugar

18-24 red grapes, cut in half longwise (green will work, too)

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Season the chicken breasts well on both sides with salt and pepper, then heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sear the chicken breasts for about 4 minutes per side, getting them nicely browned. Put the chicken on a baking sheet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes in a pre-heated 350-degree oven to finish cooking.

While the chicken is in the oven, add the ginger to the sauté pan and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and white wine vinegar to the pan, and scrape all of the nice brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. By this time, the sugar and vinegar will have combined into a syrup. Add the sliced grapes and just toss them to coat. Remove from the heat and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Pull the chicken out of the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes before serving, and top it with the sauce and grapes.

Check out the Sherpas' Web site, www.cooksncompany.com, or their blog, www.culinarysherpas.com.

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