Free Range on Food: All Things Chicken, plus Favorite Cabbage Recipes, Cornbread Mix, Sherry Vinegar and more

A chat with the Washington Post Food Section staff is a forum for discussion of all things culinary: food trends, recipes, ingredients, menus, gadgets and more. You can share your thoughts on the latest Food section, get suggestions from fellow cooks and food lovers, or swap old-fashioned recipes the new-fashioned way. The Food section staff goes Free Range on Food every Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET.

A transcript follows.

Transcripts of past chats

____________________

Joe Yonan: Greetings, Rangers, and welcome to today's chat, the place to be if you feel like chicken tonight. Remember that jingle, with the accompanying dance? We have Real Entertaining host David Hagedorn in the house to answer your poulet questions, while Mr. Gastronomer, Andreas Viestad, is expected any minute now to pop his head in the kitchen to discuss Thomas Keller, roast chicken and the imperfectly perfect. Send us your questions and we'll get to work. We'll also have giveaways: a book or two, plus a mixed six-pack or two of beers that have been featured in our Beer Madness tournament, for our favorite posts.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Great recipes today! I so want to make that easy roasted chicken with potatoes this weekend. About the fennel recipe--I'm making pork chops with whiskey sauce tonight and have a bulb of fennel I was going to saute with onion, but unfortunately I saw last night the onion went bad and tossed it. Do you think your saffron fennel recipe would work in a frying pan? Not that I'm an anti microwave snob, but I do like a nice browned edge that the microwave can't provide.

David Hagedorn: Yes, by all means saute the fennel in a frying pan. I'd toss the ingredients together in a resealable bag and let them sit for several minutes; that way, some of the moisture will be released and give the saffron a chance to permeate the sliced fennel. Leave the oil out of this part of the process and use it instead to saute the fennel in. Heat it to shimmering in your frying pan, then add the fennel and saute it for a few minutes until you achieve the texture you want.

_______________________

Low tech kitchen: How would you make the saffron fennel recipe if you didn't own a microwave? Thanks.

David Hagedorn: In a steam basket for 5-7 minutes.

_______________________

Chicken complaint: I know you guys are trying to come up with budget-easy ways to entertain, but then Mr. Hagedorn says we can't buy supermarket chicken, we have to find some locally produced boutique chicken to make it work. That seems to defeat the whole point of the story. I want to know how I can buy a regular chicken--or even better, chicken parts--and produce an impressive party dish, not drive out to the Virginia countryside for my bird.

David Hagedorn: Hi, complainer. Thanks for your comment. It's funny how people read things. I never said not to buy a supermarket chicken. In fact, the chickens I bought to refine today's recipes I bought at Giant and Whole Foods Market. They cost a little over ten dollars.

The point of the story was, basically, garbage in; garbage out. If you start with an inferior product, you wind up with one. If by regular chicken you mean one shot with preservatives and soaked with a water solution, I'm not the guy to tell you how to turn that into an impressive party dish.

Joe Yonan: We didn't have room for the following, but we'll get it up on the web page. In it, David explains more about chicken sourcing:

France's Bresse chickens are not exported to the United States, but an American version of the breed, Heritage Blue Foot Chicken, is available in frozen form by mail order from D'Artagnan, a purveyor of free-range, organic and heritage meats. (They're $21 for a 31/4- to 4-pound bird at www.dartagnan.com.)

For those who would rather buy local, perfectly delicious free-range organic chickens are available at Washington area farmers markets or can be bought directly from producers and at some large grocery stores.

Regular meat eaters might want to become a member of Polyface Farm's buying club. Polyface is in Swoope, Va., 150 miles south of Washington, but you can pre-order by e-mail and pick up meat every six weeks at designated locations closer to the city. (For more information, visit www.polyfacefarms.com or call Joel and Teresa Salatin at 540-885-3590.)

Large food stores also offer viable options. Whole Foods Market sells its own brand of all-natural chickens for $2.29 per pound and Bell and Evans organic chickens for $3.29 a pound. The distinction they make is that the former is grain-fed and the latter grass-fed. Both are antibiotic- and growth hormone-free and are never shipped frozen.

_______________________

New England: Hi - I loved the article on Keller and roast chicken today; I thought the comments on method, history, expectations and sourcing were fascinating... and they made me want to write in about a different meat: I bought grass-fed beef tenderloin at my farmer's market last week and cooked it last night. Unless you persuade me otherwise: never ever ever again! I did my research and I know you have to cook it gently and briefly to get a nice medium-rare. But even doing so, and even with a nice red-pink blush, this baby was tough. I mean stop all conversation and chew till your jaw hurts tough. It cost tenderloin money, but it was stew-meat chewy. The flavor didn't seem any meatier or better, and the texture was so darn disappointing. I thought this would be like buying a free-range chicken where the taste is just fabulous, but no way... so: do you want to persuade me otherwise or is it back to marbled grain-fed beef for me?

Andreas Viestad: I am note sure what was the problem with the beef you bought but I suspect that it had more to do with how it had been matured than with the fact that it was grass-fed. Grass fed meat tends to be more healthy, the animal is happier and the flavor is better. But all this is not worth too much if it is not matured.

_______________________

Rockville, Md.: Hi Free Rangers.

Submitting early b/c I'll be in a meeting. Loved the roast chicken article. Comfort food indeed!! In fact, I roasted up a chicken earlier this week for just that reason.

I want to use the rest of the chicken in something for dinner tonight, but am lacking in inspiration. Don't really care what type of cuisine as we are adventuresome eaters & like pretty much all flavors & styles. Spicy is ok, but non spicy works just as well. Only allergy issue is shellfish, so that shouldn't be too hard to work around.

I've got a decently well-stocked kitchen, so I have most of the basics/staples, and I do have to stop at the grocery store for milk anyway, so I can pick up anything I don't already have. Do any of you have any ideas, suggestions, or go-to recipes?

Thanks!!

David Hagedorn: Hey, Rockville:

I turned my chicken-in-a-pot experiments into:

A: a quick soup with lots of veggies over ramen noodles

B: a stir-fry. I started with garlic, red onions, shiitakes, carrots,hot peppers, then added the pulled chicken. I reheated the left over sauce with a couple of tablespoon of hoisin and then added that to my sauteed items. Then I added rice noodles and topped it off with chopped peanuts, scallions, and cilantro. It was a whole new dish.

C: A casserole. I added the chicken to mac n'cheese, topped it with panko I browned in a little butter. A nice salad on the side.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: I just wanted to double-check that in the recipe for Gastronomer Roast Chicken and Potatoes, the oven temperature remains at 425 degrees throughout; that seems on the high side. In the other Dill-Scented Chicken recipe the oven is reduced to 350 degrees.

Andreas Viestad: Taking my lead from Thomas Keller I roasted my chicken at 425 throughout and the result was great. But I suggest checking that it does not burn - there is a great deal of variation between different ovens.

The Dill-Scented Chicken is one of my old favorites but it has less of the deep, roasted flavor of Keller's chicken.

_______________________

cooking cabbage: I find cabbage cheap to buy, but difficult to make tasty. I know it goes in soups and slaws, but how can I make an actual meal out of cabbage? It seems one of those boring, bland veggies that should have just stayed back in WWII. How can I make a tasty meal out of cabbage? Is there any sauces that would accentuate its flavor or method of cooking that doesn't make it turn gray?

Bonnie Benwick: Do Cabbage and Noodles, Asian-Style Cabbage Slaw, Cabbage Latkes or Cabbage Shepherd's Pie sound enticing? They're all in our Recipe Finder database.

Chatters, what main-course cabbage strategies do you have?

Bonnie Benwick: Oh man, and there's the kimchi experience...

_______________________

Alexandria: I have a few boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix that I am trying to use up - but my husband and I are sick of cornbread!! Any good ideas for using it up?? Thanks so much!

Bonnie Benwick: Well, you could make a box and use it for today's Dinner in Minutes recipe, or you can try some of these tips from Washington cookbook author Lisa Yockelson (who wrote about just this issue in July 2007): To an 8.5-ounce box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, you can add any of the following:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (alone or with other additions, including cheese, berries and herbs)

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup freshly scraped corn kernels sauteed in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, tossed with 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, and cooled

2 tablespoons chopped herbs, such as a mix of parsley leaves, thyme and oregano (but not rosemary or sage, which would be too pungent)

2/3 cup blueberries, picked over and tossed with 2 teaspoons of the corn muffin mix; lightly stir in the berries during the final few stirs of mixing

2 strips good smoked bacon, fried until crisp, then crumbled

1/4 cup finely diced green, yellow or red bell pepper, sauteed in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and cooled

3 tablespoons minced onion, sauteed in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for about 3 minutes, until glossy, and cooled

Joe Yonan: Here's Lisa's piece, fyi.

_______________________

Detroit, Mich.: I loved the roasted chicken article today. I've had some decent results with roasting in the oven, but am wondering if I can do a "roast chicken" on the gas grill? I have recipes for taking the backbone out, laying the chicken flat on the grill and cooking, but is there a way of seasoning/stuffing the chicken and somehow cooking it whole on the grill?

Andreas Viestad: Yes, I cook a whole chicken on the grill as often as I can. I have never seen the point of removing the backbone. I just cut it along the back and butterfly it.

If you want to cook it whole on the grill it is a little more difficult but if your grill has a lid and you place the chicken to the side it works well. Turn it often and don't leave it unattended for long. I wouldn't stuff it. That will demand more cooking time and you may risk a seriously overcooked chicken in order for the stuffing to cook, too. This is the problem with all stuffing.

_______________________

Philadelphia, Pa.: Oh, thank goodness you're here! And the article on chicken for company was perfectly timed for me, since tonight I'm making chicken for company.

My question is about cooking times when doubling a recipe... the recipe I'm using cooks one quartered chicken in the oven for 40 minutes total, 2 stints of 20 minutes with some flipping and rejiggering in between. We've got 8 people coming so I picked up 2 cut-up chickens instead. What am I mostly likely looking at -- 2 stints of 30 min apiece instead of 2 stints of 20, maybe? The chicken gets spread out on a single layer on a baking sheet skin-side down, then flipped over into a roasting pan on top of some flatbread and onions. The end of the first phase in the recipe only says "when brown and crisp", no temperature or anything to check for.

I don't want the chicken to be ready half an hour before everyone arrives, but I certainly don't want it still pink in the middle half an hour after we've finished our apps!

So... can you help?

David Hagedorn: I think you're on the right track, Philly. I would do the browning part for thirty minutes, and I'd do that ahead of time. That way you can deglaze that pan and get those good juices AND clean up the messy pan way before company comes. Then put it on your flatbread/onions, cover, and refrigerate. Take it out of the fridge before your guests come so it doesn't go into the oven cold. (an alternative to that first step would be to brown the pieces in a saute pan instead.) For the second roasting, start with twenty minutes, then take a temp. (155 is good.) If it needs more time, give it another ten and check again. Remember to let the chicken rest several minutes before serving.

_______________________

Joe Yonan: We interrupt this chat to bring you BIG NEWS! All you users of our fabulous Recipe Finder, we have added a new feature that we can't wait for you to try. (((drumroll here))) Yes, at long last -- thanks for your patience -- you can now add your own ratings (a star system) and comments reviewing recipes. Make that cheddar and apple soup, or those mahogany short ribs, and tell your friends -- heck, tell the world -- what you thought of the recipe. We hope this becomes a vibrant part of our interaction with readers, so please spread the word to anybody you know who wants a great recipe resource that this one just got a lot more useful.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Great timing on the roast chicken recipes -- I've got a chicken in the fridge to roast tonight! I was hoping to not make a last-minute run to the grocery store, and to minimize cleaning, so I was wondering:

Can I just throw some quartered veggies (potatoes, carrots, onions) in a roasting pan, rub down the chicken with a bit of oil and lots of herbs and spices, and set it on top of the veggies? No butter, no trussing, no rack, no precooking? I'm a newbie when it comes to roasting chicken but I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible without ruining an expensive organic chicken!

Andreas Viestad: Veggies in a roasting pan is easy and tasty. Or just bread and mustard. You don't have to truss the chicken. But I would never skip the butter.

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: I'm having trouble finding free range chickens at the farmer's markets right now - is there a vendor I'm missing? The ones at the grocery stores (WF not withstanding) are always tiny and I prefer to get my meat from a farmer anyway. Arlington, Falls Church, and Dupont are the markets that I can get to this weekend.

Joe Yonan: Eco-Friendly Farms often has whole chickens, and Sunnyside does, too, sometimes. Those are both at Dupont. Other chatters, what have you seen?

_______________________

changing recipes: What's the best course of action when a restaurant changes their recipe, and you feel it's for the worse? Do you tell your server, or the host, or would you recommend trying to get in touch with the manager? One of my formerly favorite places has been reducing their vegetarian options and changing recipes like it is their mission to drive away non-meat eating clientele.

David Hagedorn: As a former restaurateur, I can assure you that it is no businessperson's mission to drive away customers of any sort. I suggest calling and speaking to the chef directly, expressing your opinion in a constructive, supportive manner. By the way, the best time to call is 2:30. Lunch is over and dinner service still seems far away.

_______________________

Reston, Va.: Is there anywhere in this area that I can get real Polish-style pierogi, stuffed with farmers' cheese rather than potatoes?

Bonnie Benwick: The Kielbasa Factory in Rockville has quite the selection, of which many kinds include farmer's cheese ($5.5--$6 per dozen; call 240-453-9090). Also, the German Gourmet in Falls Church (703-534-1908) might carry them, too -- just can't get past their currently very busy busy signal!

_______________________

Wine question: Question for your wine columnist: I recently went to a restaurant that keeps the wine it sells by the glass on a rolling cart, with the bottles loosely corked. For all I know, that wine has sat on that cart for days or more and is no longer at top quality. What is your advice--just order a glass? Ask for a new bottle to be opened? Order a bottle and take the rest home (not really what I want to do)?

Joe Yonan: Dave McIntyre sez:

"This is a common concern with wines by the glass, especially if you happen to be indulging at lunch or early in the dinner shift. The key is turnover - if you see that cart going regularly from table to table and people are buying a lot of wine by the glass, chances are the wines have been recently opened. Feel free to ask how long a bottle has been opened. If you're at the bar or the cart is by your table, the waiter might be able to pour you a small taste to see if the wine meets your approval. If you do get a glass that's a dud (as in, it tastes tired and the fruit seems faded), ask for a repour from a new bottle.

"Many restaurants use preservation and dispensing systems designed to keep opened wines fresh using inert gases and proper temperature control. Proof, Sonoma, Redwood, and EVO Bistro come to mind."

_______________________

garlic!!!: I LOVE garlic and have always wanted to make chicken with 40 cloves of garlic. This is usually done on the stove with chicken parts, is there a way of doing the garlic thing with a roast chicken? Perhaps stuff the garlic cloves in the cavity or under the skin? I know roasting the garlic will mellow it out, but will it still be too overpowering?

Andreas Viestad: It really depends on the garlic. If it is nice and fresh and with no trace of green shoots then all the pungency is transformed to sweetness.

_______________________

cabbage suggestions: Braise braise braise! Molly Stevens' book All About Braising has a couple of fabulous cabbage recipes in it. One that's mostly cabbage, one with crispy prosciutto, and one with St. Marcellin cheese on top. The other thing I do, which I might have also gotten from that book, is to cook the cabbage down and brown some pork chops, then put the cabbage in the pan I browned the pork chops in and nestle the chops on top, then cook that on very low heat for another 10-15 minutes. Gets the cabbage all nice and porky, and it's especially good if you put some caraway seeds and mustard in.

Also be sure to try Savoy cabbage, I find it much milder and softer than the regular pale green kind. Doesn't stink up the house quite as much either.

Joe Yonan: I love that book. My Cooking for One column next week features an adaptation from it.

_______________________

Re: cabbage: If you eat meat, there's also stuffed cabbage leaves. Mmmm.....

Joe Yonan: ..... mmmmmmm .......

_______________________

Falls Church, Va.: Recently there were articles in the New York Times chronicling the overuse of Antibiotics in pork farming and the resultant medical dangers, in particular methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The article went on to mention that legislation limiting the use of antibiotics in CAFO farming is being drawn up, again. It has been before and always killed by the agri-lobby.

My question is; Do you see this legislation (or any similar in spirit) getting any traction now or in the near future, considering the increased interest in the "slow food" movement and sustainable agriculture?

washingtonpost.com: Pathogens in Our Pork (New York Times, March 14)

Jane Black: The legislation was introduced yesterday by Rep. Louise Slaughter (the only microbiologist in Congress). For those of you unfamiliar with it, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2009 seek to prevent factory farms from using antibiotics unless animals are sick. (Low dosages of antibiotics are currently given to animals on factory farms to prevent infection and make them grow faster.)

I have no crystal ball for Congress. And though I'd like to think that it has a chance, it seems doubtful. The agri-lobby is extremely powerful and eliminating antibiotics would mean changing the way that they raise animals entirely and, at least in the short term, cut profits. It seems unlikely that Congress will take on that fight in a downturn. And the Obama administration is already locked in a battle with Big Ag over subsidies known as direct payments. All indications are that these guys are fighting hard to resist any changes.

That said, if it's something you're concerned about -- and it is very worrying -- you should certainly contact your representatives in Washington.

_______________________

Colorado: I am writing in to see if there is any way to make homemade ice cream less fattening. I use 2 cups cream to 1 cups milk currently. I have tried using 1/2 and 1/2 but it turns out icy. Do you have any tricks? Thank!

Joe Yonan: The best way to make homemade ice cream less fattening is to make ... frozen yogurt, sorbet or perhaps kulfi. Seriously. I'm not trying to avoid your question, but rather want to encourage you to seek out other fantastic frozen desserts that by their very nature are less fatty than traditional ice cream, rather than trying to force the traditional thing to go against its nature! Check out this mango kulfi recipe, for instance. Easy, to boot.

_______________________

Vienna: I have a question somewhat related to roasting chicken (which looks delicious!).

What is the best way to cook boneless chicken breasts in the oven? I like to buy those bags of individual frozen breasts or tenderloins at the store. I usually cook them over the stove but I'd like to try something with less splatters (I also tend to get them too brown on the outside) and hopefully healthier.

What time/temperature? Should I cover them or add any liquid? Are there any modifications for the tenderloins aside from less cooking time?

Thank you!

Andreas Viestad: The problem with chicken breast is that it doesn't taste much... When it is not covered by its skin baking in the oven is not ideal.

I normally fry it in a pan in a little butter. If you want a really simple sauce then you can add a little cream and wine and perhaps a little mustard to the pan. It is simple and delicious.

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: Joe - forgot to ask you this a couple of weeks ago, but that "I'm now the Cooking for One columnist..." article screamed out to me like a singles ad! Have you gotten any inquiries from readers? ;)

Joe Yonan: Ha! Not exactly along those lines, but a guy can always dream, can't he?

_______________________

20016: I have a cooking question and can't seem to get a straight answer! I know you guys will know. I'm having a Spanish-themed dinner party next week with paella, ajo blanco, etc. I need sherry vinegar. 1. What's the difference between sherry vinegar, sherry wine, and sherry wine vinegar? I'm so confused. and 2. Has anyone seen it locally? I've tried Whole Foods, Safeway, and Giant without any luck. Thank you!

Joe Yonan: Sherry vinegar and sherry wine vinegar are the same thing: They're vinegar made from sherry. Sherry is the fortified wine from Spain. I usually buy mine mail order, from La Tienda. Any chatters seen it at a brick-and-mortar around here lately?

_______________________

Arlington, Va. S: I'm a little perplexed by the attitude taken at the beginning of the roasted chicken article. It had never crossed my mind that people didn't consider chicken good enough to serve to guests...

I'm not one to host a lot of dinner parties, but I do have friends over for dinner every couple of weeks and it seems like no matter what it is, if it is well made, it's appreciated. In this light, the angle that asks why would somebody want to be served something that they could make at home doesn't seem valid to me. Plus, it makes it hard to explain why so many people will eat pasta at restaurants.

When I have guests over I vary between simple (homemade pizza, soups, casseroles) and fancy (I've been playing with a Torta Pasquale recently so I'm ready when Easter comes around).

Anyhow, don't mean to complain, it's really just an observation, but I would appreciate your thoughts on the matter.

David Hagedorn: I totally agree with you, Arlington, but there are plenty of folks out there who don't. Which reminds me of the story of how I first learned the lesson about keeping things simple.

Years ago, the summer before I went to Paris for my junior year away from Georgetown, I cooked for a family. It turned out that Mr. Kingsbury-Smith was VP of the Hearst Corporation, so the KS's, as I called them, regularly entertained dignitaries.

Well, the French ambassador was coming for dinner and I started making all kinds of fancy things as try-out dishes: veal Prince Orloff, tournedos Rossini, etc., but nothing seemed quite right. One Sunday, Mrs. KS called me from their Middleburg farm to say they were coming home early and would I mind making dinner. The fancy market where I shopped for them was closed and I told them they'd have to settle for pot-luck. I had left a whole poached chicken in their fridge, despite the interdiction against keeping leftovers. (I had poached the chicken for stock for soup, but could not bring myself to throw out a perfectly good chicken.) So dinner that night was chicken fricassee and dumplings.

"Oh, this is marvelous!" exclaimed Mrs. KS. "We'll have this for the French ambassador. He gets all that fancy stuff all the time. This is fresh, so American, so basic."

Of course she was right. It was a good lesson to learn: modesty generally trumps extravagance.

_______________________

Colesville, Md.: What perfect timing. I just roasted a chicken last night. The question I have is that I cook for two and we always have so much left over. I think this is because I always buy a roaster. Should I pick up a smaller fryer intead? My market also has stewers but I stay away from these. What is the difference?

Andreas Viestad: I think one of the pleasures of using a big bird is that there is enough left for the next day. If you are are worried about waste, go for a smaller bird.

_______________________

Richmond: someone asked a few weeks ago about ideas for leftover pickle juice. I just saw a recipe using it as a marinade for pork chops. I haven't tried it yet, but it's on my list!

Joe Yonan: And now mine.

_______________________

Providence, R.I.: Joe, you've put the Chicken Tonight jingle in my head for good ...

Don't know if your grocery stores have this, but up here it's possible to get organic whole chickens (and other meats) at Stop & Shop and Shaw's grocery chains, who have their own organic lines of products -- good quality and cheaper than Whole Foods (or as a friend calls it, "whole paycheck.")

Joe Yonan: Yes, it is. And I've never heard that WF joke before ... ;-)

_______________________

Annandale, Va.: I love the story on the roasted chicken. I would like to share the way my mother taught me for my first Thanksgiving contribution back 15 years ago. Rinse, S&P and spices as you wish, cook covered in foil until chicken is tender at 350F (it will depend on how big the chicken is). Uncover, brush a little butter and raise the temp to 425 until golden brown.

I might have to invite family to dinner this weekend.

Andreas Viestad: You should definitely invite them.

Thank you for your recipe!

_______________________

Sherry vinegar : what about Trader Joe's? call them

Joe Yonan: Oh, yes -- I have seen it in the past at the Trader. Thanks!

_______________________

Too much cabbage in Germantown: I wish I could've joined a cabbage-share to make my St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage. I have about 2/3 of a head of cabbage left to use and few ideas beyond coleslaw (and it's not really the season for that). Do you have any ideas for me?

Joe Yonan: We sure do. Check out Stephanie Sedgwick's 2007 ode to cabbage, with recipes attached.

_______________________

Arlington: By matured does Andreas mean aged?

Joe Yonan: Yep.

_______________________

Chicken Wing Question: I marinated wings in lime juice and chili seasoning and grilled on a charcoal grill. The wings were good, but seemed to lack something. Is there something else I should have added? Thanks.

Joe Yonan: I'd have to know the exact nature of your "chili seasoning" to be sure, since those mixes can be so variable, but I'd say some garlic, salt and/or fish sauce would deepen the flavor.

_______________________

chicken simplicity: Mr.Hagedorn and/or Mr.Viestad: Thank you for your fine writing on and great recipes based on whole chickens--no more supermarket rotisserie chickens for us! Breast meat still has to be our quick and easy dinner chicken, however. My favorite topping is a mixture of mango chutney, orange marmalade and sour cream. What three ingredients (no spices) would you suggest?

Andreas Viestad: Simplicity can be even simpler: I like to use a combination of Dijon mustard and honey, or tarragon and mustard.

David Hagedorn: Buttermilk (for soaking), panko (for breading), and lemon (for squeezing.) I love a simple breaded cutlet.

_______________________

Cornish game hens: Have any of you had success with roasting small cornish game hens? I haven't tried, but my husband loves the tiny birds. Do you have a favorite recipe?

Andreas Viestad: I have had success using cornish hens. I use the same recipe as in today's paper but with shorter cooking time.

Joe Yonan: Check out my Mini Roast Chicken recipe from a couple months back. I made it in the toaster oven, but you could do it in the regular one if need be.

_______________________

for the ice cream chatter: Milk will always make an icier ice cream than 1/2 and 1/2 or cream, but there are some recipes that help you get around in. In The Perfect Scoop, for example, there's a great banana ice cream made with milk. I assume the roasted pureed bananas help make the stuff creamier. I'd look for recipes that call for milk instead of trying to alter ones with heavier dairy products.

Adding a couple of tablespoons of alcohol also helps things stay less icy.

Or, make sorbet.

Joe Yonan: Indeed!

_______________________

RE: Sherry vinegar: I believe I bought some from Wegman's.

washingtonpost.com: Rodman's might also be worth a look! - Elizabeth

Joe Yonan: Thanks!

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Okay, so Whole Foods sells a chicken that is grain fed and one that is grass fed and they are both antibiotic free (growth hormones are not used in chickens so need for them to say that). BUT the chicken that is grain fed is exposed to pesticides from the grain, unless the grain is organic, yes?

Andreas Viestad: They are only allowed to call it organic if the feed is organic.

Having raised chickens I would doubt that they would be very happy on grass alone, and also whether they would put on enough weight. So the grass fed chicken is worth investigating.

_______________________

Colorado, again: To follow up on the ice cream question, I have tried making frozen yogurt but am not sure if it turned out correctly. It never increased in volume when churning. I tried freezing it and mainly it was like I just frozen yogurt straight from the container. Is this right? Could it be I didn't have enough yogurt in my ice cream maker?

Joe Yonan: Are you using strained or Greek-style yogurt? If not, you should. It won't really increase in volume, but it'll be nice and creamy.

_______________________

Richmond, Va.: Novice cook here - can you do the roast chicken recipe with chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken? If so, would you do anything differently? I pulled some chicken breasts out of the freezer this morning, and your recipe looks so good I'd like to try it tonight!

Andreas Viestad: I am afraid the flavor will not be the same with chicken breasts. This is the part of the bird with the least flavor, especially if the skin is removed. I would fry it in a pan in stead, dredged in a little flour and seasoned generously.

_______________________

Arlington: For the person ISO sherry vinegar, Harris Teeter sells at least 3 brands of it.

Joe Yonan: Great. Many options now!

_______________________

cabbage crepes: My Hungarian father taught me to make cabbage palacsinta (palacsinta are basically crepes). You saute the cabbage out of all existence - you really want it to be cooked beyond all reason. Mix cabbage into your favourite crepe batter and make the crepes. You can serve with apple sauce and sour cream. I like a mix of different apples to make my apple sauce.

Joe Yonan: Nice!

_______________________

Silver Spring: A guy at the Kensington farmer's market sold lots of interesting vinegars, including Sherry vinegar, last year. Haven't been this year yet if the market is even going yet.

Joe Yonan: Wow, really? Very cool. Btw, I'm on Twitter and am hoping to set up a network of fellow Twits who'll exchange on-the-spot sighting information from farmers markets this season. Would y'all be into that?

_______________________

D.C.: Hooray on the ratings in the recipe database, I asked about this a long time ago and is one of my favorite features of online recipes.

I had asked last week about a recipe for the pumpkin muffins at Firehook, any progress?

Bonnie Benwick: Oh, glad you're back! Firehook doesn't release its recipes. So we're going to taste and figure something out on our own. See you next week?

_______________________

Haastown: Total avocado novice here. I picked out a hardish avocado at the store and put it in a bag on the counter to ripen, and I think it's almost ready. Does the little stem nubbin on top have any effect on whether it ripens? I thought I heard it played some role, like it doesn't start ripening til you pull the stem out, or... I don't know. I need some avocado education!

Bonnie Benwick: When the avocado's ripe, the stem comes off rather easily. But best to tell by softly yielding flesh beneath the skin.

_______________________

Chili Lime Chicken Wings Again: I felt lazy and just used a jar of pre-mixed chili seasonings.

Joe Yonan: Is it salted?

_______________________

random 'things are called' facts: Did you know that Cornish Game Hens are called Guinea Fowl in the UK ... and rutabaga called swede and arugula is rocket ... . I'd better stop now.

Joe Yonan: Why stop? What exactly are you afraid of saying?

_______________________

Beer Me: I don't think the epicenter of craft brewing has shifted eastward. There are many excellent craft breweries out west, still, but it is very hard to get their beer out this direction. Even for the larger craft breweries, like New Belgium, they have a limited range in which you can get them (which is why when I went to visit my sister in St. Louis over Thanksgiving, I came back with about $250 worth of beer in my trunk). The smaller ones are usually only available locally. Also, bottled beer tastes vastly different from beer on tap. Big Sky Brewing's Moose Drool is one of my favorite beers, but only if I can get it on tap. In a bottle, I can take it or leave it. It doesn't even taste like the same beer.

Joe Yonan: You're angling for that beer giveaway, aren't you? Are you local?

_______________________

Reston, Va.: Thanks for the chicken information--it can be really hard to make chicken interesting.

My question has to do with slow-cookers and chicken. I made a tortilla soup in my slow cooker this week that called for me to just toss in raw chicken breasts and shred them before serving the soup. I did and it was tasty, but I found the chicken oddly dry (considering it had been submerged in liquid all day long). Is there anything I can do to make it a little more moist? Should I use thighs instead of breast meat? Thank you!

David Hagedorn: I think slow-cooking chicken for hours and hours is always going to be an issue. Thigh meat will hold up better. I'd poach the chicken separately, shred it and add it to the soup a few minutes before serving.

_______________________

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves: For the love of my Polish family, please, it's golumpki, NOT stuffed cabbage leaves!

For the pierogi person, pierogi is startling EASY to make (we have a pierogi-fest every year around Thanksgiving and freeze smaller batches to have throughout the year). The dough is basically just water and flour (easy to pull together in a stand mixer) and you can customize your filling, though we go the traditional potato route.

Joe Yonan: Is it golumpki even if you're not Polish, or in your ever-loving Polish family? ;-)

_______________________

Hush piggies!: I just loved the name of this recipe! And such a great idea. My question: Can I use turkey sausage?

Bonnie Benwick: You sure could, but I'd make sure it was seasoned with a little sage or something.

_______________________

I love cabbage!: I'm of Slavic heritage and cook with cabbage all the time - I love it! Some of my favorite traditional recipes include haluski (saute cabbage in butter with onion, salt and pepper and add cooked egg noodles) and stuffed cabbage (Steam a head of cabbage, sidenote, I like savoy cabbage, in a pot with vinegar for ten minutes. Remove the leaves and cut off the tough stem portion at the bottom. In a separate bowl, mix lean ground beef, salt, pepper, paprika and uncooked rice. Add a couple tablespoons of the meat rice mixture to each cabbage leaf, and roll the leaves up tightly. Submerge in a mixture of stock and diced tomatoes and simmer until rice is cooked).

You can also add cabbage as a filler to your favorite soup...I add some to a beef/mushroom/barley soup for a nice added texture and flavor. It makes a great side dish too...saute some up with sliced apples, apple cider vinegar, caraway seeds, oil, salt and pepper and serve with pork chops. Yum!

Bonnie Benwick: See? Cabbage and noodles. And more. Thanks.

_______________________

Charleston, S.C.: The articles today were wonderful. I still like leaving my chicken uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to help make the skin crisper, because I am a skin addict. Other than that, go Thomas Keller.

I'm surprised, however, that there weren't obvious drools after reading David's brilliant redux of Peach cobbler. What genius to think of changing the easy ingredients to make a dessert with more of that buttery crust. Kudos to David.

I am jealous I didn't get to try that barbecue, the shrimp cakes and the hush puppies you tasted in Charleston. You must have gained a few pounds.

Now, does anyone have a good lamb soup recipe? I have some lamb chunks I just pulled out from the freezer and there is not one on the website. If not, I'll send in a recipe next week for one.

Best, Nathalie

Bonnie Benwick: Is this the Divine Ms. Dupree? Yes, pounds were gained. We've got lamb and sweet potato stew but not the soup. We will research!

_______________________

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves again..: For you, Joe, we'll make you an honorary Pole!

Joe Yonan: I'm not sure how to take that... but thanks!

_______________________

Cabbage idea: After our St. Patrick's corned beef & cabbage (and potatoes and carrots), I chopped and sauteed all the leftovers in butter to make a hash-like dish. I say "hash-like" because there was very little beef left and I think most hashes start with raw potatoes. Pretty tasty!

Bonnie Benwick: We are with you.

_______________________

I LOVE CABBAGE!: Best, most crowd pleasing cole slaw for using up cabbage: Southern-style no-mayo vinaigrette type. Really easy.

Shred cabbage using the slicer disk on a food processor. For each small to medium cabbage, shred one medium onion and one green pepper using the shredding disk. Layer the veg in a big bowl but don't stir. On the stove, bring to a boil for each cabbage: 1 cup cider vinegar, 2/3 cup canola oil, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tsp salt. Pour the boiling dressing over the veg. Refrigerate overnight. Then stir the next day. Yummmm!!

Joe Yonan: Delish.

_______________________

Charleston, S.C.: One more thing about the person who wrote in about the grass-fed beef tenderloin. I once was chef of a restaurant in Majorca, Spain. The tenderloins were huge -- I always suspected they came from bulls slaughtered in the ring -- surrounded with layers of yellow fat -- but once cooked they were tender, tender. I hot roast a tenderloin -- peel it, rub it with butter or oil, or maybe coat it in mustard, rosemary and oil, and cook at 425. I start with 25 minutes and test regularly until it gets to 135, when I remove it to rest and let the temperature get up to 140. The smaller pieces of the tenderloin turn out medium well done and the middle just right - that way there is something for everyone.

Bonnie Benwick: We're figuring this is you again, Ms. Nathalie?

_______________________

sherry vinegar: I bought a bottle at Litteri, the cramped Italian market off Fla-NY Aves. It is about 10 oz, imported from Spain, and cost maybe $8. Excellent stuff, and far more costly than actual sherry I use in Chinese cooking (Gallo, I think).

Joe Yonan: More sources for sherry than you can shake a stick at.

_______________________

Alexandria, Va.: Please help me find a non-dairy cake and icing recipe?

Joe Yonan: How bout Cookies 'N' Cream Cupcakes?

_______________________

Joe Yonan: Well, you've carved us up for company, so you know what that means -- we're done! Thanks for the great questions, as usual, and thanks to David and Andreas for helping us out with them.

And now for the giveaways: The chatter who asked about making the Hush Piggies with turkey sausage will get "Hominy Grill Recipes" -- autographed and everything. And the one who insisted that the epicenter of craft brewing had definitely not shifted will get one of Greg Kitsock's mixed six-packs of beers featured in Beer Madness. Send your mailing and contact information to food@washpost.com. (For the beer, pickup -- and an ID check -- will be required.)

Until next week, happy eating, reading, drinking and cooking (not necessarily in that order).

P.S. See you on Twitter and on Facebook! (Look for me on the former and the WaPo Food section on the latter.)

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.