THE ULTIMATE MARRY-ME MEALS

For the Prep

Begin by preparing the sauce ingredients.

Combine red miso paste, black vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sugar, and chili crisp in a small bowl. Whisk until homogeneous.

Chop, peel, and slice garlic cloves, ginger, and scallions as directed in the ingredients list. Reserve and chop the scallion whites for later use.

Grind the peanuts and Sichuan peppercorns using a mortar & pestle.

Slice hot red finger peppers and set aside.

On the stove, bring a pot of water to a boil while you make the sauce.

For the Sauce

Add neutral oil to a large frying pan over medium-high heat and heat until nearly smoking. Then add ground pork, breaking it up into small pieces.

Cook ground pork until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the pan using a fine mesh spider, and set to drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Using the same frying pan and the remaining fond, add the chopped garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Then, add Sichuan peppercorns and peanuts, toasting for a couple seconds until fragrant.

Finally, add the sauce mixture (liquids), stirring and sautéeing until heated through and thoroughly combined. Meanwhile, boil the noodles according to the package instructions.

Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Then add sliced Calabrian Chilis, stirring until coated in the sauce.

Note: Be careful to not add the chilies while the sauce is on the heat, as it will make the air in your kitchen spicy.

Stir in toasted sesame seeds and scallions, saving some for garnish.

Then, return the cooked ground pork back into the sauce, gently stirring until everything is incorporated.

Finally, strain cooked noodles, then add to the sauce. Give everything a spirited toss, until thoroughly coated.

Serve hot, garnishing with toasted sesame seeds, scallions, sliced Calabrian Chilis, and crushed peanuts. Enjoy!

For the Chicken Prep

Remove the spine from a whole chicken using heavy-duty kitchen shears.

Make a shallow cut at the base of the rib cage (sternum), then carefully flatten the chicken by pressing firmly on the breast bone or simply cracking it open with both hands.

Cut out the keel bone.

For the Chicken

Flipping over the spatchcocked chicken, with the breast meat facing up, tuck the wing tips under itself to prevent burning.

Finely mince and add fresh rosemary sprigs, parsley leaves, thyme leaves, and tarragon to a small bowl. Whisk in kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.

Carefully pull the chicken skin from the meat without detaching it completely, and work the fresh herb mixture underneath all of the skin.

Transfer the herb-prepared chicken to a rimmed baking sheet, and let rest at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge. While the chicken is resting, prepare the Mise en Place.

For the Mise en Place

Thickly slice yellow onions, quarter lemons lengthwise, and halve the head of garlic widthwise so that the cloves are exposed.

For the Assembly

When the chicken is done resting, preheat your oven to 400° F (205° C) with convection, lightly oil your oven-safe or roasting pan, and begin heating the pan low and slow on the stovetop.

Rub the roasted chicken with vegetable oil while your pan is heating up.

Slowly increase the heat to medium, and when the pan just begins to smoke, introduce the chicken skinside down. Then weigh it down using another heavy-bottomed pan or cooking weights, ensuring the chicken skin makes as much contact with the pan as possible. In case of an uneven stovetop, rotate the pan as needed.

When the chicken’s skin is a deep golden brown, carefully remove from the pan and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet using tongs and oven mitts. Let rest while you prepare the Mis en Place.

Add sliced onions to the pan on the stovetop over medium heat and toss until fragrant.

Add garlic head, clove sides down, to the direct heat and sear. Then add lemons and toss until just seared and fragrant.

Then, return the chicken to the pan, skin side up, and transfer the entire dish to the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

For the Serving

Remove the roasted chicken from the oven and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, reserving the Mise en Place.

Transfer the pan with the remaining onions, garlic, and lemons back to the stovetop over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.

Then, add the chicken stock and dry sherry, removing the garlic heads.

Cook down the sauce until it reaches a thick, jammy consistency and clings slightly to the pan when agitated. Then add cold butter. Allow it to melt and stir until homogeneous.

Slice the chicken in halves and serve hot. Drape each half with sauce, and garnish with lemon quarters, freshly chopped herbs, and a sprig of rosemary. Enjoy!

For the Chicken Prep

Prepare the chicken breasts by patting dry with paper towels and then carefully butterfly each breast into very thin pieces, further pounding out any thicker pieces into even flatness and uniform thickness.

Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Then transfer chicken breasts to a rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and dry brine at room temperature for at least 4 hours or up to 2 hours. Or at least 4 hours in the fridge. While your chicken breasts are dry brining, prepare the Mise en Place

For the Mise en Place

Prepare a wide, shallow bowl or plate with all-purpose flour, and a large stainless steel pan with cold butter and olive oil.

Thinly slice garlic cloves lengthwise and finely mince shallots. Set aside.

Then, prepare tomato paste, anchovy paste, sliced Calabrian Chilis, and chopped sundried tomatoes in separate mini prep bowls.

Measure out dried oregano flakes, chicken stock, and heavy cream in separate bowls. Set aside.

Grate parmigiano reggiano into a small bowl. Set aside.

For the Chicken

When the chicken is finished dry brining, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat in the stainless steel pan, and ready the flour for dredging.

When the butter and oil just begin to foam, lightly coat each chicken breast in all-purpose flour before introducing to the pan, and fry until lightly browned on each side. Do not cook all the way through- they will finish cooking in the sauce!

When the butter, oil, and flour begin to brown, immediately remove from heat and transfer the browned chicken to a rimmed baking sheet.

For the Sauce

Return the stainless steel pan to the stovetop over medium-low heat, being careful to avoid burning the butter, add shallot and garlic. Toss to combine and sauté until the garlic just begins to develop some color.

Then, add tomato paste, dried oregano flakes, anchovy paste, and Calabrian Chilis. Stir to combine, and cook until the tomato paste begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Then, add sundried tomatoes before deglazing with chicken stock.

Bring to a simmer and cook down until the sauce is reduced by about half.

During this time, cook your pasta just short of al dente according to box instructions and strain, reserving at least 1 cup of pasta water.

Once the sauce becomes thick enough to cling to the pan slightly when agitated, reduce the heat to low and allow simmering to subside before adding ~½ cup heavy cream. Stir to combine.

Then, add the chicken breasts back to the pan and cook for around 5 minutes, flipping the chicken breasts when the sauce reaches a simmer again. Skim any grease from the top using a paper towel.

After 5 minutes, add the cooked pasta and about ½ cup of reserved pasta water. Toss to combine.

Add kosher salt to taste. Kill the heat, then fold in the freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, reserving some for garnish and stirring until melted.

Serve immediately and garnish with cheese and fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!