My Vintage Kitchen

Catch the RiceImagine going to a place where you are forced to sit with a bunch of weird strangers around a potentially dangerous, hot surface while another stranger flips knives in the air and at the same time cracking terrible jokes....and cooks your meal....all for your amusement. "please don't talk to me, please don't talk to me" I say to myself...and of course. Chef: "You, in the corner, want to catch a bowl of rice?" "If you do, your meal is free" Me: "No, that's all right. I'm fine" Chef: "Aw common now, you catch the rice" Me: "No, ummm, no thanks" Chef: "You scared to catch the rice?" "ah ha, don't be scared to catch the rice, it won't hurt you." Me: (in my head of course) No, you freak, I don't want to catch the rice, I'm not scared of the rice, I just don't want to catch your damned rice. Now fix me some chicken and get me a cocktail....I just put up with this crap because you are such a good cook....why! Why can't take out be this good! mmmm...teriyaki chicken. (reality) "O.K. I guess I will catch the rice." ...and you know what? My meal was NOT free. Now here is a great home alternative for when you don't feel like catching the rice.

1 3 1/2 lb chicken
3/4 cups teriyaki sauce (recipe follows)

TERIYAKI SAUCE
1 cup shoyu
1 cup sugar
1 3" piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
4 cloves garlic crushed and peeled
2 tablespoons bourbon

Stir together shoyu and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and Bourbon and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove and discard ginger and garlic. Sauce will keep in a sealed container in refrigerator for at least a month. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Tuck wings under back and tie legs together with kitchen string. With a pastry brush, coat chicken inside and out with teriyaki sauce. Put chicken in a roasting pan and roast for about 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes. If you want a darker colored bird, baste more frequently. Chicken is done when juices from leg, when pierced with a knife, run clear. Allow chicken to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Garnish with scallions and spoon small amount of teriyaki sauce over bird. The is from the Saveur Cooks Authentic American Cookbook under Tutu-Man's Chicken with Teriyaki Sauce.

Thats right...Tutu-Man!