Everyone Needs a Little Schmaltz

I have to say, Nigella can do no wrong in this house. I realize that I'm not really getting recipes from her so much as ideas. For instance, although I've been frying panko-crusted pork chops for ages, it would never have occurred to me to pound out lamb chops and do the same—but they're divine! And although we've roasted potatoes nearly every way imaginable, her combination of parboiling them, shaking them in a pot with a little semolina flour, and roasting them in duck fat was perfect. Well, today, we took her advice for "schmaltzy chicken." Have you ever noticed that nearly every recipe for roast chicken tells you to first remove all the fat from the cavities, but then it tells you to brush butter or oil all over the chicken? Well, Nigella suggested we put the hunks of chicken fat (schmaltz in Yiddish) in a little pan to render, then brush that all over the bird. Plus some salt. Heaven! Along with it I served peas and prosciutto à la Giada: Sauté some shallots and garlic in olive oil, add frozen peas, then stir in chopped prosciutto, parsley, salt, and pepper. What could be bad?

Comments

[Jen Rodis]

I have wanted to try cooking with schmaltz, but I don't know where to look for it in the store? Is it refrigerated, or shelf-stable like manteca?

Is it in major grocery stores, or do you have to go to a kosher store for it?

[Karen]

I've never purchased schmaltz, although I have a feeling that kosher markets carry it, and maybe regular markets, too -- I have no idea.

Last night I just ripped off all the hunks of fat that came on the chicken, put it in a little pot, and melted it over a low flame. Then I used that in place of the butter or olive oil I usually brush on the bird before roasting. Makes sense, doesn't it, to use the fat that the chicken came with? Don't know why I never thought of it myself.

[Daisy]

Funnily enough, I watched that chicken schmaltz recipe at the weekend.

She's my absolute favourite tv chef, and you're right, her commentary contains so many ideas and tips, aside from whatever delicious dish she's preparing.