Chicken Skin Crisps aka Chicken Bacon

 

I am not sure who the mother of all invention is but the Aga certainly makes me try some strange things. While making my Boiled Chicken for a batch of soup this hit me.

"What would happen if I saved the skin from the boiled chicken, salted it and put it on a sheetpan and into the top of the Simmer Oven?"

Now I know. After 3 hours or so you will end up with beautifully crisp, salty chicken skin. Way good! Just maybe not an everyday snack.

Baby greens, apples & chicken skin crisps with honey viniagrette

Update 7 November

I tried his again but with raw skin. Three hours on the top rung of the Simmer Oven produced a lighter golden brown and crispy throughout. A fantastic addtion to a salad course or maybe a CS,L & T sandwich. Here's a look before they hit the oven. You really should try this.

Magnetic Cork Trivets

Love 'em. I have two. They make the top of the insulator covers level so you can rest plates, pans & dishes on top. Much better than a cloth cover and it will double as table trivet. I found mine at the Vermont Country Storein Weston, Vermont. That place is full of all types of odds and ends from the past. Checkout there website, it's a hoot but not nearly as fun as going there in person. If you strike out there check out Cheftools.com. I know they have them.

Bonus Tip: Check out the honey jar in back corner. Why would I store my honey there?

Peel a Tomato

Sorry no picture but I will get one up soon.

One of the things that takes some getting used with an Aga is no open flame. Hard to light a candle off of the Boil Plate. It's also hard to peel a tomato. I know dip it in boiling water, chill, it peel it. Not when I need only one or two. You just score the flower end as usual and hold it over an open flame until the skin is blistered and your done. I was using a blowtorch but that was a relationship destined to fail. And it did. Again Aga, no open flame, bummer. Here's the solution. Score the tomato as usual and just roll on the Boil Plate. The skin will blister and it will peel off. Use tongs if you have to and don't feel like you need to get every inch. Ripe tomatoes peel easier, unripe tomatoes taste differently and maybe you need to rethink your recipe.

Another Aga miracle.

Drying Herbs

now who went and misspelled lavender?

I received an email from an Aga owner asking about drying herbs in the Slow Oven of his 4 Oven Aga. Not sure, my wife only let me get the 3 Oven so how do I know what that magical 4th Oven can do? I'm also a fan of freezing herbs over drying them. I like the bright color they retain. While I was out raiding my friend's garden I took six big flowers from  dill plants that had gone to seed. I will dry the seeds with the power of Aga. I took one and tied it up and hung it over my Hot Plate with a sheet pan to catch the goods. It took a few days and dried nicely. I also put three heads in a bag (hope Homeland Security doesn't pick up that last phrase) and hung them upside down. It worked well, took a day longer but easy to retrieve to the dill seeds as they fall off. Next up tarragon.

Validation

How many times have people asked you if your Aga is too hot in the summer? More than a couple I'm sure. Today I was doing a cooking demo for a non Aga kitchen store. They had a wall oven. A nice convection oven and a fancy microwave. In between demos my wife came over and stood by the oven. She commented that the convection oven (it vented indoors) was much warmer than the Aga. I checked it out and sure enough you would break a sweat just getting near that puppy.

Congratulate yourself, you choose wisely.