Family Dinner with JP

Once I learned how to spatchcock a chicken, its the only way I've ever cooked a chicken again. It creates a more even cook, a faster cook, and more skin that you will know what to do with! The chicken is dry-brined for at least 12 hours, which helps retain moisture, provides even seasoning, and helps to crisp up the skin during the roast. For a side, red-skinned potatoes are parboiled and smashed, resulting in the crispiest oven roasted potatoes you've ever had.  This simple one-pan roast is a perfect way to make the most of your roast chicken AND your potatoes, which will cook underneath the chicken and soak up all the juices and rendered chicken fat (AKA schmaltz!). Meanwhile, while the oven roasts the bird and potots, a simple pan gravy with a splash of marsala will serve as the perfect accent to the finished dish. Ingredients : 1/2 cup kosher salt 2 Tbs baking powder Whole chicken (3-5 lbs preferred), patted dry 3 Tbs cooking fat (duck fat, vegetable oil, or peanut oil pref...

I recently took a streaming cooking class with some friends and learned how to make Paella, a dish that I always assumed was insanely complicated and difficult. Turns out, its really simple. Our teacher was Helina Sanchez, the Spanish Chef, who streamed her cooking class to us at 2:00 am from Barcelona. Helina was an absolute delight, and you should lookin into her recipes and into booking her for a cooking class.  I have adapted Helina's recipe here, but I will not reveal all of her tips and tricks. You should check out her videos to learn some amazing bits from a woman who has been cooking paella in Barcelona for decades. I won't lie: saffron is expensive. However, you will use a very small amount, and one jar should be enough for MANY iterations of this dish. I advise treating yourself. You don't need to buy a paella pan for this. But you want a pan with a large flat surface. A 12-inch skillet should suffice. There are many many proper ways to make a paella, and Helina t...