Cooking and constructing a web presence with open source software is very similar. For one by combining the efforts of many, we can bring together a far superior product. While I usually combine WordPress with jQuery, this time I combined a Japanese preparation with an Italian food item for a delicious combination. For another you can start with a basic item, and grow it and expand it as your needs change. I started with a basic chicken recipe and expanded it into a meal much like you can use WordPress to start with a blog and expand it to manage your entire website.

I saw the recipe for Torihamu on Just Bento and had to give it a try. Here’s how I did it and how I then used some of it for a super quick Chicken Parmesan. I don’t measure a lot of the ingredients so you’ll have to eye-ball it.

ingredients

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 tablespoon of honey per breast
• 1 & ½ teaspoon kosher salt per breast
• Fresh cracked black pepper
• Fresh Thyme
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Onion
• olive oil
• Shredded Fresh mozzarella
• Shredded Parmesan
• tomato Sauce

Step 1:

Marinate the chicken breasts, honey, salt, fresh pepper, and fresh thyme in a Ziploc back for two days in the refrigerator.

Step 2:

Rinse the chicken and soak it for an hour in cold water for an hour

Step 3:

While the chicken is desalinating and soaking, crush up the garlic and put the onions and carrots in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Place these in a large heavy bottom pot with the olive oil and saute over medium heat for 5-10 min.

Step 4:

Fill the pot with enough cold water to comfortably cover all the chicken. Turn the heat to high and cover.

Step 5:

Once the water is boiling and the chicken has soaked for an hour, turn the heat low enough that you are at the lowest possible boil. Add the chicken, cover and turn off the heat. Now wait about 6-8 hours.

At this point, you have two things. You have chicken stock which I used for Potato Risotto and the Torihamu. You can store some of the chicken and use it on salads, in sandwiches or anything else. If you want Torihamu Parmesan, just continue.

Step 6:

Heat a nonstick skillet with some more olive oil over medium head.

Step 7:

Slice the chicken breasts in half (you want two not very thick chicken breasts). Place cut side down in the skillet, cover with some tomato sauce and both cheeses. Cover the skillet and cook for 5-10 min until the cheese is melted and the sauce is warmed.

Step 8: (optional)

I then put the chicken under the broiler for 1-2 more min so the cheese was a bit browned. I imagine you wouldn’t need to do this step if you didn’t want to

That’s it. It is that simple. I made plenty of Torihamu that my girlfriend enjoyed in many different ways for lunch and we had the Torihamu Parmesan as a the main course for dinner. Let me know if you try this and what your thoughts are.