Simple summer suppers

Chris Stevens is on a well-deserved vacation. Victor DeRubeis, managing editor of The Daily Item, is substituting this week with a couple of simple summertime supper recipes of his own.Years ago, when I was trying to figure out what to do with my life, I decided to take a course in Chinese cooking and ended up taking two courses in Chinese cooking. I’m still figuring out what to do with my life, but I do know how to make a mean Cantonese spring roll.My teacher of Chinese cooking was Frances Srulowitz (!), who taught fifth grade in Wayland public schools and had studied the various forms and cooking methods of Chinese cuisine in China. Though decidedly not of Asian heritage, she knew what she was talking about, especially when it came to using energy efficiently. The Chinese don’t cook that way because they necessarily want to; they do so because fuel is very expensive.Among the most useful (and energy-efficient) methods I learned was poaching, in general, and the poaching of boneless chicken breasts in particular. At this time of year, when almost no one feels like cooking after work but might be sick of takeout, restaurants and frozen dinners, poached chicken can become the protein basis for all sorts of simple, one-dish suppers that can be assembled quickly, usually in less than 30 minutes.If you’ve got a simple summer recipe you don’t mind sharing with the world, email it to us at [email protected] made easyIf you’re thinking that poaching is difficult or highfalutin, you’re thinking too much. The method I use is pitifully easy. I usually like to poach three pounds of boneless chicken at a time, using a pound or a pound and a half in a recipe. It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week, and you can use it for any number of different dishes across the culinary spectrum.Step 1Go buy some boneless chicken breast. You can find it for $1.99 a pound – sometimes less – at supermarkets. You’ll probably have to buy five pounds at this price, but it’s well worth it. If you don’t think you’ll use at least three pounds within a week, take what you use and freeze the rest.Step 2Find a pan, probably a saucepan or Dutch oven, that’s big enough to hold the chicken so it can be completely submerged in water with room at the top of the pan to spare.Step 3Add cold water to completely cover the chicken. Cover the pan, put it on the burner and turn the heat to high.Step 4When the water has come to a rolling boil, immediately remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 20 minutes. The chicken should be white, moist and juicy. Now you’re ready to bag it and refrigerate it or incorporate it into your favorite recipe. Or do like I sometimes do, just munch on it for a low-fat protein snack.