Just in Time for the Holidays, "Top Chef Masters" Winner Chef Douglas Keane Urges Americans to Set A Humane Table with Delicious New Humane Chicken Recipe

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- America may be talking turkey for the next few weeks, but chicken still remains the most popular meat on American tables. And just in time for the holidays, "Top Chef Masters" season five champion and James Beard Award-winning Chef Douglas Keane has unveiled a new recipe that is sure to make for a delicious and humane holiday season. Chef Keane's "American Humane Certified™ Crispy Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with Braised Red Cabbage and Chestnut Confit" makes use of chickens that were raised humanely under science-based standards from America's oldest, largest, and fastest growing third-party farm animal welfare and audit program, the American Humane Certified Program, operated by American Humane Association.

On November 13, Chef Keane took to Capitol Hill for "The Humane Table" congressional briefing to celebrate and give thanks to American farmers and ranchers who not only put food on our families' tables, but who work to put the "heart" in "heartland" by providing food that is safe, abundant, affordable, and humanely raised under ethical, commonsense and scientifically demonstrated standards. He was joined by the CEOs and leaders of major organizations involved in food production as well as farmers and producers from around the country who have committed to raising animals humanely, and some of the nation's foremost animal welfare pioneers.

"In order to set a humane table across the country we need to first help support consumers to question how their food is being raised, then we must create a user friendly environment to assist in making the right decisions," said Chef Keane at the briefing. "Certifications like American Humane Certified are a giant step towards this goal and this recipe is my way of helping Americans set a delicious humane table this holiday season."

Also unveiled at the briefing were the results from the 2014 Humane Heartland™ Farm Animal Survey, the second conducted by American Humane Association. The results from the 5,900 respondents revealed that more than nine in ten respondents (94.9%) were very concerned about farm animal welfare, up from 89 percent in the 2013 study. 

American Humane Association was founded around the issue of farm animal welfare in 1877 and has been at the forefront of improvements and protections for children, pets and farm animals for 138 years (see historic timeline). With a history of working positively and collaboratively with farmers, ranchers, animal advocates and the American public to create moderate, mainstream and commonsense solutions that work for both animals and people, in 2000 American Humane Association created the nation's first third-party farm animal welfare certification and auditing program with more than 200 science-based standards covering everything from adequate space to air quality, heat and lighting, humane treatment, and the ability for animals to be animals and express the natural behaviors of their kind. These standards for the resulting American Humane Certified™ program were built upon the internationally accepted values of the Five Freedoms, created by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as well as input from animal science experts, veterinarians and other animal husbandry specialists. These evidence-based standards are reviewed regularly by a Scientific Advisory Committee made up of some of the world's leading experts and animal advocates. These evidence-based standards are reviewed regularly by a Scientific Advisory Committee made up of some of the world's leading experts and animal advocates, including farm animal welfare pioneer and National Humanitarian Medal winner Dr. Temple Grandin, who sent a personal message to Capitol Hill as part of a powerful new film to reinforce the importance of humane guidelines and independent auditing to ensure animals are treated humanely.

"Good animal welfare is important because turkey, poultry, chickens, cows, and pigs – these animals feel fear and they feel pain," said Dr. Grandin. "It's extremely important to have good standards so these animals do not suffer. You need to have guidelines more strict than minimal commercial standards and American Humane Association guidelines are more strict. I've worked many years to improve animal welfare and the American Humane Association's program is third-party audited. It is extremely important for a standards program to have independent third-party auditors….to make sure people are doing what they're supposed to be doing so when you say something on a label, you can be really sure they did it and not just a label. The humane care of animals is extremely important."

Today the American Humane Certified™ program is the nation's largest third-party farm animal welfare audit program, overseeing the protection of 1 billion animals on the nation's farms and ranches.

"We encourage all Americans to set a humane table during the holidays – and all year round," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane Association. "And I can think of nothing better to serve than Chef Keane's delicious chicken recipe using American Humane Certified™ products, which will allow you to be a humane hero for your guests and America's animals."

More information about the American Humane Certified™ program and where you can obtain American Humane Certified™ meat, eggs, and dairy products can be found at www.humaneheartland.org and the full results of the 2014 Humane Heartland Farm Animal Welfare Survey can be found here.

Chef Douglas Keane's American Humane Certified™ Crispy Pan Roasted Chicken Breast, Braised Red Cabbage, and Chestnut Confit

4 American Humane Certified™ skin-on chicken breasts

For the chicken:

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.  Allow to sit for about minutes.
Heat a large sauté pan on high heat for about two minutes, very hot. Add oil.

When oil is just below smoking carefully place chicken skin side down in the pan.  Immediately "shake" pan to try and free the skin so as to not stick.  If the pan was hot enough it won't stick.  (If it does stick, don't panic, turn down the heat a little and wait about two minutes and the skin will release on its own).

The chicken should be gliding on top of the oil and you should hear a good crackling sound.  Continue to cook on medium heat and allow chicken skin to turn light golden brown.

Place pan (chicken should still be skin side down) into preheated 375F oven on the lowest possible place in the oven and cook for approximately ten minutes.  The skin should be golden brown and the flesh side of the chicken should just be a little raw.

Pull pan out of oven and back up to medium heat on burner.  Smash garlic with palm of hand or with blunt part of knife and add to pan, also add thyme.  Add butter and it should froth.  Flip over chicken carefully not to splash any oil or butter on yourself and with a spoon baste the top of the chicken with the frothy oil and butter mixture. It should stay nice and white as long as you continue to baste. Continue for one minute.

Place chicken on a resting rack if possible, a plate will do if one is not available and allow chicken to sit for five minutes.

You can briefly reheat chicken in oven if you want it rewarmed but it should be perfect and juicy and ready to serve after the five minutes

Chestnut Confit:
4 whole pieces of chestnuts scored and toasted in oven.  Peel while warm.
2 cups brown butter strained through cheesecloth

For the chestnuts:

In a small sauce pan lightly warm the brown butter and add the whole chestnuts.  Cover with parchment paper and leave on a very low flame for 1-2 hours. Check chestnuts with a small skewer or sewing needle. They are finished when they are completely soft but still held together.  Keep warm until ready to serve.

Braised Red Cabbage:
1 head red cabbage, cored and sliced thin
1 tbs salt
1 tsp sugar
Toss sliced cabbage in salt and sugar, press overnight and drain off water

Spice and Herb Mix:

2 allspice berries
¼ tsp brown mustard seed
¼ tsp juniper berries
¼ tsp caraway
½ tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 bay leaf
½ bunch thyme

For the Spice Mix:

Toast all spices on low heat in a sauté pan, place in cheesecloth with thyme and tie with butcher twine.

2 shallots, minced
1 cup bacon lardons (American Humane Certified)
1 clove garlic
1 apple, peeled and chopped
2 cups red wine
2 tbs red wine vinegar

For the Cabbage:

Render the bacon on low heat. Sweat shallots, garlic and apples until soft.  Add spice and herb mix.  Add cabbage and continue to cook without any color.  Add vinegar and wine and stir.  Cover with a lid or parchment paper.  Place in a 350F oven and cook until tender and almost all of the liquid is absorbed.

The chestnut confit and braised cabbage can be made three to four days ahead and simply reheated when you are ready to serve.

About American Humane Association and the American Humane Certified™ program
American Humane Association is the country's first national humane organization and the only one dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Since 1877, American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting our most vulnerable from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Today we're also leading the way in understanding the human-animal bond and its role in therapy, medicine and society. American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.

American Humane Association was founded in 1877 on the issue of farm animal welfare, and created the American Humane Certified™ program, the first and largest independent, third-party humane farm animal welfare certification and audit program. The more than 200 species-specific, science-based standards of the American Humane Certified program cover everything from adequate space to air quality, heat and lighting, humane treatment, and the ability of animals to express natural behaviors, and were built on the internationally accepted values of the Five Freedoms, created by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as well as input from animal science experts, veterinarians and other animal husbandry specialists. The program's standards are reviewed regularly by a Scientific Advisory Committee made up of some of the world's leading experts and animal advocates For 138 years American Humane Association has worked positively and collaboratively with farmers, ranchers, animal advocates, and the American public as a moderate, mainstream voice to create solutions that work for animals and people.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101108/DC97343LOGO

SOURCE American Humane Association

Related Links

http://www.americanhumane.org