Roast Kimchi Chicken with Okinawan Sweet Potatoes

By Cheryl Forberg

Fermentation is a chemical process that creates some of our favorite grown-up beverages – from crisp white wines to hardy ales. But fermentation is also an ally when it comes to flavor: it’s a natural method by which several tart, zingy condiments are created. 
 
We usually think of vinegar only in connection with salad dressing. But this pantry staple – whose name comes from the French term vin aigre or “sour wine” – can be the source of a range of tart, astringent and desirable flavors in dishes ranging from soups to desserts. 
 
White wine vinegar is by far the most common variety available, but it’s also the least flavorful. Try experimenting with other types of vinegar to understand the full range of their culinary abilities.  

• Balsamic vinegar – Made from Italian white wine grapes (Trebbiano), this luscious purple vinegar is often sweet enough to enjoy on salads without adding oil. Reducing it to a syrup is a quick and easy way to create a sauce for fruit or savory dishes.
• Malt vinegar – This mild vinegar is best known as an accompaniment to fish and chips but can add zip to vegetable sautés and other dishes as well.
• Rice wine vinegar – A staple of Asian cooking, this extremely mild vinegar adds sweet notes to salad dressings. Available in unseasoned or seasoned versions (contains salt and sugar for use in sushi rice).
• Apple cider vinegar – This sweet, fruity vinegar is hyped as a weight-loss aid, but those claims are unfounded, according to the Mayo Clinic. Instead, enjoy it for the flavor it imparts to meat marinades and salads. 

Vinegar also forms the base for another staple condiment – hot pepper sauce, most commonly known by the brand-name Tabasco Sauce (TM). Combining vinegar, aged and fermented hot peppers, and salt, the sauce is commonly used in Latin dishes, and a few shakes transform scrambled eggs from ho-hum to ole! . 

Other classes of fermented condiments have completely different flavors. While vinegars tend to add sharpness and bite, the condiments below all contribute rich umami flavors to dishes. Because they make dishes taste rich without added fat, these condiments are especially useful – but be sure to check the labels, as these sauces tend to be salty. Choose low-sodium versions when available.

• Soy sauce – This nutty liquid is made from fermented soybeans and barley or wheat and is a key flavoring for Asian dishes. Most supermarkets carry dark soy sauce from Japan, but lighter, milder varieties are also available – check specialty shops or online. The amino acids in soy transform with fermentation into a slick, salty umami taste.    
• Tamari, like soy sauce, is made from soybeans, with a milder flavor and slightly thicker texture. True tamari is fermented without wheat – making it a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce – but because the term “tamari” has been used to describe and market other types of Japanese soy sauce, it’s worth reading the label to be sure. Fish sauce is another source of umami. Made from liquid extracted from fermented fish, the sauce has the tang of seaweed and a strong fishy taste.
• Worcestershire sauce originated as a variant of fish sauce. With a vinegar base, current versions of this tangy sauce can still contain anchovies, along with soy sauce, garlic and other spices, and is used to flavor meats, gravies and soups – not to mention Bloody Mary cocktails.

In addition to flavor, fermented foods add shelf life to products, and ancient civilizations have relied on these methods for centuries. The carbohydrates and sugars contained in fermented food are converted to acid, alcohol, and gas. Remaining products from these conversions contain live microbes or probiotics.  When consumed, they confer many health benefits, particularly in the digestive tract.  Yogurt is a perfect example of this and the reason why so many people make yogurt a regular part of their diet.

A healthy digestive system promotes weight management as well as a healthy immune system.   We can zero in on these benefits by choosing both prebiotic foods such as bran, cabbage, carrots, flax, and sweet potatoes, which contain fibers that convert to healthy microbes in our system.  And choosing probiotic (fermented) foods that already contain live beneficial microbes, such as yogurt, some cheeses (cottage cheese), lactobacillus milk, Kimchi, miso, and kombucha.

Kimchi is a crunchy staple of Korean cuisine made from fermented napa cabbage, garlic, ginger, onion, radishes, anchovies, and spices. This popular Korean condiment is low in calories but rich in flavor and probiotics. It plays a starring role in today’s easy but delicious recipe. The accompanying Okinawan sweet potatoes are rich in prebiotics and a sweet and creamy accent to the tangy crunch of Kimchi.

Roast Kimchi Chicken with Okinawan Sweet Potatoes
Makes about 2 quarts

Ingredients
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into 3–4-ounce pieces
1 Tbsp. olive, grapeseed or canola oil
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil 
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 (14- ounce) jars Melissa's Kimchi (spicy or mild), undrained
Salt 

Garnishes
Green onion
Toasted sesame seeds
1 pound Melissa’s Okinawan sweet potatoes, roasted or boiled, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400º. Lightly season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

In a large sauté pan, add olive oil and brown the chicken thighs, top side down, over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove thighs from pan and transfer to a large baking dish.

Add butter and sesame oil to the same hot sauté pan and stir until butter is melted. Immediately add the undrained Kimchi and sauté for three to four minutes or until juices are slightly reduced.

Pour sautéed kimchi over chicken thighs in baking dish.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and gently stir in cooked sweet potato cubes. Bake 10 minutes longer.

Remove from oven. Serve hot, garnished with green onions and lightly toasted sesame seeds.