Originally posted by catsilversword
Surely the recipe would have been written so as to be palatable at altitude? Would proably taste disastrous at ground level....like most of my cooking [}:)]
Probably the only differences are more salt to hold moisture in, and more moisture to begin with to keep it from drying out (the reason for the sauces). Cooking at 8k has its pitfalls, one soon learns - drying out is number one, due to boiling water which isn't hot enough (water boils at lower temps the higher one goes, so you must cook longer), or leavened goods doing the awful and odd.
For the chicken recipe itself, try marinating your chicken in a wine/herb marinade containing a bit of salt for at least 30 minutes, then grill it quickly at relatively high heat. Keep it basted with fresh unused marinade if you need to use an oven. Quick grilling (searing the outside) and moisture are the key ingredients to the taste. If you keep those two things in mind, it's easy to reheat it later. And the flavor develops as it sits. That's why it seems 'well-seasoned.'
The reason the broccoli seems so wonderful is the plain fact that it's been blanched first before being plated for reheating/steaming, something most home cooks don't do. Any good cookbook gives blanching directions, give it a go. Make sure you use unsalted butter and salt to taste with either kosher or plain salt, not any salt containing iodine. Steam with good water, too; if your water smells like a pool, your food will too. Ugh.
The pasta seems straightforward, mushroom sauce on top of al-dente pasta. Try making your own instead of using a premade, and it will taste a lot better.
Funny; I hate cooked broccoli, and I am not fond of 'shrooms. This meal looked so good I wanted to trade. 'PE/Y' meal? So what! I wasn't alone in coveting it, maybe it should be a J menu item...
