The Right Sour Stuff

There’s truth even in the kitchen to the old saw “it’s the little things in life that count.” These two recipes are good cases in point.

Take the Chicken Vinegar Saute. When I came across this old favorite in my file, its simple preparation made it seem like a dish tailored for today. I remembered the vinegar sauce giving a pleasing sparkle to the chicken, but when I made it using red wine vinegar, it was too acidic; the vinegar swamped the flavor of the chicken.

I tested the recipe several more times using cider vinegar, white wine vinegar and Asian vinegar, and they were all too sharp. Then I tried a bottle labeled “Asian natural rice vinegar,” and it was just right: clean and sharp but not overwhelming. So the little thing that counted in this recipe was 1/2 cup of the right vinegar.

The little things that count in the American Potato Salad are the use of lemon juice instead of vinegar and the coating of potatoes with the lemon juice and oil while they are still hot. This salad makes a wonderful vegetarian supper when served with lots of whole hard-cooked eggs and a platter of lettuce and tomatoes.

Cunningham’s latest book is “Cooking With Children” (Alfred A. Knopf, 1995).

CHICKEN VINEGAR SAUTE

8 chicken legs or thighs or combination

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

6 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup natural rice vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon finely crumbled

Natural rice vinegar is available in the Asian section of most supermarkets.

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and turn to brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup vinegar and water to skillet, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 15 minutes and test for doneness by cutting into meat next to bone with tip of sharp knife; meat should not be pink and should easily pull away from bone. Remove chicken to serving dish and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add garlic to skillet and cook 1 minute. Add remaining 1/4 cup vinegar and boil 1 minute. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and stir to blend. Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle with parsley and tarragon. Serve at once.

4 servings. Each serving:

366 calories; 686 mg sodium; 92 mg cholesterol; 31 grams fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 22 grams protein; 0.04 gram fiber.

AMERICAN POTATO SALAD

2 pounds red boiling potatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 stalks celery, diced

1 cup mayonnaise

Salt, pepper

Boil potatoes in water to cover until barely tender and easily speared with fork, about 15 minutes. Drain. (Note: Potatoes continue to cook after they are removed from heat.) As soon as potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size cubes.

Put potatoes in mixing bowl while still hot and toss with oil and lemon juice until completely coated. Add celery and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

4 servings. Each serving:

536 calories; 531 mg sodium; 15 mg cholesterol; 33 grams fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.20 grams fiber.

Cherry Berry tablecloth from Siblings, Malibu