Chef critique
Chicken and Eggplant Adobo Bowls
This is a highly functional, well-structured recipe that employs great techniques, such as browning the eggplant before returning it to the braise so it maintains some structure. The flavor balance, salt quantities, and liquid ratios for the adobo are excellent. The only minor flaw is a slightly confusing directive regarding preparation flow.
Score: 9/10
Suggested fixes
- Either list all the vegetable chopping explicitly in Step 1 while the chicken rests, or remove the phrase 'while beginning the other prep' in Step 1 to fully embrace the prep-as-you-go flow.
Issues
- low / clarity: Step 1 instructs the cook to let the chicken stand 'while beginning the other prep,' but the recipe embeds the remaining prep (cutting eggplant, slicing onions, mincing garlic) directly into the active cooking steps (Steps 4 and 5). This mixed approach could fluster slower cooks.
Strengths
- Excellent sodium calculation, relying primarily on the soy sauce while adding just enough supplemental kosher salt to the meat and eggplant.
- Smart technique for the eggplant (browning first, then simmering at the end) to prevent it from turning into mush.
- Precise accounting of all ingredient quantities, even when components are carried over into subsequent steps.