🛒 Block 23–24 Shopping List — Poultry

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How to use this list: Block 23 covers whole-bird roasting, spatchcocking, braising, pan searing, and duck confit. Block 24 adds chicken thighs, stock making, wok stir-fry, Thai grilled chicken, and a roast turkey dinner. Buy whole chickens and thighs early in the week; duck legs and turkey may need a butcher order. Dry-brine everything the night before cooking.

⚠️ Equipment Check

[ ] Instant-read thermometer — essential for poultry doneness (165°F)
[ ] Cast iron skillet — crispy skin, duck confit finishing, chicken thighs (S66)
[ ] Large Dutch oven (5–7 qt) — Coq au Vin braise
[ ] Wire rack + half-sheet pan — whole-bird roasting, turkey
[ ] Kitchen shears — spatchcocking backbone removal
[ ] Wok — Kung Pao Chicken (S68)
[ ] Charcoal or gas grill — Gai Yang (S69)
[ ] Large stockpot — Chicken Stock (S67)
[ ] Fine-mesh strainer — straining stock (S67)
[ ] V-rack — Turkey (Svc17)
[ ] Baking stone or baking steel — Turkey (Svc17)
[ ] Metal skewers — Gai Yang (S69)

🥩 Proteins — Block 23

[ ] Whole chicken — 3.5–4 lb (Session 62, high-heat roast). Dry brine overnight.
[ ] Whole chicken — 3.5–4 lb (Session 63, spatchcocked). Dry brine overnight.
[ ] Chicken legs and/or thighs, bone-in — 3–4 lbs (Session 64, Coq au Vin)
[ ] Boneless, skinless chicken breasts — 2 (Session 65, pan-seared)
[ ] Duck legs — 2–4 legs with thighs attached, skin on (Service 16, confit). Order from butcher; Asian markets are also reliable.

🥩 Proteins — Block 24

[ ] Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs — 4 (Session 66, crusty chicken). Slash along both sides of the bone.
[ ] Chicken wings — 2–3 lbs (Session 67, stock). Save carcass from S62 if you have it.
[ ] Whole chicken — 4 lb (Session 67, chicken soup). Will be broken down: breasts cold-poached, rest simmered.
[ ] Boneless, skinless chicken thighs — 1½ lbs (Session 68, Kung Pao Chicken). Cut into ½–¾" pieces.
[ ] Whole chicken — 3.5–4 lb (Session 69, Gai Yang). Spine removed, split in half.
[ ] Whole turkey — 10–12 lb (Service 17). Dry-brine 24–48 hours ahead. Reserve neck and giblets for gravy.

🥦 Produce — Block 23 Side Dishes

[ ] Potatoes (Yukon Gold) — 2 lb · Crispy Roast Potatoes (S62)
[ ] Watercress — 1 bunch · Watercress Salad (S62)
[ ] Lemons — 4 · Vinaigrettes, pan sauces
[ ] Cauliflower — 1 head · Roasted Cauliflower (S63)
[ ] Pine nuts — ¼ cup · Roasted Cauliflower (S63)
[ ] Raisins — 2 tbsp · Roasted Cauliflower (S63)
[ ] Capers — 1 jar · Roasted Cauliflower, pan sauces
[ ] Rice (basmati or long-grain) — 1 cup · Tahdig or Pilaf (S63, S65)
[ ] Frisée or curly endive — 2 heads · Salad (S64), Bistro Salad (Service 16)
[ ] Crusty bread or sourdough — 1 loaf · Garlic-Rubbed Grilled Bread (S64)
[ ] Carrots — 1 bunch · Honey-Roasted Carrots (S65)
[ ] Honey — 1 jar · Glazed Carrots (S65)
[ ] Fresh herbs: tarragon, chives, parsley — 1 bunch each · Pan sauce (S65), salads

🥦 Produce — Block 24 Side Dishes

[ ] White mushrooms — 3 cups (Session 66, crusty chicken sauce)
[ ] Onion — 1 large (Session 66, crusty chicken sauce)
[ ] Celery — 4 ribs (Session 67, stock + soup)
[ ] Carrots — 4 large (Session 67, stock + soup)
[ ] Turnip — 1 medium (Session 67, soup)
[ ] Parsnip — 1 large (Session 67, soup)
[ ] Fresh dill — 1 bunch (Session 67, soup garnish)
[ ] Fresh parsley — 2 bunches (Session 67 stock, Session 69 gai yang — cilantro stems)
[ ] Cucumbers — 2–3 (Session 68, quick cucumber salad; Session 69, raw vegetable side)
[ ] Scallions — 1 bunch (Session 68, Kung Pao Chicken)
[ ] Leeks — 2 small (Session 68, Kung Pao Chicken)
[ ] Fresh ginger — 1 knob (Session 68, Kung Pao Chicken)
[ ] Jasmine rice — 2 lbs (Session 68, steamed rice; Session 69, steamed rice)
[ ] Cilantro — 2 bunches (Session 69, gai yang marinade)
[ ] Lemongrass — 2 stalks (Session 69, gai yang marinade, optional)
[ ] Green cabbage — ½ head (Session 69, raw vegetable side)
[ ] Long beans or green beans — 1 bunch (Session 69, raw vegetable side)
[ ] Limes — 4 (Session 68 cucumber salad, Session 69 gai yang)

🧅 Aromatics

[ ] Garlic — 3 heads (roasting, braises, duck cure, stock, gai yang, Kung Pao, turkey)
[ ] Shallots — 4–6
[ ] Fresh thyme — 1 large bunch (roasting, braises, duck cure, stock)
[ ] Fresh rosemary — small bunch (optional)
[ ] Bay leaves — 6–8 (Coq au Vin, duck cure, stock, turkey gravy)
[ ] Pearl onions — 8 oz (Coq au Vin, frozen ok)
[ ] Cremini mushrooms — 8 oz (Coq au Vin)

🥛 Dairy

[ ] Unsalted butter — 4 sticks (pan sauces, pilaf, basting, carrots, turkey gravy)
[ ] Eggs — 6 (optional poached egg for bistro salad)
[ ] Parmesan — 4 oz (optional for salads)

🍷 Wine & Cooking Liquids

[ ] Red wine — 1 full bottle (Coq au Vin — use a wine you'd drink)
[ ] White wine — 2 bottles (pan sauces S65, crusty chicken S66, Turkey gravy Svc17)
[ ] Chicken stock — 32 oz (braise, pan sauces; use homemade from Block 7 or Session 67)
[ ] Shaoxing wine — 1 bottle (Session 68, Kung Pao Chicken; or dry sherry)
[ ] Fish sauce — 1 bottle (Session 69, gai yang marinade)

🧂 Pantry

[ ] Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) — generous dry-brining
[ ] Black peppercorns (whole)
[ ] Dijon mustard — vinaigrettes, pan sauce
[ ] Olive oil (extra-virgin) — vinaigrettes, garlic bread
[ ] Neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed) — searing
[ ] Peanut oil — 1 bottle (Session 68, wok cooking)
[ ] Red wine vinegar
[ ] Rice vinegar — (Session 68, cucumber salad)
[ ] Sesame oil — small bottle (Session 68, cucumber salad)
[ ] Bacon or lardons — 6 oz (Coq au Vin + warm bacon vinaigrette)
[ ] Lentils du Puy or cannellini beans — 1 cup dried (Service 16 — cooked in duck fat)
[ ] Duck fat — 1 jar (~14 oz) for confit (or render from legs)
[ ] Saffron — small pinch (optional, for tahdig)
[ ] Soy sauce — (Session 68, Kung Pao; Session 69, gai yang)
[ ] Dark soy sauce — small bottle (Session 69, gai yang marinade)
[ ] Cornstarch — (Session 68, velveting marinade + sauce)
[ ] Sichuan peppercorns — 1–2 tbsp (Session 68, Kung Pao)
[ ] Dried Chinese chiles — 12 (Session 68, Kung Pao)
[ ] Sichuan fermented chili-bean paste (doubanjiang) — 1 tbsp (Session 68; or sub Asian chili-garlic sauce)
[ ] Chinese black vinegar — 1 bottle (Session 68; or sub distilled white vinegar)
[ ] Roasted unsalted peanuts — ½ cup (Session 68, Kung Pao)
[ ] Palm sugar or light brown sugar — 3 tbsp (Session 69, gai yang marinade)
[ ] Ground white pepper — 2 tsp (Session 69, gai yang)
[ ] Ground coriander — 1 tsp (Session 69, gai yang)
[ ] Baking powder — (Service 17, turkey dry brine)
[ ] All-purpose flour — ¼ cup (Service 17, gravy roux)

📝 Notes

Duck legs for confit (Service 16): Cure the legs the evening before. Rub generously with salt + thyme + bay + garlic + black pepper. Refrigerate uncovered overnight. The next day, rinse and pat dry, then submerge in duck fat and cook low (285°F) for 4–6 hours. To serve: crisp in a hot cast iron skillet skin-side down.

Whole bird dry-brining: Season generously with kosher salt (¾ tsp per lb) the night before. Leave uncovered in the fridge on a wire rack. The skin dries out, which means crispier skin the next day.

Turkey dry-brining (Service 17): Rub the turkey with salt and baking powder 24–48 hours ahead. Refrigerate uncovered on a rack. The baking powder raises skin pH for deeper browning. Preheat a baking steel at 500°F for 45 minutes, then drop to 300°F once the bird goes in.

Gai Yang marinade (Session 69): Blend garlic, cilantro stems, palm sugar, white pepper, coriander, fish sauce, and dark soy into a rough paste. Rub all over butterflied chicken halves. Marinate at least 2 hours, up to overnight.

Chicken stock (Session 67): Use at least 4 lbs chicken per 4 quarts water. Wings are the best single cut for stock — they have the most gelatin. Dice aromatics small. Keep at a very gentle simmer; no need to skim if you strain through a fine-mesh strainer at the end.

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