Q My husband loves honey-baked-style ham cold cuts. He takes a sandwich to work every day. What can I cook that will get him away from those cold-cut chemicals and keep him happy with his sandwiches?
A There's a way around this one that he'll enjoy. Substitute chicken for the ham and prepare it with a technique called brining. If you use a salty and sweet brine, he'll get the flavors he's used to minus the fat and all the chemical preservatives (other than salt, which has always been one of the princes of preservation).
Wait for a sale on boneless chicken breasts or bone out your own. Make the brine that follows.
Instead of brining the breasts for two to four hours for subtly seasoned and moist eating, take them close to pickling by brining them overnight or for about 12 hours. This brings the texture and flavor closer to what your husband's used to in those cold cuts.
Cook the chicken breasts slowly to keep them tender. Once they are cool, cut into thin slices and store for up to four days.
Lynne Rossetto Kasper hosts "The Splendid Table" radio show from American Public Media, and is the co-author of "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper." To reach her, see www.splendidtable.org.