Bardre Parrish: From mom's cooking to Top Cook

YOU MIGHT THINK memories of home cooking are the foundation for a Top Cook. Bardre Parrish, of the Yorktown section, recalls his mother's nose for a good meal.

"My mom would always take me to the food hall at Strawbridge's [the former department store at 8th and Market], and it gave me a great appreciation for good food," Parrish said recently. "The barbecue chicken I had there definitely inspired me. I treasure the memory."

Parrish's other inspiration was his sixth-grade home-economics teacher, "Miss Gary," at Conwell Russell Middle School, who taught him to make gravy and pepper steak. "That definitely got me started on learning to cook," he said.

Phyllis Parrish nominated her son for Top Cooks because, as she put it, "He cooks for others for the joy and passion, to simply please the eye and satisfy the palate."

Bardre Parrish is known around his neighborhood for gathering people together over a good meal. These days it is definitely Sunday football. In the summer, he makes maximum use of outdoor grilling. He cites his charcoal grill as a Top Cook's must-have piece of equipment. He cooks outside year-round.

Parrish doesn't use cookbooks much. Instead, he culls recipes for a particular dish from the Internet and morphs them into his own creation.

"I'm not Italian," he said, "but I can make a good sauce."

One of his tips is to use San Marzano canned tomatoes.

"San Marzano have a sweeter flavor," he said. They also "break down and liquefy with a little bit of cooking so you won't need to use a blender."

Parrish's signature dish is most likely his barbecued chicken. He won't part with his barbecue sauce recipe but another favorite, especially in winter, is a rich chicken and cheese lasagna. This one's easy and a real crowd-pleaser, he said.

The key to this dish is the simple homemade tomato sauce, along with smoked paprika that adds smokiness to the chicken.

BAKED CHICKEN AND CHEESE LASAGNA

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets

1 lemon

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Several pinches each: kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1/2 medium-size yellow onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

One 28-ounce can San Marzano whole tomatoes

One 8-ounce can of tomato paste

1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

3 to 4 teaspoons sugar

Pinch Italian herb blend

9 ounce box no-boil lasagna noodles

Two 8-ounce packages shredded mozzarella cheese

One 8-ounce package shredded cheddar-jack/colby-jack cheese

One 5- to 8-ounce ball fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 8-10 pieces

One 6-ounce package turkey pepperoni slices

Rinse and pat the chicken cutlets dry. Remove excess fat.

Drizzle and rub the chicken with lemon juice and olive oil, then season each piece with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika.

Cover chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven for broiling. Broil the chicken in a pan for about 10 minutes on each side, until the juices run clear. Cool and cut into bite-size pieces. Refrigerate.

In a medium-large sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Sauté diced onions and crushed garlic in oil until they soften and release aroma.

Add tomatoes with their liquid and the tomato paste. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, the sugar and Italian herbs.

Simmer on low for 10 to 15 minutes. Add salt or sugar to taste.

To assemble the dish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large casserole pan, spread the chopped chicken pieces evenly on the bottom. Top with the shredded cheddar jack and cover that with a layer of lasagna sheets.

Cover with sauce, then top with a package of shredded mozzarella. Place another layer of lasagna sheets on top and cover that with more tomato sauce.

Top with the second package of shredded mozzarella and turkey pepperoni slices. For the top layer, cover with lasagna sheets and top with sauce and mozzarella slices.

Reserve leftover sauce to serve on the side or as a dip for bread. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until cheese and sauce are bubbling.

Allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting and serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.