Chicken may be the world’s favorite animal protein. Certainly, it is one of mine. Low in calories, they are healthy and free range chickens (no chemicals) are certainly better.
During World War II, my contribution—unwilling—to the war effort was taking care of a brood of chickens: feeding them, mucking out the hen house, and retrieving the eggs. It didn’t seem to make them any friendlier that I was feeding them twice a day. I also learned how realistic the term “pecking order” is. The flock will select one bird and literally peck it to death if they are not stopped, which means isolating the benighted animal.
I have seen photographs in the popular press of some small child cuddling a pet chicken. I never could understand it.
In addition to my signature roast chickens, there are some delicious recipes in the following pages, especially those for stews, which traditionally require flour, butter, and cream—but, as I discovered, really do not.
Besides chicken, myriad other birds are delicious. I cover a few of them here, but this section is hardly exhaustive, especially when it comes to game birds. The ardent cook might want to take a look at my book Roasting: A Simple Art for other possibilities.
One of my versions of this recipe is the most popular thing that I have ever written, closely followed by Basic Roast Turkey (page 95). Along with variations, it is in my other books, but I include it again here because this book would be incomplete without it.
I make one almost every week, and the carcass and innards—not the liver—provide the makings of the often-needed chicken stock (pages 203–4).
This is family fare and company fare. The chickens can range in size from about 3½ pounds to 6 pounds. I often make two smaller chickens in the same pan, neck end abutting butt end. It’s not so much that the smaller birds roast more quickly but that two birds gives a better shot at each person’s getting his or her favorite piece of the bird.
In any case, the chicken will take about 10 minutes a pound by my method. Two at a time will take no more than one, but enough space should be allowed in the pan so that they do not touch.
I like tarragon in the deglazing sauce or, for a more emphatic touch, a little harissa.
One 5- to 6-pound chicken at room temperature, wing tips removed
1 lemon, halved
4 whole garlic cloves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack on the second level from the bottom. Remove the fat from the tail and crop end of the chicken. Freeze the neck and giblets for chicken stock. Reserve the chicken livers for another use, such as pâté (see pages 33 and 34).
Put the chicken in a roasting pan no more than 2½ inches deep. Choose a pan that just holds the chicken or has room for potatoes or other vegetables that may well surround it. Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the lemon shells and garlic. Season the cavity with salt and pepper to taste. Place the chicken in the roasting pan breast side up.
Put in the oven legs first and roast for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the juices run clear. After the first 10 minutes, move the chicken with a wooden spoon to prevent it from sticking.
Move the chicken to a platter by placing a large wooden spoon into the tail end and balancing the chicken with a kitchen spoon pressed against the neck end. As you lift the chicken, tilt it over the roasting pan so that all the juices run out into the pan.
Pour off or spoon out excess fat from the roasting pan and put the roasting pan on top of the stove. Add the stock and bring the contents of the pan to a boil while scraping the bottom vigorously with a wooden spoon. Let reduce by half. Serve the sauce over the chicken or, for crisp skin, in a sauceboat.
SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A MAIN COURSE
I love garlic when it has cooked long enough to lose some of its raw taste and even more when with longer cooking it turns sweet. The two methods of cooking make perfection.
One 5-pound chicken at room temperature, wing tips removed
3 heads garlic, smashed, cloves separated, and peeled
1¼ cups chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Heat the oven to 500°F, with a rack on the second level from the bottom. Remove the fat from the tail and crop end of the chicken. Freeze the neck and giblets for chicken stock. Reserve the chicken livers for another use, such as pâté (pages 33 and 34).
Place the chicken in a 12-×-8-×-1½-inch roasting pan breast side up. Put in the oven legs first and roast for 50 to 60 minutes or until the juices run clear. After the first 10 minutes, move the chicken with a wooden spoon to keep it from sticking. Twenty minutes before the chicken is done, add the garlic to the pan, making sure to stir the cloves around in the rendered fat.
At the end of the cooking time, move the chicken to a platter by placing a large wooden spoon into the tail end and balancing the chicken with a kitchen spoon pressed against the neck. Tilt the chicken over the roasting pan as it is being transferred so that all the juices run into it.
Put the roasting pan on the stove. Add ½ cup stock and bring to a boil while scraping the bottom vigorously with a wooden spoon. Scrape all the contents of the pan into a food processor. Add the remaining stock. Blend until smooth, about 3 minutes. Season with the salt and lemon juice. Serve immediately with the chicken.
SERVES 4; MAKES SCANT 2 CUPS GARLIC SAUCE
Almost all of us have eaten chicken lightly coated with flour before sautéing. The flour keeps the chicken moist and gives it a nice light crust. The perfect solution to the flour problem is quinoa. For this use I prefer the fancy almost-white quinoa.
½ cup chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
1 cup whole, uncooked quinoa
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ lemon, cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
Pour the chicken stock into a wide bowl. Place the quinoa on a large flat dinner plate. Set both aside.
Place a chicken breast flat on a cutting board skinned side up. Cut in half down the middle. Turn each half over and pull off the strip of flesh that is the chicken tender. Wrap the tenders in plastic wrap or foil. Set aside. Repeat with the other breast piece.
One half-breast at a time, put your palm flat on each piece. Slide a knife parallel to the cutting board through the chicken, resulting in two thin cutlets from each half-breast. There will be eight cutlets total.
Heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil in a large pan over high heat until slightly blue but not smoking. In the meantime, dip both sides of two pieces of breast into the stock. Then, one at a time, dip both sides of the breast pieces into the quinoa. Reduce the oil heat to medium and place a pair of chicken pieces next to each other in the hot oil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the flesh turns opaque. Move the cooked pieces to plates or a platter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Serve with the lemon wedges.
SERVES 4
The comfortable standby chicken in the pot varies with readily available Chinese ingredients, like star anise and ginger. They perfume the soup, lift the taste, and compensate for the lack of deep flavor if using canned broth. Buying chicken cut into pieces makes the cooking go more quickly. Having it on the bone gives the soup more flavor and body. And skinning it not only drastically reduces the fat but also eliminates the waxen dead-looking cooked skin in each portion. Many butchers and supermarkets will skin the chicken. If not, it is easily removed by slipping a finger or two under the skin of each piece and pulling it off.
Rather than putting the rice into the soup, it can be put into a heavy earthenware container with a lid. This keeps it warm and lets guests add their own, usually after they have cut the chicken from the bone. The next day, the chicken can be cut into strips from the bone and stirred into the soup along with the rice for a first course.
8 cups chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
Two 4-pound chickens, each cut into 8 serving pieces and skinned, excess visible fat removed and backs, necks, and wing tips reserved for another use
8 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1½ inches ginger, peeled and cut across into ⅛-inch-thick slices and then into thin strips
2 whole star anise or 1 heaping tablespoon star anise pieces
½ cup gluten-free soy sauce
2 bunches scallions, trimmed, white part cut into 2-inch lengths, and half of the greens cut into 2-inch lengths (1 cup greens)
Two 8-ounce cans sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed well under cold water
6 ounces snow peas, tipped and tailed
6 cups cooked white rice
Heat 2 cups of the stock until warm, soak the mushrooms in the warm stock for 15 minutes, and drain; strain the liquid through a coffee filter and reserve.
Place the chicken, the remaining 6 cups stock, the garlic, ginger, and star anise in a large wide pot. Cover. Bring to a boil.
Add the mushroom liquid and soy sauce. When the liquid returns to a moderate boil, add the scallion whites and mushrooms. Continue cooking, uncovered, at a moderate boil for 5 minutes.
Add the sliced water chestnuts and scallion greens, poking them down into the liquid. Place the snow peas on top. Cover and return to a moderate boil. Uncover and adjust the heat to maintain a moderate boil for 3 to 4 minutes or until the snow peas are cooked thoroughly but still crunchy.
Move the chicken pieces to a platter with tongs. Skim the vegetables out with a slotted spoon and scatter them over the top.
Serve ½ to ⅔ cup of cooked rice in the bottom of each bowl. Divide the chicken and vegetables evenly among the bowls and top each with 1 cup broth.
SERVES 8
Roasted lemons may sound odd, but they are very good—edible with a lovely flavor.
One 4½-pound chicken at room temperature, wing tips removed
6 lemons, each cut into 8 wedges, seeded, and the central membrane and thick peel tips cut away with scissors
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large bunches watercress, arugula, or spinach, heavy stems removed (about 5 cups loosely packed)
½ cup chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
¾ cups olives, such as Kalamata or Niçoise
Kosher salt
Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack in the center. Place the chicken in a roasting pan no more than 2½ inches deep. Put in the oven legs first. Roast for 15 minutes. Take the pan from the oven and shut the door.
Jostle the chicken to unstick it. Rub the lemon pieces with the oil and place around the chicken in the pan. Return to the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Turn the lemon pieces over. Roast for 10 minutes more. Repeat. Carefully move the chicken to a platter, tilting it to allow any juices to run into the pan. Place the lemon pieces at one end of the platter.
Put the pan on top of the stove over high heat. Toss in the watercress. Stir-fry for about 4 minutes. Spoon the wilted leaves out onto the end of the platter opposite the lemons.
Return the pan to the heat. Add the chicken stock and olives. Cook until the olives are heated through. Add salt to taste. The amount will depend on the saltiness of the olives.
SERVES 2 TO 4 AS A MAIN COURSE
This is one of those put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is recipes. I opined on my blog that various foods were unnecessarily dredged (dressed) in flour before cooking. This recipe is proof positive. The end of the season vegetables from my garden gave all the body I wanted along with a freshness that the flour would have dimmed. I served it with corn fusilli (see page 39) in a deepish bowl with a spoon. It worked very well. For a thicker texture, use ¼ cup of cornstarch (see page 69 for basic instructions) at the end.
The quantities of vegetables can be approximated. This is a peasanty sort of dish.
One 5-pound chicken, skinned and cut into parts, with breast cut across into 2 pieces (with optional addition of an extra breast cut into two or a leg and thigh, separated)
4 cups chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
1 medium to large onion, cut into ¼-inch cubes
½ pound white mushrooms, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 medium bell peppers, preferably different colors, cored, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
¾ cup chopped basil
¾ cup finely chopped dill
¾ cup chopped parsley
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Put the chicken pieces into a pot that holds them easily. Add the stock and enough water to barely cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer. Add the onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Stir from time to time. After 20 minutes, add the peppers and basil. After 10 more minutes, add the dill and parsley. Cook for 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
SERVES 4 TO 6
This is evidently based on coq au vin. However, cocks that require long cooking are hard to come by these days, as are hens. Instead this is adapted for a regular chicken. I think that you will find it rich enough to satisfy. Leftover wine or a half bottle should do nicely. Serve with gluten-free noodles, Garlic Mashed Potatoes (page 165), or Acorn Squash Purée (page 164).
1 pound smoky bacon in one piece, cut in half lengthwise and then across into ¼-inch strips
One 5-pound chicken, skinned, cut into parts, with breast cut across into 2 pieces (with optional addition of an extra breast cut in two or a leg and thigh, separated)
1¼ pounds white mushrooms, stems removed and sliced across, caps cut into quarters or sixths, depending on size
1 pound cippoline or other small onions
One 6-ounce can tomato paste
½ bottle red wine
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
½ cup minced parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Put the bacon pieces in a pan just large enough to hold the chicken. Sauté the bacon until well browned and the fat has oozed out. Move the bacon to a small bowl, leaving the fat in the pan. Put the chicken pieces in the pan and sauté over medium heat, turning the pieces over from time to time, until lightly browned on all sides. Move to a bowl. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring, until browned. Place in a bowl. Add the onions to the pan and cook until lightly browned. Move to the mushroom bowl.
Stir the tomato paste and wine into the pan. The sauce can be made ahead up to this point.
About 30 minutes before serving, add the chicken and bay leaf to the pan. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Stick a knife into the thick part of the chicken to make sure it is done; the juices should run clear. Add the onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are warm. Stir in the parsley and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the bacon.
SERVES 4 TO 6 AMPLY
This mildly spicy version of a tandoori chicken—without skin—is easy. I keep most of the spices on hand. It is worth making an extra portion of the rub, which is also good on fish.
1½ tablespoons safflower oil
1 medium onion (about 3 ounces), cut into ½-inch dice (1½ cups)
3 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and sliced across ⅛ inch thick
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅓ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground mace
⅛ teaspoon dry mustard
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons fresh lime juice
1½ tablespoons coconut milk
4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts (9 to 10 ounces each)
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, reduce the heat to low and add the onion, garlic, and all the spices, including the salt. Cook until the vegetables begin to turn translucent, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Using a spatula, move the contents of the pan to a blender. Add the lime juice and coconut milk. Blend well, about 1 minute. There will be ½ cup marinade.
Coat each chicken breast with marinade on both sides. Place the chicken breasts flat on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Heat the broiler with a rack in the middle.
Grease the bottom of a 10-×-8-×-1-inch pan with the remaining oil. Place the chicken breasts in an even layer in the pan. Broil for 10 minutes and then turn the chicken pieces over. Broil for 8 to 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
SERVES 4
Chervil is a pale green, frilly annual that sometimes comes back a second year and that is a dainty relative of parsley and lovage. Its tender leaves should be used raw, perhaps tossed into a salad, or exposed only briefly to heat. Its delicate flavor is like a cross between parsley and tarragon; longer cooking tends to turn it grassy. Chervil works particularly well with mild foods like poached chicken breasts, white-flesh fish, and eggs. Unlike other herbs, it is almost impossible to use too much.
To plant, sprinkle chervil seeds in partial shade every ten days during the summer to ensure a constant supply. Pick the outside leaves first. It can also be grown in a window box.
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium shallot, minced (3 tablespoons)
4 skinless and boneless chicken breast halves (about 1¼ pounds)
1¼ cups chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
1 large bunch chervil leaves, all but 12 sprigs minced (about 3 tablespoons)
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, until limp and translucent.
Add the chicken to the pan in one layer. Add the stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn the chicken over. Lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes. Add the minced chervil, turn the chicken again, and simmer, covered, for 4 minutes.
Remove the chicken and keep it warm. Season the broth with salt. Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Bring the broth to a boil. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the broth, whisking constantly. Return the sauce to a boil, still whisking. Lower the heat slightly and simmer for 2 minutes, whisking.
Serve the chicken with the sauce and sprigs of chervil.
SERVES 4
I’m no spring chicken, but this recipe turns chicken into a spring treat with a plethora of only-in-the-spring vegetables. I prefer dark meat in this. It is cheaper than white and can take longer cooking and reheating; but if white is preferred, feel free.
I usually grill ramps on an outdoor grill, brushed with olive oil and the white part over the center of the heat and the greens off to one side. When I used the small amount of ramps that I had for this dish, it seemed sacrilegious to be cooking the ramp leaves; but it turned out very well.
I serve this chicken with grits (see page 221)—use polenta if it feels better.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1¼ pounds young fennel, bulbs trimmed off, fronds reserved
4 chicken legs and 4 chicken thighs (about 2½ pounds)
½ pound ramps, green leaves cut across into 1½-inch pieces, white cut across into 2-inch pieces
1 cup chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
10 ounces baby spinach
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Put the olive oil in a 4-quart braising pan (about 11 inches across). Warm it over low heat. While it warms, cut the fennel bulbs into wedges attached at the root end. They should be about ½ inch across at the base.
Raise the heat to medium and add the chicken pieces, skin side down. With tongs, move the pieces to keep them from sticking for 5 to 10 minutes and then turn the pieces on all sides until no red shows.
Pile the chicken pieces along one edge of the pot. Add the fennel wedges. Place the chicken pieces over the fennel so that there is a single layer of fennel. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the whites of the ramps. Stir, adding the chicken stock.
Raise the heat to simmer. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate any brown bits, for 10 minutes. Stir in the ramp greens and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook for about 10 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
SERVES 4 TO 8, DEPENDING ON APPETITES
Well, of course not, as couscous is a pasta made from wheat. I have adapted my recipe to use quinoa instead.
My first introduction to couscous was via Paula Wolfert’s fabulous first book. This by no means implies that she is responsible for this recipe.
There is a little triumph hidden in this recipe, which is my substitute for classic preserved lemons. If you are one of those wonders who have preserved lemons on hand, you should certainly use them.
I put the almonds out in a bowl—some like them; some don’t. Harissa is now readily available in markets. I find that which comes in tubes preferable.
If a good butcher is available, asking to have the chickens cut up as for Chinese stir-frying usually does the trick. Otherwise, use a good cleaver.
½ cup olive oil
1¾ pounds small onions (1½ to 2 inches across), stem and root ends removed (about 8 cups)
1 cup rice bran
One 4½-pound chicken, cut into about 16 small pieces through the bone
1 pound white mushrooms, stemmed and quartered (about 5 cups)
1½ pounds yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, deribbed, and cut into 1-inch squares (6 to 7 cups)
1 head garlic, smashed, cloves separated, and peeled
2 cups unsweetened dried apricots
12 “Preserved” Lemon wedges (page 202)
Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons harissa
4 cups chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
6 cups cooked quinoa (see page 168)
1½ cups whole roasted almonds
Heat the oil in a 6-quart braising pot over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onions. Cook until light brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Move the onions to a platter.
Spread the rice bran on a newspaper or large sheet of parchment and dredge the chicken in it. Working in small batches (three or four pieces at a time), brown each piece of chicken in the hot oil, then move to a platter when done.
When finished browning the chicken, reduce the heat to low and return the onions and chicken to the pot. Add the mushrooms, yellow peppers, garlic, apricots, lemon wedges, cinnamon, and harissa. Pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for 30 minutes more.
Season with the lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve with a bowl of quinoa and almonds on the side for people to add if they wish.
SERVES 4 TO 6
Aside from my recipe for roast chicken (see page 86) and perhaps a risotto or two, I don’t think any recipe of mine has been reprinted, cooked from, and snared on the Internet more than this turkey.
I made it in honor of Thanksgiving on television on Good Morning America, where in her first forays into television Sara Moulton was the resident chef. Previously, she had worked for Julia Child. After the show, Julia called Sara and said: “Dear, they really should have said that the turkey was swapped for one that was cooked before.” “No, Julia,” Sara said. “It was cooked in real time.”
Most of us live in real time; but we still want to eat well, and I think this is the best way to make a turkey. Cook the dressing (stuffing) separately. It’s safer because it heats better without the bone shielding it. I do give stuffed roasting times for traditionalists.
If the turkey needs to be thawed, it will need a full day in the refrigerator. In any case, it will take several hours out on a counter to come to room temperature. Cover with a tent of foil or a damp cloth to keep the skin from drying out. I do not use store-bought turkeys that have been injected with stuff. I don’t brine. High-heat roasted turkeys will stay moist from the melted fat under the skin. Wild turkey is too hard. There are very good heirloom birds.
See the timings at the right for different weights, unstuffed and stuffed. Be sure to save the carcass and bones from people’s plates to make stock.
So here is my old friend one more time.
One 15-pound turkey, thawed if necessary and at room temperature, wing tips removed, giblets and neck reserved for gravy (see page 195), liver for dressing
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup water or chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack on the second level from the bottom.
Rinse the turkey inside and out. Pat dry. Sprinkle the outside with pepper. If stuffing, stuff the cavity and crop (the neck skin), securing the openings with long metal skewers. Lace them. Do not truss.
Put the turkey in an 18-×-13-×-2-inch roasting pan, breast side up. Put in the oven legs first and roast for about 2 hours or until the leg joint near the backbone wiggles easily. After the first 20 minutes, move the turkey with a wooden spatula to prevent it from sticking. If it seems to be getting too dark, put a sheet of foil over the breast.
Move the turkey to a large platter and let sit for 20 minutes. Pour off or spoon out excess fat from the roasting pan and put the roasting pan on top of the stove. Add the stock and bring the contents of the pan to a boil while scraping the bottom vigorously with a wooden spoon. Let reduce by half. Serve on the side in a sauceboat or add to giblet gravy.
Basic Roast Turkey Times at 500°F
| Weight | Unstuffed | Stuffed |
|---|---|---|
|
9 pounds |
1 hour 15 minutes |
1 hour 45 minutes |
|
12 pounds |
1 hour 20 minutes |
1 hour 50 minutes |
|
15 pounds |
2 hours |
2 hours 30 minutes |
|
20 pounds |
3 hours |
3 hours 30 minutes |
I offer here a slightly sweet turkey and cranberry loaf baked in individual portions that children will find irresistible at Thanksgiving—or anytime. The fruit adds moisture, replacing the need for bread crumbs.
⅔ cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
4 very small stalks celery, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice (⅔ cup)
1 medium bunch flat-leaf parsley, stemmed and finely chopped (⅓ cup)
1⅓ pounds ground turkey
1 scant tablespoon kosher salt
1 scant tablespoon celery seed
2 teaspoons dried sage
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Few grinds black pepper
Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center.
Soak the chopped cranberries in ⅓ cup very hot tap water for 10 minutes; drain. Combine with all of the other ingredients.
Divide the mixture into four equal parts. Form into mounded ovals that do not touch and place in a 9-×-13-inch heatproof glass dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Using a pancake turner, transfer to individual plates and serve.
SERVES 4
If you’re alone at Thanksgiving or anytime, I suggest roasting a squab or a Cornish hen. Buy a can of cranberry sauce. Stick a sweet potato, its skin pricked with a fork, on a double sheet of paper towel in the microwave for 12 minutes. It will be done just before the squab. You’re done. You can buy a tart.
1 medium squab (11 to 12 ounces)
1 tablespoon anise seeds
½ cup chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack on the second level from the bottom.
Put the bird in the smallest roasting pan available or on a pie plate. Put the anise seeds in the cavity. Place in the oven breast up, legs to the rear. Roast for 16 to 17 minutes. Move to a plate. Put the pan on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil with the stock and salt and pepper to taste. Scrape the pan and reduce liquid slightly. Eat.
SERVES 1
Cooked and puréed Bosc pears make a pleasing and unusual sauce base for roast squab, a dark-meat bird that has only a hint of gamy flavor and can be served a little rare. Cornish hens, which taste more like chicken, are a good alternative. A 1-pound bird needs 15 minutes or so for roasting; larger hens will take longer and should be cooked until their juices run clear.
Buckwheat, with its mellow brown color, firm bite, and slightly nutty flavor, is a good contrast to the meat in this dish. Brown rice could be substituted but takes much longer to cook.
This is hearty food just right for an elegant winter dinner party. For a stunning presentation, I place the birds in a circle on a large round dish, put cooked pear halves between them, and mound the buckwheat in the center of the circle. I spoon a little pear sauce over each portion of bird and buckwheat; there will be enough left over for guests to add more if they wish.
½ cup chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
¼ cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 firm ripe Bosc pears (about 1½ pounds), peeled, halved, and cored
1 cup buckwheat
4 medium squabs (11 to 12 ounces each), wing tips removed
2 tablespoons pear brandy (poire William)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 to 3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on the diagonal (½ cup)
Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack in the center.
In a saucepan just large enough to hold the pears in one layer, bring the chicken stock, red wine, and vinegar to a boil. Add the pears in one layer and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through.
Cut two pear halves into chunks. Keep the remaining pears covered to keep them warm. In a blender, purée the chunks with the poaching liquid.
Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add the buckwheat and return to the boil. Reduce the heat to simmer; cover the pan, and cook for 8 to 9 minutes.
While the buckwheat is cooking, rub each squab with pear brandy and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the squabs in a roasting pan and roast for 16 to 17 minutes or until the juices run clear.
Fluff the buckwheat with a fork and stir in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
When the squabs are roasted, remove to a platter. If the pears have cooled, reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes. Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Pour in ⅓ cup water and boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the pear purée and cardamom and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the scallions. Spoon some sauce over the birds and buckwheat and pass the rest.
SERVES 4
Roast Quail served with Fennel and Garlic Mashed Potatoes (see recipe).
I must confess that when I was in Syria I ordered and ate roast sparrows. They were delicious. At home, I do a similar thing with the equally small quail. The birds are often sold frozen, four to a package.
If they don’t show up butterflied, cut along the length of the backbone with kitchen shears, open them out, and flatten them.
Teff (see page 169) would go well with this dish.
1 large fennel bulb (1 pound), tops trimmed off, cut lengthwise through the core into ⅛-inch-thick slices so the core holds each slice in a whole piece
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons Lemon Zesty Spice Mix (page 202)
4 quails (3 to 4 ounces each), thawed if necessary and butterflied
Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack in the center.
Place the fennel slices in a 14-×-12-×-2-inch roasting pan. Drizzle the oil over the slices and turn until coated evenly. Arrange the slices in a single layer. Sprinkle with the salt. Roast for 10 minutes.
Rub the spice mixture over both sides of each quail. Set aside.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully turn the fennel with a spatula, pushing the pieces to the sides of the pan. Place the quails breast side up in the center aisle of the pan and roast for 5 minutes. Turn them over and roast for another 5 minutes.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE, 2 AS A MAIN COURSE
Dramatic, no? Forbidden rice is black rice that used to be restricted to royalty. Today, it comes in neat 1-pound packages and can be found on the Internet and in some groceries. Its deep flavor seems to be a perfect accompaniment for the richness of duck. Sadly, even though this dish is rich, one duck serves only four people.
My way of roasting duck is somewhat odd. It starts with poaching a duck whose skin has been thoroughly pricked so that the fat can ooze out. Then, it is roasted at high heat, making crisp skin and tender, juicy meat.
After the first go-round there will be duck stock on hand for future adventures, unless it has all gotten drunk in the meantime. If not drinking the stock, cook in it the reserved bones and innards—except the liver—and carcass of the duck, plus any bones that can be rescued from plates. Without duck stock, use chicken stock.
Fresh duck is preferable; but if frozen is all that is available, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.
5½ quarts duck or chicken stock (any of the homemade stocks, pages 203–4, or sterile-pack)
One 6-pound Long Island duck, thawed, giblets, innards, and wing tips removed and reserved, neck trimmed and reserved, and extra fat removed
4 teaspoons Lemon Zesty Spice Mix (page 202)
3 cups cooked black rice (see page 228)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut across into ¼-inch slices (1½ cups)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pour the stock into a tall narrow stockpot. Add the wing tips, neck, giblets, and any blood from the duck. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
Meanwhile, using the tines of a fork, thoroughly prick the duck all over, paying special attention to the fattiest areas. Insert the tines at an angle so there is minimum risk of pricking the meat beneath. Carefully lower the duck into the boiling stock, neck end first. To keep the duck submerged, place a plate or pot over the duck to weigh it down.
When the stock returns to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Check about every 10 to 15 minutes to see that the duck remains submerged. Keep the stock at a gentle simmer; if it boils, the duck will rise to the surface.
When the duck has finished simmering, spoon 2 tablespoons of the duck fat off the top of the stock and spread it in the bottom of a shallow 12-×-8-×-1½-inch roasting pan. Remove the plate and carefully lift out the duck, holding it over the pot to drain any liquid from the cavity. Place the duck in the roasting pan.
Leave the duck sitting out at room temperature to permit the skin to dry (the skin is very fragile at this point, so be careful) and heat the oven to 500°F with the oven rack on the second level from the bottom.
Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture all over the duck. Place the duck in the oven legs first. Roast for 30 minutes. After 10 minutes, pour out the fat that has accumulated in the roasting pan while carefully securing the duck. (Alternatively, gently remove the duck from the pan and pour the fat out, then return the duck to the roasting pan.) Move the duck around in the pan with a wooden spatula to prevent the skin from sticking to the bottom of the pan. In the meantime, skim the fat off the duck stock (there will be a lot).
When the duck has been roasting for 15 minutes, place the cooked black rice with a cup of duck stock in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring the rice to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer, cook for 5 minutes, and add the sliced scallions. Once the rice is thoroughly warmed, turn the heat down.
After the full 30 minutes, remove the duck from the pan, allowing any interior juices to flow back into the pan. Put the duck on a serving platter. Pour or spoon off the fat from the roasting pan and place the pan on a burner over high heat. Deglaze with ½ cup duck stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the gravy into a sauceboat.
Add the remaining 2 teaspoons spice mixture to the rice and turn the heat to medium, stirring well. If the rice appears dry, add more duck stock as needed. Spoon the rice into a serving bowl and serve with the duck.
SERVES 4
The richness of duck has an affinity for young turnips in the spring. The figs are a good fall version.
Two 4-pound ducks, each cut into 16 serving pieces as for Chinese food (have the butcher do this), necks, gizzards, and wings reserved for stock
8 medium cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and cut lengthwise in half
5 sage leaves
1 bay leaf
1½ cups medium-bodied red wine such as Rioja
32 small or 24 medium fresh black figs (1½ pounds), stemmed
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oven to 500°F with one rack in the bottom third of the oven and one in the top third.
With kitchen scissors, trim the excess fat from the duck pieces. Place the duck, skin side down, in one layer in two large heavy roasting pans. Roast for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the pans from the oven. Pour off the fat. Turn the duck meat side down. Return to the oven, placing the pan from the bottom rack on the top rack and vice versa. Roast for 15 minutes. Move the duck pieces to a bowl. Pour or spoon the fat from the pan. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat.
Place one pan on top of the stove. Pour ½ cup water into the pan. Bring the water to a boil, scraping any browned bits from the bottom and sides of the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour this liquid over the duck. Repeat with the second pan.
In a large wide pot, heat the 2 tablespoons reserved fat over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the garlic and add to the browned duck. Pour off the fat.
Put the duck with its liquid and the garlic in the pot. Add the sage, bay leaf, and 1 cup of the wine. Cover. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes, turning the duck every 15 minutes.
Stir in the figs, salt, pepper, and remaining wine. Cover. Return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, 10 minutes for small figs, 10 to 15 minutes for medium. The figs should be cooked through while maintaining their shape.
Put the duck and figs on a serving platter. Pour the sauce into a measuring cup. Let the sauce sit for a minute or two, then skim the fat. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the duck moistened with some of the sauce.
