Americans have always craved chicken. The settlers quickly learned from the Native Americans how to slowly spit-roast chicken on greenwood sticks until ‘smoked to a turn.’ They also knew that a great stew pot was something to be cherished (the luckiest brides were given one) and that even the toughest fowl would become succulent after a few hours of simmering. They soon discovered that the broth was delicious and the pot even better when they added dumplings and cooked them until plump and tender.
Pit-barbecued chickens ‘arrived’ in New York society when they made their debut at political rallies in the 1700s. As the economy cycled over the years, the poor became poorer and chickens became harder to come by. But that didn’t stop folks from carving up this versatile, juicy bird whenever possible.
Nineteenth-century cookbooks offered few poultry recipes because of the greater availability of game and wild fowl. Eliza Leslie in her 1848 book Directions for Cookery in Its Various Branches, provides only ten poultry recipes. Her Baked Chicken Pie recipe advises: ‘It will be much improved by the addition of a quarter of a hundred oysters; or by interspersing the pieces of chicken with slices of cold boiled ham. You may add also some yolks of eggs boiled hard.”
In the 1930s, Louisiana Senator Huey P. Long rallied the vote of the poor by promising them ‘a chicken in every pot.’ He used the example of Henri IV, who attempted to attract the support of the hungry by promising them a ‘chicken in [their] pot every Sunday.”
Today almost everyone has a favorite way of preparing chicken. Southerners batter and fry it, smoke it, barbecue it, and turn it into fricassée, while Midwesterners love to roast it. Californians stir-fry their chicken, and Cajuns toss it into the gumbo pot. However you choose to serve the bird, you can count on chicken being on the menu—not just on Sunday but any day of the week.
Sunday Roast Chicken
Sunday Roast Chicken
(pictured on page 100)
The Pilgrims brought domesticated chickens to our shores. Ever since then, roast chicken has been America’s favorite Sunday dinner. This one is stuffed the simplest way, with just a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme tucked beneath the skin.
PREP: 20 minutes * ROAST: 1 hour
MAKES 4 main-dish servings
1 chicken (3½ pounds)
2 sprigs plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
teaspoon ground allspice
1 jumbo onion (1 pound), cut into 12 wedges
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large Granny Smith apples, each cored and cut into quarters
2 tablespoons applejack brandy or Calvados
½ cup canned chicken broth or Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49)
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove giblets and neck from chicken; reserve for another use. Rinse chicken inside and out with cold running water; drain. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
2. With fingertips, gently separate skin from meat on chicken breast. Place 1 thyme sprig under skin of each breast half. In cup, combine chopped thyme, salt, pepper, and allspice.
3. With chicken breast side up, lift wings up toward neck, then fold wing tips under back of chicken so wings stay in place. Tie legs together with string.
4. In medium roasting pan (14’ by 10“), toss onion, chopped thyme mixture, water, and oil. Push onion mixture to sides of pan. Place chicken, breast side up, on small rack in the center of the roasting pan.
5. Roast chicken and onion mixture 40 minutes. Add apples to pan; roast about 20 minutes longer. Chicken is done when temperature on meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh, next to body, reaches 175° to 180°F and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with tip of knife.
6. Transfer chicken to warm platter; let stand for 10 minutes to set juices for easier carving.
7. Meanwhile, remove rack from roasting pan. With slotted spoon, place onion mixture around chicken on platter. Skim and discard fat from drippings in pan. Add applejack to pan drippings; cook 1 minute over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add broth; heat to boiling. Serve pan-juice mixture with chicken. Remove skin from chicken before eating, if desired.
EACH SERVING WITH SKIN: About 589 calories, 49g protein, 22g carbohydrate, 33g total fat (9g saturated), 159mg cholesterol, 708mg sodium.
EACH SERVING WITHOUT SKIN: About 441 calories, 43g protein, 22g carbohydrate, 20g total fat (5g saturated), 132mg cholesterol, 686mg sodium.
Herb-Roasted Chicken with Moist Bread Stuffing
One of the simplest (and best) ways to stuff a chicken is to mix up a bowl of old-fashioned bread stuffing. Many of the stuffings in the earliest cookbooks were bread stuffings, including two in the 1796 cookbook, American Cookery. All are listed under the heading ‘To Stuff and Roast a Turkey, or Fowl.’ Our stuffing recipe is rather straightforward: simple to mix up and very delicious. If you bake the stuffing outside the bird, tightly covering the dish with foil will keep it moist. This allows the stuffing to steam, somewhat imitating the way it cooks when inside a bird.
PREP: 10 minutes * ROAST: 1 hour
MAKES 4 main-dish servings
1 chicken (3½ pounds)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper Moist Bread Stuffing (at right)
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove giblets and neck from chicken; reserve for another use. Rinse chicken inside and out with cold running water; drain. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
2. In cup, combine butter, chives, and parsley until very well blended. With fingertips, gently separate skin from meat on chicken breast and thighs. Rub herb mixture on meat under skin. Sprinkle salt and pepper on outside of chicken. With chicken breast side up, lift wings up toward neck, then fold wing tips under back of chicken so wings stay in place. Tie legs together with string.
3. Place chicken, breast side up, on rack in small roasting pan (13’ by 9”). Roast chicken about 1 hour. Chicken is done when temperature on meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken thigh, next to body, reaches 175° to 180°F and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with tip of knife.
4. Transfer chicken to warm platter; let stand 10 minutes to set juices for easier carving. Remove skin from chicken before eating, if desired. Serve with Moist Bread Stuffing.
EACH SERVING WITH SKIN AND WITHOUT STUFFING: About 469 calories, 48g protein, 0g carbohydrate, 30g total fat (10g saturated), 169mg cholesterol, 275mg sodium.
EACH SERVING WITHOUT SKIN OR STUFFING: About 321 calories, 41g protein, 0g carbohydrate, 16g total fat (6g saturated), 142 mg cholesterol, 254 mg sodium.
Moist Bread Stuffing
In 4-quart saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter or margarine over medium heat. Add 3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped, and 1 small onion, finely chopped; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 12 minutes.
Remove saucepan from heat. Add 1 loaf (16 ounces) sliced firm white bread, cut into ¾-inch cubes, 1 can (14½ ounces) chicken broth or1¾ cups Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49), ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon dried sage, and ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, toss to combine well.
Use to stuff chicken or serve in baking dish alongside chicken. Spoon stuffing into greased 9’ by 9’ baking dish; cover with foil. Bake in preheated 325°F oven until heated through, about 30 minutes. Makes about 5 cups stuffing.
EACH ½ CUP STUFFING: About 170 calories, 4g protein, 24g carbohydrate, 6g total fat (3g saturated), 13mg cholesterol, 473 mg sodium.
Chicken, Baltimore Style
Split a young chicken down the back as for broiling; take out the breastbone and cut off the tips of the wings. Cut into four pieces, dredge with salt and pepper, dip them in egg and crumbs and put in a pan with enough melted butter poured over each piece to moisten it. Roast in a hot oven about twenty minutes. Make a rich cream sauce or Bechamel sauce, pour on a dish and place the chicken on it. Garnish with slices of fried bacon.
—Good Housekeeping Everyday Cook Book, 1903
Barbecued Chicken, North Carolina Style
Barbecue is serious business in North Carolina. In the southern part of the state, cooks make a vinegar and mustard sauce; in the northeastern part, vinegar and pepper flakes are used. Only in the western part of the state will you find a barbecue sauce made with tomatoes, such as this one.
PREP: 15 minutes * GRILL: 25 minutes
MAKES 4 main-dish servings
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
1 chicken (3½ pounds), cut into 8 pieces and skin removed from all but wings
1. Prepare grill. In nonreactive 2-quart saucepan, combine tomato sauce, vinegar, honey, oil, dry mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and liquid smoke; heat to boiling over medium heat. Boil 2 minutes; remove from heat. (Makes about 2 cups sauce.) Reserve 1 cup sauce to serve with the chicken.
2. Sprinkle chicken with remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange chicken on grill over medium heat and grill, turning occasionally, 15 minutes. Continue to grill, turning and brushing chicken every 2 minutes with barbecue sauce, until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced with tip of knife, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Serve with reserved barbecue sauce.
EACH SERVING WITHOUT EXTRA SAUCE: About 491 calories, 49g protein, 11g carbohydrate, 27g total fat (7g saturated), 154mg cholesterol, 685mg sodium.
EACH ¼ CUP SAUCE: About 73 calories, 1g protein, 11g carbohydrate, 4g total fat (0g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 540mg sodium.
Chicken Fricassée
Chicken Fricassée, chicken that is fried and then stewed with chopped vegetables in a creamy white sauce, is a traditional Southern dish that is served in many homes. Enjoy it over hot buttery egg noodles.
PREP: 20 minutes * COOK: 1 hour
MAKES 6 main-dish servings
1 chicken (3½ pounds), cut into 8 pieces and excess fat removed
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 can (14½ ounces) chicken broth or 1¾ cups Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49)
½ cup heavy cream
teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 cups wide egg noodles, cooked as label directs
2. Reduce heat to medium; add onion, celery, and carrots to skillet. Cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add chicken broth and cook, stirring until browned bits are loosened from bottom of pan. Return chicken and vegetables to skillet along with any juices on plate; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, turning pieces occasionally, until chicken is tender, 40 to 45 minutes.
4. Transfer chicken to large, deep platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Add cream and pepper to sauce in skillet and whisk until blended; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Pour sauce over chicken; sprinkle with parsley. Serve over hot noodles.
EACH SERVING: About 542 calories, 37g protein, 26g carbohydrate, 31g total fat (12g saturated), 163mg cholesterol, 628mg sodium.
Country Captain
Nineteenth-century cookbook author Eliza Leslie attributes Country Captain to a British army captain who brought the recipe back to England after his tour of duty in India. Proud Georgians, however, disagree with this story. They claim the mysterious captain sailed into the famous port city of Savannah during the lucrative spice-trading period and entrusted his recipe to friends. Whatever its true origin, curried chicken in a tomato-based sauce has a blend of spices and flavors typical of East Indian cooking.
PREP: 30 minutes * BAKE: 1 hour
MAKES 8 main-dish servings
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 chickens (3½ pounds each), each cut into 8 pieces and skin removed from all but wings
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated, peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons curry powder
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes in puree
1 can (14½ ounces) chicken broth or 1¾ cups Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49)
½ cup dark seedless raisins
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. In same Dutch oven, heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, apple, green pepper, garlic, and ginger; cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 5 minutes longer.
3. Stir in curry powder, black pepper, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes with their puree, broth, raisins, salt, and chicken. Heat to boiling over high heat; boil 1 minute. Cover and place in oven. Bake 1 hour. Sprinkle with parsley.
EACH SERVING: About 347 calories, 43g protein, 19g carbohydrate, 11g total fat (2g saturated), 133mg cholesterol, 825mg sodium.
Country Captain
Chicken Cacciatore
Chicken cacciatore (hunter’s style) is found on the menu of nearly every Italian-American restaurant. In Italy the dish was often prepared with freshly shot guinea fowl or pheasant, but in the States it is usually prepared with chicken. Use white mushrooms or other favorite varieties. Soft polenta or white rice makes a fine accompaniment to this dish.
PREP: 15 minutes * COOK: 45 minutes
MAKES 4 main-dish servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 chicken (3½ pounds), cut into 8 pieces and skin removed from all but wings
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and thickly sliced
1 can (14 to 16 ounces) tomatoes
½ teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried sage
teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
2. Add onion and garlic to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring frequently, until just tender, about 3 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes with their juice, breaking them up with side of spoon. Add oregano, salt, sage, ground red pepper, and chicken; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover skillet and simmer until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced with tip of knife, about 25 minutes.
4. Transfer chicken to warm serving bowl. Spoon sauce over chicken.
EACH SERVING: About 371 calories, 44g protein, 18g carbohydrate, 13g total fat (3g saturated), 133mg cholesterol, 608mg sodium.
Fried Chicken
Almost every Southerner has a special recipe for fried chicken. Some shake it to coat before frying, others batter it and a few crumb and bake it. Even cooks who agree that frying chicken is the best way to cook it disagree on the amount of oil that should be used. Some immerse their chicken completely in oil, while others fry it in just enough oil to reach halfway up the sides of the chicken. But all southern cooks agree on one thing: the best frying pan is a very well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, preferably one that has been handed down for generations.
PREP: 15 minutes
COOK: 20 minutes per batch plus 8 minutes
MAKES 8 main-dish servings
4 cups vegetable oil
1½ cups milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1¾ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 chickens (3 pounds each), each cut into 8 pieces
1 can (14½ ounces) chicken broth or 1¾ cups Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49)
1. In deep 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat to 360°F on deep-fat thermometer. Meanwhile, pour ½ cup milk into pie plate. On waxed paper, combine 1¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Dip chicken in milk, then coat well with flour mixture. Repeat, dipping and coating chicken twice.
2. Carefully place one-third of chicken pieces, skin side down, in hot oil. Cover and cook until underside of chicken is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken, skin side up. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain 300°F temperature. Cook 8 to 10 minutes longer for white meat; 13 to 15 minutes longer for dark meat, turning pieces every 4 to 5 minutes, until well browned on all sides and juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced with tip of knife. With spatula or tongs, loosen chicken from skillet bottom. Transfer chicken pieces, skin side up, to paper towels to drain; keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken.
3. Prepare gravy: Spoon 2 tablespoons oil from skillet into 2-quart saucepan. Over medium heat, with wooden spoon, stir remaining ¼ cup flour into oil until blended. Cook, stirring constantly, until flour is light brown. With wire whisk, gradually stir in remaining 1 cup milk, broth, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until gravy has thickened and boils. (Makes 
cups gravy). Serve gravy with chicken.
EACH SERVING: About 657calories, 46g protein, 26g carbohydrate, 40g total fat (9g saturated), 138mg cholesterol, 942mg sodium.
Fried Chicken
Our thanks go to the Spaniards for bringing the first chickens to Florida by way of the West Indies. The English colonists also brought chickens to the New World, as they were easy to bring onboard ship and could be killed for food, if necessary. The English preferred baking and boiling chickens. It was the Scottish who enjoyed frying chickens and who likely shared this custom when they settled in the South. And just as likely, the African-American plantation cooks who were allowed to raise chickens observed this efficient cooking method and tried it out for themselves with great success.
In 1872, Annabella P. Hill offered a recipe for frying chicken in batter, instructing to first half-fry the chicken in boiling oil ‘then dip it in a thin fritter batter and finish the frying.’ She then recommended a water-based pan gravy to be served alongside. The Maryland custom of serving fried chicken with a creamy white gravy was recorded by B. C. Howard in Fifty Years in a Maryland Kitchen. In true Maryland fashion, the sauce is served in its own gravy dish alongside the chicken—not spooned on top.
More than one hundred years later, all agree that fried chicken is one of the South’s most famous and beloved dishes.
Creole Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Creole Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Since the first pots of gumbo in the late eighteenth century, this Cajun stew was known for being a melting pot of flavors. Gumbo is derived from the African word gombo (“okra’ in Bantu), which is fitting since okra is often used to thicken the pot. An authentic gumbo gets its rich flavor from a roux that is made in a skillet—usually black iron—by slowly browning flour in fat until it’s deep brown.
PREP: 1 hour 10 minutes plus cooling
COOK: 1 hour 30 minutes
MAKES 18 cups or 12 main-dish servings
cup all-purpose flour
1 chicken (3½ pounds), cut into 8 pieces
12 ounces fully cooked andouille or kielbasa sausage, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
6 cups canned chicken broth or Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49)
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 cups water
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
12 ounces okra, sliced, or 1 package (10 ounces) frozen cut okra, thawed
1 large yellow pepper, chopped
4 stalks celery with leaves, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 can (14 to 16 ounces) tomatoes, drained and chopped
½ cup finely chopped green-onion tops
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
3 cups regular long-grain rice, cooked as label directs
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place flour in oven-safe 12-inch skillet (if skillet is not oven-safe, wrap handle with double layer of foil). Bake until flour begins to brown, about 25 minutes. Stir with wooden spoon, breaking up any lumps. Bake, stirring flour every 10 minutes, until it turns nut brown, about 35 minutes longer. Remove flour from oven and cool. Press flour through sieve to remove any lumps.
2. Heat nonreactive 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until very hot. Cook chicken, skin side down first, in batches, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken pieces to large bowl as they are browned. Add sausage to Dutch oven and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to chicken in bowl.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Gradually stir in browned flour, about 3 tablespoons at a time; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes.
4. Immediately add broth, stirring until browned bits are loosened from bottom of pan. Blend tomato paste with water; add to Dutch oven. Stir in onions, okra, yellow pepper, celery, ¼ cup parsley, garlic, bay leaves, salt, thyme, ground red pepper, black pepper, and allspice. Add sausage, chicken, and tomatoes; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer until liquid has thickened, about 1 hour.
5. Add remaining ½ cup parsley, green onions, and vinegar; heat through. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Serve gumbo in bowls over rice.
EACH SERVING: About 447 calories, 27g protein, 28g carbohydrate, 25g total fat (8g saturated), 107mg cholesterol, 1,357mg sodium.
Plantation Chicken ’n’ Dumplings
Fricassée a chicken, add homemade dumplings, and you have many a Southerner’s favorite dish. Before baking powder was invented in the 1850s, Southerners rolled out dumpling dough, cut it into strips, and cooked it up flat, slippery, and chewy. Today dumplings are usually lowered into simmering broth by the spoonful and cooked until light and puffy.
PREP: 15 minutes * COOK: 1 hour
MAKES 6 main-dish servings
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 large bone-in chicken breast halves (3¼ pounds), skin removed
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large stalks celery, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme 1 large egg
1½ cups milk
2 cups water
1 can (14½ ounces) low-sodium chicken broth or 1¾ cups Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49)
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to drippings in Dutch oven. Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare dumplings: In small bowl, combine 1 cup flour, baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and thyme. In cup, with fork, beat the egg with ½ cup milk. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture until just blended.
4. Return chicken to Dutch oven; add water, broth, pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Heat to boiling over high heat. Drop dumpling mixture by rounded tablespoons on top of chicken and vegetables to make 12 dumplings. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes.
5. With slotted spoon, transfer dumplings, chicken, and vegetables to serving bowl; keep warm. Reserve broth in Dutch oven.
6. In cup, blend remaining 2 tablespoons flour with remaining 1 cup milk until smooth; stir into broth in Dutch oven. Heat to boiling over high heat; boil 1 minute to thicken slightly. Add peas and heat through. Pour sauce over the chicken and dumplings.
EACH SERVING: About 437 calories, 46g protein, 38g carbohydrate, 10g total fat (3g saturated), 137mg cholesterol, 951mg sodium.
San Francisco Stir-Fry Chicken
During the Gold Rush, many Chinese immigrants cooked for the well-to-do, incorporating recipes and techniques from their homeland into the dishes they prepared. Stir-fries soon became a part of America’s food melting pot.
PREP: 20 minutes * COOK: 10 minutes
MAKES 4 main-dish servings
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons grated, peeled fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 green pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 red pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
2. In 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Add green onions and red and green peppers. Cook, stirring frequently (stir-frying), until vegetables are tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to bowl.
3. Increase heat to high and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet; heat until very hot. Add chicken mixture and stir-fry until chicken loses its pink color throughout, 2 to 3 minutes. Return vegetables to skillet; heat through. To serve, transfer chicken and vegetables to warm platter and sprinkle with peanuts.
EACH SERVING: About 277 calories, 30g protein, 9g carbohydrate, 13g total fat (2g saturated), 66mg cholesterol, 594mg sodium.
“All Aboard… Dinner is now being served!”
On November 3, 1842, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad pulled out of Baltimore with company executives on board for a 178-mile ride. No stop was planned, so guests were served an elegant cold repast—the first meal to be served on a train. From then, dining cars rapidly caught on. By the year 1930 1,700 dining cars on 63 different railroads served over 80 million meals!
Each line had its specialties: fresh crab cakes on the Baltimore & Ohio, fresh trout on the Santa Fe, prime beefsteak on the Union Pacific, and big baked, stuffed potatoes on the Northern Pacific. There was traditional chicken pie on the Great Northern, lobster Newburg on the New York Central, sugar-cured ham on the Southern Pacific, and luscious fresh strawberry shortcake on the Pullman Company Line.
Arroz con Pollo
In early-twentieth-century America, the increasing influence of Spanish culture gave rise to dishes such as arroz con pollo (chicken with rice). In true Spanish tradition, our skillet dish contains chicken, rice, peas, and tomatoes.
PREP: 15 minutes * COOK: 40 minutes
MAKES 4 main-dish servings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 chicken (3½ pounds), cut into 8 pieces and skin removed from all but wings
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 cup regular long-grain rice
1 can (14½ ounces) chicken broth or 1¾ cups Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49)
¼ cup water
1 strip (3’ by ½“) lemon peel
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen peas
¼ cup chopped pimiento-stuffed olives (salad olives)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro lemon wedges
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and red pepper to Dutch oven and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ground red pepper; cook 30 seconds. Add rice; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, lemon peel, oregano, salt, and chicken; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced with tip of knife, about 20 minutes longer.
3. Stir in peas; cover and heat through. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
4. Transfer chicken to serving bowl. Sprinkle with olives and cilantro; serve with lemon wedges.
EACH SERVING: About 387 calories, 26g protein, 48g carbohydrate, 9g total fat (2g saturated), 81 mg cholesterol, 927mg sodium.
Chicken Enchiladas
The word enchilada, Spanish for ‘filled with chile,’ first appeared here in print in 1885. By the mid-twentieth century, enchiladas were a popular dish in Mexican-American restaurants. And hostesses discovered that it was the perfect buffet dish for casual at-home supper parties.
PREP: 15 minutes *BAKE: 20 minutes
MAKES 4 main-dish servings
1 can (4 to 4½ ounces) chopped mild green chiles, undrained
¾ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems
3 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons sliced pickled jalapeño chiles
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt
cup water
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
8 ounces cooked chicken or turkey, shredded (2 cups)
¼ cup heavy or whipping cream
3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded ¾ cup)
2. In blender, combine chiles, cilantro, green onions, pickled jalapeños, lime juice, salt, and water; puree until smooth. Transfer to 8-inch skillet and heat to boiling over medium heat; boil 2 minutes. Dip one side of each tortilla in sauce; spread 1 tablespoon sauce over other (dry) side of tortillas; top with chicken. Roll up tortillas and place, seam side down, in prepared baking dish.
3. Stir cream into remaining sauce in skillet; spoon over filled tortillas. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle with cheese and bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes longer.
EACH SERVING: About 402 calories, 30g protein, 23g carbohydrate, 21g total fat (9g saturated), 106mg cholesterol, 713mg sodium.
Chicken à la King
It’s fitting that a dish as elegant as chicken à la king would have many wanting to claim it as their own. Some credit Foxhall Keene, son of Wall Street broker James R. Keene, for coming up with the idea, then asking Delmonico’s to prepare it for him. He called it chicken à la Keene. Another tale credits Chef George Greenwald of New York’s Brighton Beach Hotel with making it for the proprietors, Mr. and Mrs. E. Clark King III. And still another story suggests that Claridge’s restaurant in London made the first chicken à la king for James R. Keene, when his horse won the 1881 Grand Prix. This famous dish was—and often still is—ladled from a silver chafing dish onto toast points, over rice, or into flaky patty shells.
PREP: 15 minutes * COOK: 20 minutes
MAKES 8 servings
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
¼ cup chopped green pepper
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups half-and-half
4 cups cubed, cooked chicken or turkey
1 jar (4 ounces) chopped pimientos, drained
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons medium-dry sherry
1 teaspoon salt
8 frozen patty shells, warmed as package directs
2. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually stir in half-and-half. Cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until sauce has thickened. Add chicken and pimientos. Heat to boiling, stirring often. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes.
3. In cup, with fork, stir yolks until mixed; stir in ¼ cup sauce. Gradually pour yolk mixture into sauce, stirring vigorously until well blended and smooth. Cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened.
4. Stir in sherry and salt. Spoon chicken mixture into patty shells.
EACH SERVING: About 589 calories, 28g protein, 27g carbohydrate, 41g total fat (14g saturated), 172mg cholesterol, 662mg sodium.
Brunswick Stew
Brunswick Counties in both North Carolina and Virginia lay claim to creating this famous southern stew. Most historians document 1828 as the year when Dr. Creed Haskins of the Virginia State Legislature asked Jimmy Matthews to stir up a batch of squirrel stew for a political rally. Over time, the squirrel has disappeared from the pot and been replaced by chicken or rabbit.
PREP: 30 minutes * COOK: 40 minutes
MAKES 6 servings
3 slices bacon
1 chicken (3½ pounds), cut into 8 pieces
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup chopped carrot
½ cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cans (14½ ounces each) stewed tomatoes
1 cup canned chicken broth or Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49)
1 cup frozen baby lima beans
1 cup frozen cut okra
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
dash Worcestershire sauce
dash hot pepper sauce
2. Sprinkle chicken with thyme and salt. Add chicken to drippings in Dutch oven, in batches if necessary; cook over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. With slotted spoon, transfer chicken pieces to bowl as they are browned.
3. Discard all but 1 tablespoon drippings from pan; reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrot, and celery to Dutch oven; cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 30 seconds. Return chicken to pan. Stir in tomatoes and broth; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced with tip of knife, about 30 minutes. Stir in lima beans, okra, and corn; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the bacon, Worcestershire, and the hot pepper sauce.
EACH SERVING: About 447calories, 38g protein, 28g carbohydrate, 21g total fat (6g saturated), 107mg cholesterol, 843mg sodium.
Chicken Curry
In The Virginia House-Wife, Mary Randolph tells her readers how to make a dish of curry in the East Indian manner. In Direction for Cookery, Eliza Leslie includes a recipe for chicken curry that contains many of the spices used to make curry powder: “two table-spoonfuls of powdered ginger, one table-spoonful of fresh turmeric, a teaspoonful of ground black pepper; some mace, a few cloves, some cardamom seeds, and a little cayenne pepper with a small portion of salt.”
PREP: 15 minutes plus cooling
COOK: 1 hour 15 minutes
MAKES 6 main-dish servings
1 chicken (3½ pounds), cut into 8 pieces
4 medium onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery with leaves, finely chopped
8 parsley sprigs
1 lime
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup half-and-half or light cream
cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons mango chutney, chopped
2 teaspoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
½ teaspoon salt
pinch ground red pepper (cayenne)
2. Meanwhile, strain broth through sieve into bowl; discard vegetables. Return broth to Dutch oven. Heat to boiling; boil broth until reduced to 2 cups. Skim and discard fat from broth; reserve broth.
3. From lime, grate ½ teaspoon peel and squeeze 5 teaspoons juice; reserve.
4. In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining three-fourths of onions, apples, garlic, and curry powder; cook, stirring, until apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, stirring to blend. Gradually add 2 cups reserved broth, stirring constantly until broth has thickened and boils. Stir in reserved lime peel and juice, half-and-half, raisins, chutney, ginger, salt, and ground red pepper. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add chicken and heat through.
EACH SERVING: About 379 calories, 30g protein, 33g carbohydrate, 14g total fat (7g saturated), 117mg cholesterol, 449mg sodium.
Old-Time Turkey with Giblet Gravy
Colonial America had an affinity for turkey. Some Native Americans caught wild turkey; others domesticated it. The name appears to be a corruption of the word furkee, which is Native American for “turkey.” For a moist bird, we prefer to bake the stuffing separately.
PREP: 1 hour * ROAST: 3 hours 45 minutes
MAKES 14 main-dish servings
Country Sausage and Corn Bread Stuffing (page 120)
1 turkey (14 pounds)
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Giblet Gravy (page 120)
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for making Giblet Gravy. Rinse turkey inside and out with cold running water and drain well; pat dry with paper towels.
3. Loosely spoon some stuffing into neck cavity. Fold neck skin over stuffing; fasten neck skin to turkey back with one or two skewers.
4. Loosely spoon remaining corn bread stuffing into body cavity (bake any leftover stuffing in small covered casserole during last 30 minutes of roasting time). Fold skin over cavity opening; skewer closed, if necessary. Tie legs and tail together with string; push drumsticks under band of skin, or use stuffing clamp. Secure wings to body with string, if desired.
5. Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in large roasting pan (17″ by 11½″). Sprinkle salt and pepper on outside of turkey. Cover with loose tent of foil.
6. Roast about 3 hours 45 minutes. Start checking for doneness during last hour of roasting. Place stuffing (in casserole) in oven after turkey has roasted 3 hours. Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
7. To brown turkey, remove foil during last hour of roasting; baste occasionally with pan drippings. Turkey is done when temperature on meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh, next to body, reaches 180°F and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with tip of knife. (Breast temperature should be 170°F; stuffing temperature 160° to 165°F.)
8. While turkey is roasting, prepare giblets and neck for Giblet Gravy.
9. Transfer turkey to large platter; keep warm. Let stand at least 15 minutes to set juices for easier carving. Prepare Giblet Gravy.
10. Serve turkey with stuffing and gravy.
EACH SERVING WITHOUT SKIN, STUFFING, OR GRAVY: About 143 calories, 25g protein, 0g carbohydrate, 4g total fat (1g saturated), 65mg cholesterol, 145mg sodium.
Old-Time Turkey with Giblet Gravy
Country Sausage and Corn Bread Stuffing
Heat 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add 1 pound pork sausage meat and cook, breaking up sausage with side of spoon, until browned, about 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl. Discard all but 2 tablespoons sausage drippings.
Add vegetable mixture, 1 package (14 to 16 ounces) corn bread stuffing mix, and ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley to sausage in bowl; stir to combine well. Use to stuff turkey or serve in baking dish. Spoon stuffing into greased 13″ by 9″ baking dish. Cover with foil. Makes about 12 cups stuffing.
EACH ¼ CUP STUFFING: About 137 calories, 4g protein, 15g carbohydrate, 7g total fat (2g saturated), 13mg cholesterol, 414mg sodium.
Giblet Gravy
In 3-quart saucepan, combine gizzard, heart, neck, and 4 cups water; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 minutes. Add liver and cook 15 minutes longer. Strain giblet broth through sieve into large bowl. Pull meat from neck; discard bones. Cover and refrigerate meat and broth separately.
Giving Thanks since 1621
In 1621, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the colonists had survived their first year in the New World, so Governor William Bradford decided it was “time to feast.” He invited Chief Massasoit and ninety-two braves of the Wampanoag tribe to join them “to give thanks to God.” They feasted on venison (supplied by their guests), roast duck and goose, clams, oysters, eel, leeks, watercress, corn bread, popcorn, wild plums, and homemade sweet wine. Historians believe that wild turkey may have been served at this first Thanksgiving, as “the governor sent four men on fowling” to bring back food for the feast. Some say the celebration lasted as long as three days. On the next recorded Day of Thanks at the Plymouth Colony on July 30, 1623, turkey was definitely served, along with cranberries and pumpkin pie.
On November 26, 1789, George Washington proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving observance. And in the nineteenth century, Sarah Josepha Hale, forty years the editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book, lobbied president Lincoln to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. Centuries later, the tradition continues.
To make gravy, remove rack from roasting pan. Strain pan drippings through sieve into 4-cup glass measuring cup or medium bowl. Add 1 cup giblet broth to hot roasting pan and heat to boiling, stirring until browned bits are loosened from bottom of pan; add to drippings in measuring cup. Let stand until fat separates from meat juice, about 1 minute. Spoon 2 tablespoons fat from drippings into 2-quart saucepan; skim and discard any remaining fat. Add remaining giblet broth and enough water to drippings in cup to equal 3 cups.
Heat fat in saucepan over medium heat; stir in 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until flour turns golden brown. With wire whisk, gradually whisk in meat-juice mixture and cook, whisking, until gravy has thickened slightly and boils; boil 1 minute. Stir in reserved giblets and neck meat; heat through. Pour gravy into gravy boat. MAKES about 3½ cups gravy.
EACH ¼ CUP GRAVY: About 70 calories, 7g protein, 2g carbohydrate, 3g total fat (1g saturated), 0g fiber, 63mg cholesterol,140mg sodium
Turkey Tetrazzini
In the early 1900s, chicken Tetrazzini was created and named after the Italian opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini, who was extremely popular at that time. By 1923 (and perhaps in an even earlier edition), The Original Boston Cooking-School Cook Book contained a recipe for a turkey, mushroom, and spaghetti dish baked in a rich cream sauce. With the rising popularity of ethnic food during the twentieth century, this dish became a frequent offering on Italian-American restaurant menus.
PREP: 30 minutes * BAKE: 30 minutes
MAKES 6 main-dish servings
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2¾ cups canned chicken broth or Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49)
¼ cup dry white wine
⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
pinch ground nutmeg
½ cup heavy or whipping cream
1 small onion, chopped
10 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into quarters
8 ounces linguine, cooked as label directs
12 ounces cooked turkey, coarsely chopped (3 cups)
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2. In 10-inch skillet, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes longer.
3. In 2- to 2½-quart baking dish, combine linguine, mushroom mixture, and turkey. Stir in sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes.
EACH SERVING: About 458 calories, 30g protein, 37g carbohydrate, 2 1g total fat (11g saturated), 104mg cholesterol, 648mg sodium.
Turkey Potpie with Cornmeal Crust
A chicken pie recipe appears in the 1796 book. American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, the first cookbook written by an American and printed here. Her recipe begins with: “Roll one inch thick pastry No. 8 and cover a deep dish.” The chicken pieces and butter are layered and covered with another layer of thick pastry. It is then baked for one and a half hours. Our recipe uses turkey instead of chicken because we love the richer taste of turkey. You could substitute an equal amount of chicken, if you prefer.
PREP: 30 minutes *BAKE: 35 minutes
MAKES 10 main-dish servings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium rutabaga (1 pound), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 large onion (12 ounces), chopped
1 pound all-purpose potatoes (3 medium), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 large stalks celery, chopped
¾ teaspoon salt
1 pound cooked turkey or chicken, cut into ½-inch pieces (4 cups)
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
1 can (14½ ounces) chicken broth or 1¾ cups Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49)
1 cup milk
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Cornmeal Crust (at right)
1 large egg, beaten
2. In 2-quart saucepan, heat broth to boiling. In small bowl, blend milk and flour until smooth. Stir milk-flour mixture into broth; add pepper, thyme, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring. Stir sauce into chicken-vegetable mixture in baking dish.
3. Prepare Cornmeal Crust. Preheat oven to 425°F.
4. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough into rectangle about 4 inches larger than top of baking dish. Place dough rectangle over filling. Trim edge, leaving 1-inch overhang. Fold overhang under and flute edge. Brush crust with some beaten egg. If desired, reroll trimmings; cut into decorative shapes to garnish top of pie. Brush dough cutouts with egg. Cut several slits in crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
5. Place potpie on foil-lined cookie sheet to catch any overflow during baking. Bake potpie until crust is golden brown and filling is hot and bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes. During last 10 minutes of baking, cover edges of crust with foil to prevent overbrowning.
EACH SERVING: About 416 calories, 21g protein, 42g carbohydrate, 18g total fat (5g saturated), 60mg cholesterol, 644mg sodium.
Cornmeal Crust
In large bowl, combine 1½ cups all purpose-flour, ¼ cup cornmeal, and ¾ teaspoon salt. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in cup vegetable shortening until flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 6 to 7 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over flour mixture, mixing with fork after each addition until dough is just moist enough to hold together.
Rock Cornish Hens with Wild Rice Stuffing
By the mid-nineteenth century, poultry was so readily available that the “only on Sundays” chicken became plentiful enough to eat every day. In 1965, Donald John Tyson crossed the White Rock with a Cornish game cock, creating a juicy, tasty little bird that weighed between one and two pounds. His specialty item commanded a higher price than regular chickens and was ready for market in thirty days instead of the forty-two days chicken took.
PREP: 1 hour * ROAST: 50 minutes
MAKES 8 main-dish servings
Wild Rice and Mushroom Stuffing (at right)
4 Cornish hens (1½ pounds each)
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry vermouth
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove giblets and necks from hens; reserve for another use. With poultry shears, cut each hen lengthwise in half. Rinse hen halves with cold running water; pat dry with paper towels.
3. With fingertips, carefully separate skin from meat on each hen half to form pocket; spoon some stuffing into each pocket. Place hens, skin side up, in two large roasting pans (17″ by 11″).
4. In small bowl, combine honey, lemon juice, vermouth, salt, and thyme. Brush hens with some honey mixture. Roast hens, basting occasionally with remaining honey mixture and drippings in pan, until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with tip of knife, about 50 minutes, rotating pans between upper and lower oven racks halfway through roasting.
EACH SERVING: About 521 calories, 37g protein, 30g carbohydrate, 28g total fat (8g saturated), 191 mg cholesterol, 554mg sodium.
Wild Rice and Mushroom Stuffing
In 3-quart saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat. Add 1 small onion, finely chopped, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and chopped, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse 1 cup (6 ounces) wild rice; drain. To mixture in saucepan, add wild rice, 1 can (14½ ounces) chicken broth or ¾ cups Old-Fashioned Chicken Broth (page 49), and ¼ teaspoon salt; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until rice is tender and all liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley. Makes 4 cups stuffing.
Holiday Goose à l’Orange
Holiday Goose à l’Orange
In the early days in the South, many a bride received a pair of down geese as a special gift. They provided stuffing for heirloom feather beds and pillows and quills for writing. Popular, too, were recipes for roasted goose for special occasions, such as one from the 1870s that begins: “On the day before Christmas, kill a fat goose and dress it.”
PREP: 30 minutes * ROAST: 4 hours 30 minutes
MAKES 10 main-dish servings
1 fresh or frozen (thawed) goose (about 12 pounds)
5 medium oranges, each cut in half
1 bunch fresh thyme
4 bay leaves
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup orange marmalade
2. Place goose, breast side up, on rack in large roasting pan (17″ by 11½″). In cup, combine dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper; rub mixture over goose. Cover goose and roasting pan with foil. Roast 1 hour 30 minutes. Turn oven control to 325°F; roast 2 hours longer.
3. Meanwhile, in small bowl, from remaining 4 orange halves, squeeze ¾ cup juice. Stir in 1 tablespoon liqueur, cornstarch, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; set aside. In cup, mix orange marmalade with remaining 2 tablespoons liqueur. Remove foil and roast goose 45 minutes. Remove goose from oven and turn oven control to 450°F. Brush marmalade mixture over goose. Roast goose until skin is golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer goose to warm platter; let stand 15 minutes to set juices for easier carving.
4. Prepare sauce: Remove rack from roasting pan. Strain pan drippings through sieve into 8-cup measuring cup or large bowl. Let stand until fat separates from meat juice; skim and reserve fat for another use (there should be about 5 cups fat). Measure meat juice; if necessary, add enough water to meat juice to equal 1 cup. Return meat juice to pan and add reserved orange-juice mixture. Heat sauce to boiling over medium heat, stirring; boil 1 minute. Serve sauce with goose. Remove skin before eating, if desired.
EACH SERVING OF GOOSE WITHOUT SKIN OR SAUCE: About 460 calories, 50g protein, 12g carbohydrate, 25g total fat (8g saturated), 170mg cholesterol, 345mg sodium.
EACH TABLESPOON ORANGE SAUCE: About 5 calories, 0g protein, 1g carbohydrate, 0g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 20mg sodium.