The New Penguin Cookery Book

Poultry includes domesticated birds bred for the table: chicken, turkey, goose, duck and guinea fowl. These days most of our chickens and poussins (baby chickens), turkeys and some ducks are intensively reared. Geese and guinea fowl have largely escaped intensive rearing, hence their higher price. Some game birds – pheasant, partridge, pigeon, quail – are now farmed and can be bought all year round. They tend to have a bland flavour, probably because they are not hung as long as wild game. The season for wild game birds is quite short and varies according to the bird.

Choosing

Poultry

Most of our chickens are raised in highly commercial large-scale operations in artificial conditions in order to meet consumer demand. Intensively reared in artificially lit and heated sheds and fed a controlled diet, these chickens reach 1.5kg or more in weight at 6–7 weeks, when they are killed. They do not develop any flavour, the meat is uniformly pale and has little texture.

Most birds labelled ‘free-range’ are reared in conditions little better than broiler birds, although they can get into outdoor runs. Unless you know the producer to be one who rears high-quality birds, it is realistic to assume that a free-range bird is semi-intensively produced. Genuinely free-range and organic chickens have a better-developed bone structure, thicker skin, firm breast meat, plump darker-coloured thighs and a much richer flavour. The price is considerably higher, too.

The colour of the skin depends on the breed and the diet. A young chicken should have a smooth, slightly moist skin. A boiling fowl has a rigid breastbone, a mottled skin and darker flesh.

Most turkeys are also intensively reared, with unnaturally large breasts to suit the market. Their flesh tends to be bland and dry compared to that of traditionally raised birds, which are hung for about a week to increase flavour. It is best to avoid turkeys that are ‘self-basting’ because of the substances in the basting liquid injected into them.

Geese and domesticated ducks have larger, heavier skeletons and more fat in proportion to meat than do chickens and turkeys. Their appearance is slightly waxy, the flesh is darker and has a rich and succulent flavour as long as it is not overcooked. A goose more than a year old can be tough and is better braised than roasted.

Choose a bird with an unblemished, unbruised skin. Do not buy a packaged bird if it is sticky or contains a lot of liquid or has even the faintest smell.

Game

Our most common game birds are now farmed, often quite intensively and, when buying, particularly in a supermarket, it is very hard to know what you are getting. If the bird is farmed, it is likely to be young and has probably been hung for the minimum time, so it will not have acquired a very gamey flavour. A game dealer should be able to tell you the sex (hen birds are smaller and usually considered to have a finer flavour) and perhaps the age of the bird, and his stock should have been hung for longer.

Game is hung before cleaning. Hanging permits bacteria and enzymes in the flesh to break down the tissues, rendering it more tender and giving it a richer flavour. Game that has been properly hung should not smell unpleasant, any more than should properly hung beef.

Game is likely to have shot marks and tears in the skin, and occasionally shot in the flesh. When you get it home, check for shot and remove it if possible; the presence of shot is often indicated by bloody patches on the skin. If you buy oven-ready game, as with chicken, make sure that the package looks and smells wholesome. Avoid birds with badly crushed limbs, they have been badly shot.

The season for wild birds is:

Grouse 12 August – 10 December
Partridge 1 September – 1 February
Pheasant 1 October – 1 February
Pigeon all year
Quail all year
Wild duck 1 September – 31 January

Quantities

The amount needed per serving depends on how the bird is cooked and what else is included in the dish. As a guideline, allow 250–300g meat on the bone per person from the larger lean birds. A guinea fowl, depending on its size, will serve 3–4. A pheasant can serve 4, but the legs are quite tough, so it may be better to count it as 2 generous servings only. A grouse, a partridge or a pigeon will serve 1, a poussin 1–2, and allow 1 quail per serving for a first course and 2 as a main dish. Ducks and geese have a lower proportion of meat to bone, so allow 400–450g on the bone per person.

Preparing poultry and game

Bring all birds to room temperature before cooking. Rinse the cavity and the skin and dry with kitchen paper, or wipe it with damp paper.

Most of the fat in a bird is in and immediately under the skin, so if you wish to avoid excessive fat, remove the skin and use other means to prevent the flesh drying out – a marinade, or cook in a sauce or liquid. Of course a bird to be roasted cannot be skinned, but it is best to remove excess fat from the opening of the cavity.

Preparing a whole bird

If the wishbone is cut out, the breast is easier to carve. Fold back the skin of the neck cavity and cut around the wishbone with a small knife.

I seldom truss a bird, but use small skewers to secure the cavity if it is stuffed. The shape may not be so neat, but for carving and serving it makes little difference. To roast a goose or a turkey, tying the legs together helps keep the cavity closed. A ball of crumpled foil will fill the cavity opening of a large bird.

If you want to truss a bird, here are the instructions. Cut a piece of string about 1 metre long. Put the bird, breast side up, with the legs towards you, and the neck flap tucked under at the back. Put the centre of the string under the parson’s nose and cross the two ends over the top of the parson’s nose. Pull the string tightly, then pass it under the ends of the drumsticks. Cross the string over again, and hold it tight, then pass it under the tip of the breastbone. Now take the string backwards over the part where the thighs join the body. Turn the bird over, bring the ends of the string together on the back, pinning the wings to the body as you do so. Tie in a knot and cut off the ends of the string.

Jointing a bird

Poultry and game can be jointed into 4, 6 or 8 pieces, depending on size and how it is to be cooked.

Put the bird, breast side up, and cut around the leg with a sharp knife. As you cut pull the leg away from the body until the thigh bone comes out of the socket. Cut down between the ball and the socket to remove the leg. Repeat on the other side.

To separate the thighs from the drumsticks, hold the leg in both hands and bend it to crack the joint. Put it skin side down and cut through the joint.

With the breast uppermost, hold one of the wings and use a pair of poultry shears or a heavy knife to cut along the breastbone, splitting it in half. Turn over and cut out the backbone and ribs, so you now have two breast pieces with wings attached. Cut through the breasts diagonally, so one piece has the wing attached.

Don’t discard the bones; use them for stock (p. 4)

Spatchcocking a bird

Cut through the ribs on either side of the backbone and take out the bone. Turn the bird breast uppermost and press hard on the breastbone to flatten it. This requires a certain amount of force, since you need to break the bones. Make two slits in the skin either side of the end of the breast and push the ends of the drumsticks through them. This keeps them in place for cooking.

Boning a breast

Work the ribs free from the flesh with a sharp knife, cutting close to the bones. Ease the meat back in one piece as you cut. Discard the bones and the white tendon.

Cutting a duck in four

Ducks are more awkward to joint, so it is easier instead to cut them in quarters with a pair of poultry shears or a heavy knife. Cut along the breast bone, then cut along either side of the backbone and remove it. Now cut each half duck diagonally and you have 4 pieces ready to cook.

Cooking methods

Roasting

All young birds can be roasted, which means almost all poultry wherever you buy it, and certainly if it is described as ‘oven ready’. However, there is little point in roasting an intensively reared broiler because it does not have sufficient flavour to withstand this simple treatment. Intensively reared chickens need the aromatics of a marinade or to be cooked with other ingredients which will impart their flavour. Older birds benefit from braising or poaching. If you buy game birds and are not sure of their age, it is better to braise rather than roast them.

Ducks and geese, which have a high amount of fat in and under the skin, are best started at a high temperature to allow the fat to run, and the temperature is reduced to moderate for the rest of the cooking time. Most other birds roast well at 200°C, 400°F, gas 6 for the whole cooking period, although some game birds roast better at a higher temperature.

Allow the bird to rest for 5–20 minutes according to size, loosely covered with foil, in a warm place – at the back of the cooker or in the turned off oven with the door open – before carving. This allows the juices to be reabsorbed into the flesh.

Roasting lean poultry One of the problems with roasting is that the breast meat of lean birds tends to dry out before the legs are ready. Except with very large birds which are too heavy to turn, start roasting the bird on one side, turn it to the other side a third of the way through the cooking time, and put it breast up to finish. This helps protect the breast meat and allows juices to run into it and, at the same time, exposes the legs so that they cook more thoroughly.

The simplest way to protect the breast is to rub butter or olive oil over it and cover it with foil. You can also cover it with streaky bacon or pork fat, or best of all, mash together some butter and a flavouring such as chopped herbs and spread it under the skin (p. 281). If you use some kind of covering, remove it for the last 15 minutes so that the skin can brown. Baste every 15–20 minutes. If you are preparing a chicken for two, you can remove the legs and keep them for another dish, and just roast the breast. Small birds can be cooked in a papillotte, a parcel made with foil or parchment paper. The bird cooks in the steam created in the parcel and is well flavoured by the ingredients put with it.

Roasting duck and goose Prick the skin of ducks or geese all over to help the fat escape whilst retaining the juices. Baste the bird with its fat every 20 minutes which helps to melt more fat, and pour or spoon the fat out of the tin if necessary during cooking. Stand the bird on a rack so it is not sitting in the fat it has released.

Roasting game With the exception of quail, game birds are usually served with the breast pink, but not bloody. The times given below should produce faintly pink breast meat; increase the cooking time a little for meat that needs to be more well done. All game birds are lean, and the breast needs protecting by barding with a piece of pork back fat (p. 326) or by rubbing well with butter. As with lean poultry, if you roast the bird breast side down except for the last few minutes, it will dry out less. The legs are invariably tough, and can be kept and cooked longer in a stew.

Stuffing poultry and game Do not let a stuffed bird wait around so stuff a bird just before cooking. Allow about 150g stuffing per 500g weight of bird. Pack it loosely into the body cavity so that it will heat through properly in the oven. Close the cavity with skewers or by trussing (p. 272). A large bird can also be stuffed at the neck end. Stuffing can soak up the bird’s juices but not the fat in or under the skin which escapes down the outside of the flesh, not into the cavity.

Stuffing can also be cooked separately and served with the bird, and this method should be adopted if you prefer to roast a large turkey at a low temperature since the inside of the bird may not reach a sufficiently high temperature to cook the stuffing.

Roasting times Remember to include the weight of the stuffing in the total weight for cooking. For duck and goose, calculate the total cooking time from when the bird goes into the oven.

Poultry	Oven temperature	Cooking time	Resting time
chicken	200°C, 400°F, gas 6	20–25 min per 500g	+ 15 min
spatchcocked	200°C, 400°F, gas 6	18–22 min per 500g	+ 15 min
poussin	200°C, 400°F, gas 6	25–35 min	+ 8 min
spatchcocked	200°C, 400°F, gas 6	20–25 min	+ 8 min
guinea fowl	200°C, 400°F, gas 6	20 min per 500g	+ 10–15 min
capon	190°C, 375°F, gas 5	25 min per 500g	+ 15–20 min
turkey
up to 5kg	180°C, 350°F, gas 4	20 min per 500g	+ 20 min
from 5–7kg	180°C, 350°F, gas 4	18 min per 500g
above 7kg	180°C, 350°F, gas 4	16 min per 500g
duck	220°C, 425°F, gas 7	first 20 min
	180°C, 350°F, gas 4	rest of cooking time 20 min per 500g*	+ 15–20 min
goose	220°C, 425°F, gas 7	first 30 min
	170°C, 325°F, gas 3	rest of cooking time 20 min per 500g *	+ 20 min
^*total cooking time

Game	Oven temperature	Cooking time	Resting time
quail	220°C, 425°F, gas 7	20–25 min	+ 5 min
partridge	220°C, 425°F, gas 7	30–35 min	+ 5 min
pigeon	200°C, 400°F, gas 6	25–30 min	+ 5 min
grouse	200°C, 400°F, gas 6	35 min	+ 10 min
wild duck	220°C, 425°F, gas 7	30–40 min	+ 10 min
pheasant	200°C, 400°F, gas 6	20 min per 500g	+ 10 min

To test if the bird is done Pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a small flat skewer; the juices will run clear if the bird is cooked. If a bird is not sufficiently cooked, return it to the oven for another 10–15 minutes and then test it again. If you have a meat thermometer, it can be useful for testing a large bird. Put it into the flesh between the thigh and the breast, avoiding the bone, before roasting. It should read 75°C/170°F when the bird is ready. When you lift out the bird, tip the juices from the cavity into the pan. Put the bird onto a serving dish, cover and leave to rest.

Making simple gravy While the bird is resting, pour or skim off the fat in the pan, leaving the juices behind. There will be copious amounts of fat from duck and goose, less from chicken and turkey. Heat the pan and add a glass of wine, sherry or madeira. If you have no wine available, use chicken stock or water (from cooking the vegetables). Stir well, scraping loose any bits stuck to the bottom. Tip in the juices that have collected under the bird while it is resting. Taste, season, and add a squeeze or two of lemon juice. This will make a little thin gravy to serve with a small bird.

If you wish you can add chopped herbs or chopped tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms or other vegetables for a more substantial sauce, or enrich it with cream.

For a larger bird, or just for more gravy, follow the method above, then add 100ml chicken stock to make gravy for a chicken or up to 700ml chicken stock for a large turkey or goose. A tablespoon or two of red currant jelly provides sharpness for the richer meat of duck and goose. Simmer for 2–3 minutes. To thicken gravy, mix 2 tsp plain flour into 2 tsp softened butter and add it, little by little, to the pan, stirring as you do so. Add as much as is needed to thicken the gravy to the consistency you want. Alternatively, if you are making a large quantity of gravy, whisk 1 tbs cornflour dissolved in 2 tbs water into the pan and simmer until it thickens. Gravy should not get lumpy, but if it does, put it through a sieve. Taste and season if necessary.

Making giblet gravy Pre-packed chickens are seldom sold with giblets, but butcher’s chickens still are. Cut the neck into pieces, the heart in two lengthways and open up the gizzard at the lobes. Put them in a pan with a small peeled and chopped onion, a peeled and chopped carrot, a sliced stick of celery, a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf. Season and cover with 1 litre of water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for about an hour and strain. Discard the solids. Add the giblet stock to the roasting pan after deglazing* it, simmer and thicken as necessary. If you wish, sauté the liver in a little butter until just cooked, then dice it. Add the liver and let it heat through for 1–2 minutes before serving.

Carving a chicken or turkey Put the bird, breast side up, on a board or large platter. Use a carving fork and a knife with a long flexible blade. Hold the bird steady with the fork, and cut down between the thigh and the body. Prise the thigh outwards to expose the joint and cut through it, removing the whole leg.

For a turkey, separate the thigh and drumstick by cutting between the bones. The meat can be sliced from both thigh and drumstick, cutting parallel to the bone and turning the drumstick to cut slices from all sides. Leave chicken legs whole unless very large.

After removing the leg on one side, remove the wing. Push the wing outwards to reveal the joint and cut down through the lower corner of the breast and the joint to sever it.

Slice the breast parallel to the bone, holding the top of the bird steady with the fork. Remove each slice. Repeat on the other side. Serve quickly once the bird is carved, on hot plates.

Carving duck or goose Use a heavy firm knife to cut through the skin around the leg, then push the leg away from the body to expose the joint and cut through it. Separate the thigh and drumstick on a goose. Cut the wing away from the body at the shoulder, it has virtually no meat. Take a flexible long-bladed knife and carve the breast into slices, or take the breast meat off each side as one piece and cut it into slices across the grain.

Repeat on the other side and serve quickly on hot plates.

Carving small birds Small birds can be cut in half along the breastbone and the backbone. Pheasants and guinea fowl are carved as chicken and turkey.

Grilling and barbecuing

Poultry is best marinated for 1–2 hours before grilling or barbecuing so that the tender meat does not dry too quickly when exposed to the heat. Use a marinade based on oil (p. 386) or simply whisk together oil and lemon juice and add sprigs of fresh herbs. Leave the skin on jointed birds for greater protection. Whole small birds, such as poussin, quail or guinea fowl, will cook more evenly if spatchcocked (p. 273). Baste frequently with the marinade or oil or a barbecue sauce (p. 376). Turn the pieces with a spatula or tongs; if they are pierced by a fork, the juices are lost. Breast meat is very difficult to keep moist and is easiest to grill when cubed and cooked as kebabs after prolonged marinating.

Make sure the grill or barbecue is hot before starting, and whether cooking under or over the heat source, keep the heat moderate and position the poultry 10–15cm away from it. Drumsticks will take about 20 minutes, wings and kebabs 10–15 minutes, large pieces up to 30 minutes.

Grill spatchcocked birds skin side to the heat for 5 minutes, then turn and complete the cooking cut side to the heat. Quail will need a further 10–12 minutes; a poussin weighing up to 500g, 15–20 minutes; a guinea fowl or other bird weighing up to 1kg, 25–35 minutes.

To test whether the poultry is ready, pinch the meat or press with the tongs; if it is firm it is ready, if it is soft it needs further cooking. Alternatively, pierce with a flat skewer and if the juices run clear it is cooked.

Frying, sautéing and stir-frying

Chicken pieces, quail, duck breasts (magrets) and turkey breast escalopes are all suited to frying. A coating of flour or breadcrumbs helps keep the juices in the meat. Chicken pieces will take 30–40 minutes, but boneless breasts require only 12–15 minutes. Quail take about 15 minutes. Duck breasts to be served pink need 10–12 minutes, turkey escalopes 5–6 minutes. Make sure the pan is hot and the oil or butter hot but not burning before adding the poultry. Poultry cooked with its skin will need less fat than skinned pieces.

Herbs and vegetables added to a bird after browning, together with stock, water or wine and left to simmer, will produce a sauté. Do not attempt to make one with duck breast fried with its skin because it releases too much fat.

Small pieces of chicken, turkey or duck cut to the same size can be used for stir-frying. As with frying and sautéing, it is important to heat the wok or pan before the oil is added and to maintain a high temperature. If the temperature is too low the food starts to steam in the liquid given off by the vegetables.

Pot-roasting and braising

Chicken, guinea fowl, and game birds that may be dry, such as grouse and pheasant, are eminently suited to pot-roasting with a few flavourings and a little liquid. Game birds benefit from marinating first. The flesh of a pot-roasted bird remains moist, the bird carves easily and the liquid supplies the gravy.

Older birds for braising are usually jointed, although small game birds such as partridge or pigeon can be braised whole. A braised dish incorporates more flavouring ingredients and more liquid than a pot-roast, and the cooking time is longer.

You can vary the bird in many recipes for slow-cooked poultry, and even use domesticated and game birds interchangeably.

Stewing

Stews are intended for mature birds and have more liquid than braised dishes. The joints or whole birds are immersed in liquid, vegetables and flavourings are added and the pot is left to simmer for a long time.

Poaching

Poaching is a beautifully simple method: the bird is cooked in barely simmering water, and the poaching water can be reduced and used as stock. Essentially, this is a method for cooking whole mature birds, usually chicken, with vegetables for added flavour.

Steaming

Small pieces of poultry – breasts, thighs, quarters – steam better than whole birds, and I find it a method more suited to birds with lean flesh like chicken, guinea fowl and pheasant. The water or stock over which the bird cooks should simmer gently to produce even steam.

Boned breasts and thighs take 12–15 minutes, on the bone a minute or two longer, chicken quarters 20–25 minutes.

Leftovers

Cold chicken and turkey are good in salads, whether in small amounts, as in Thailand and Vietnam, or to make more substantial dishes accompanied by a chutney or a salsa. They combine well with cooked green beans, skinned peppers, raw mushrooms, potatoes dressed with mayonnaise or a vinaigrette.

For further cooking, these dry meats need a sauce or other liquid. Mushroom sauce, cheese sauce and lightly curried sauce are good for heating chicken or turkey to serve as a separate dish, to fill pancakes, make a pasta sauce or provide the basis for a casserole or pie.

Small pieces of chicken or turkey can be added to soups (p. 7 and p. 111) or to a pilaf (p. 182), or used to stuff vegetables.

Chicken

Roast chicken

This is roast chicken at its simplest, and to me its best. In essence it is Simon Hopkinson’s recipe from Roast chicken and other stories.

For 4

1.5–1.8kg chicken

100g softened butter or 80ml extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 lemons

a few sprigs of thyme

3–4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

Heat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6. Have the chicken at room temperature and rub the butter or olive oil all over it. Season well with salt and pepper. Prick one lemon all over with a fork and put it into the cavity with the thyme and garlic. Put the chicken in the roasting pan on its side and roast for 20 minutes, basting it a couple of times. Turn the bird to the other side and again baste from time to time. After 20 minutes, put it breast up and pour over the juice of the second lemon. Continue basting occasionally until the chicken is ready. The juices should flow clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer, and the bird is golden brown all over. Tip the chicken up over the pan to add the juices from the cavity to the tin, then let the chicken rest in a warm place, covered loosely with foil for 15 minutes to allow the flesh to relax before carving (p. 274).

Whisk the liquids in the pan together, strain if necessary and serve with the chicken.

Roast stuffed chicken

Fill the cavity loosely with one of the stuffings below or that on p. 294 and rub the chicken with butter as above. Roast the bird on one side, then turn, and finally put it breast uppermost. Remember to add the weight of the stuffing when reckoning total cooking time (see chart on p. 275).

Spiced fruit stuffing

A good stuffing for all types of poultry.

Makes enough to stuff a 1.5–1.8kg bird

60g butter

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

large pinch cloves

salt

80g dried apricots, soaked, drained and chopped

80g raisins, soaked briefly and drained

50g walnuts, chopped coarsely

50g almonds, chopped coarsely

1 under-ripe pear, cored and chopped

Heat the butter and soften the onion, then add the garlic, spices and salt. Stir for a minute or two, then add the fruit and nuts. Mix all well together to form rather a loose stuffing.

If you wish, you can add ½–3/4 cup of cooked rice or couscous to the stuffing, to extend it or to replace some of the fruit and nuts. You may also need to add a little liquid: 1–2 tbs of wine or sherry or chicken stock.

Herb and apple stuffing

Good for chicken and turkey.

Makes enough to stuff a 1.5–1.8kg bird

30g butter

1 large onion, peeled and chopped finely

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped

grated rind and juice of ½ unwaxed lemon

8 tbs fresh white or brown breadcrumbs

3 tbs chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, marjoram, savory, tarragon)

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 egg

Soften the onion in the butter until lightly coloured, then stir in the celery and apples, lemon rind and juice, breadcrumbs and herbs. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg lightly and bind the mixture.

Richard Olney’s stuffed baked chicken

This stuffing is placed under the skin of a spatchcocked bird, giving it a rounded plump appearance. Richard used to grill it over the open fire in his kitchen, but it bakes beautifully in the oven. It isn’t as difficult to prepare as the lengthy instructions suggest. Once the skin is loosened from the flesh, introducing the stuffing is quite easy. The courgettes and onions can be prepared while the chicken is marinating.

For 4

1.5–1.8kg chicken

1 tsp crumbled mixed dried herbs (thyme, oregano, savory)

3 tbs olive oil

For the stuffing

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped finely

100g butter

500g courgettes, cut into julienne^* strips and salted for 15 minutes

90g ricotta or cream cheese

60g fresh white breadcrumbs

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tbs finely chopped marjoram leaves and flowers, or fines herbes

1 large egg

2–4 tbs grated Parmesan

Split and flatten the chicken as described (p. 273). Loosen the skin. Starting at the neck, work your fingers between the skin and the flesh, moving towards the tail, to loosen the skin over one side of the breast. Free the skin gradually from the leg, leaving it attached only at the end of the drumstick. Do the same on the other side of the bird. Take care not to tear the skin.

Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with the dried herbs and rub generously with olive oil. Leave to marinate for an hour or two.

Stew the onion gently in 15g butter without letting it colour and leave to cool. Squeeze the salted courgettes to remove all excess liquid and sauté them in 30g butter, then leave to cool.

Mash the ricotta, breadcrumbs and remaining butter together with the salt and pepper and herbs, using a fork. Add the egg, mashing; then mix in the onion and the courgettes, and, finally, the Parmesan, adding enough to bring the stuffing to a firm, stiff consistency.

To stuff the chicken, push the filling under the skin from the neck with one hand, using the other to mould and settle it in place from the outside. Stuff the drumsticks and thighs first, then put a layer over the breast. Finally tuck the neck flap over the opening and under the bird. If there is no neck flap, put less stuffing towards the neck.

Tuck in the drumsticks next to the breast. Place the bird in a roasting tin and shape it, smoothing the skin so that it looks like a rounded version of the bird’s natural shape. Roast the bird in a preheated oven, starting at 230°C, 450°F, gas 8, and turning the oven down to 190°C, 375°F, gas 5, some 10 minutes later. Start basting regularly after 30 minutes. Allow 50 minutes to 1 hour roasting time, depending on the size of the chicken and weight of stuffing, and if, after about 40 minutes, it seems to be colouring too rapidly, turn the oven down further, placing a sheet of foil loosely over the bird.

Transfer the bird to a round, heated serving platter. Don’t serve the juices, they are too fat, and the dish needs no sauce. To carve, split the bird in two through the breast. Use a very sharp knife, cutting through the skin and stuffing. To remove the legs, cut along the curved creases between the thighs and the body.

Grilled chicken with honey and spices

This is quick to prepare and to cook, but do allow time for the chicken to marinate for up to 1 hour. Grill under an indoor grill, on a ribbed griddle pan or on a barbecue.

For 4

2 tbs honey

1 tbs Dijon mustard

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp curry powder

¼ tsp paprika

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbs sunflower oil

4 drumsticks

4 thighs

oil

Heat the honey, spices, salt and pepper and oil in a small pan, whisk them together and use to coat the chicken pieces on all sides. Leave to marinate for up to 1 hour. Brush the grill bars or the griddle pan lightly with oil because the honey may stick, and grill 10–15cm from the heat source for 15–18 minutes, turning the chicken and basting occasionally. Serve the chicken with raita (p. 384) or mango and red pepper salsa (p. 381).

Chicken yakitori

This method of preparing skewers of chicken and vegetables comes from Japan. They are very good served with drinks or as a snack.

For 4

500g boned and skinned chicken breast or thigh

6 chicken livers

4 small leeks, cleaned

250g small mushrooms, preferably fresh shiitake

75ml saké

75ml mirin*

150ml soy sauce

1 tbs sugar

If you are using wooden skewers, put them in water to soak. Cut the chicken into bite-sized cubes. Trim the livers, removing any discoloured bits, and cut them in half. Discard the green part of the leeks and cut the white into 2cm lengths. Discard the mushroom stalks. Thread pieces of chicken onto the skewers alternating with the livers and vegetables.

Combine all the other ingredients to make a marinade. Put them into a small pan, bring to the boil and pour over the skewers. Let them marinate for 30 minutes. Grill on a barbecue or under an indoor grill for 5–6 minutes, turning once, then dip the kebabs in the marinade again and grill again until the chicken is done.

Country captain

This is a dish I ate while staying at the Koorghully Estate in Coorg in the south-west of India. My host there, Ted White, who grows coffee and pepper, served this simple but excellent chicken dish for lunch. It is a dish from the days of the Raj. How it got its name I do not know.

For 4

100ml sunflower oil

500g onions, peeled and sliced

½ tsp chilli flakes

½ tsp turmeric

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

4 chicken legs, separated into thighs and drumsticks and skinned

salt

Heat the oven to 150°C, 300°F, gas 2. Heat the oil in one large or two smaller frying pans and fry the onions until golden brown; don’t crowd them too much. Transfer them to a baking tray, leaving behind most of the oil, and put them low down in the oven to become more crisp and darken in colour.

Divide the chilli flakes and spices evenly between the pans and let them fry over low heat, while stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the chicken, and turn the pieces to coat them in the spiced oil. Raise the heat to medium, and fry the chicken until it is browned, then reduce the heat and fry, turning from time to time until it is cooked through. It will take 30–40 minutes. Pierce the thickest parts with a skewer and if the juices run clear the chicken is ready. Season with salt. While the chicken is cooking, check the onions from time to time. If they are browning too much, turn off the oven and leave them there. If they have not darkened and crisped, increase the heat slightly. Serve the chicken surrounded by the onion. Rice and peas are the traditional accompaniments.

Chicken and cashew nut stir-fry

This dish can be made with Chinese or Thai flavourings. I have given both, so you can choose the one you prefer. The vegetables can be varied too: thin green beans, mange-tout, small peas, bamboo shoots would all be suitable. You can also experiment with and vary the flavourings. Duck breasts with the fat removed could be used instead of chicken. Rice or noodles are the standard accompaniment.

Chinese stir-fry

For 3–4

300g chicken breast, skinned and boned

1 egg white

2 tsp cornflour

large pinch salt

3 tbs sunflower oil

75g cashew nuts

2 tbs hoisin sauce

1 tbs soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped finely

small piece of ginger, chopped finely

1 red pepper, seeded and cut in thin strips

80g mushrooms, sliced

2 spring onions, chopped finely

Thinly slice the chicken. Combine the egg white, cornflour and salt, toss the chicken in the mixture and put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Heat 1 tbs oil in a wok or large frying pan and stir-fry the cashews until lightly browned. Remove them and reserve. Combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil and set aside. Add the rest of the oil to the wok and when it is hot, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Put in the chicken and toss for 1 minute, then add the red pepper and mushrooms. Stir-fry until the chicken turns white, which will take 1–2 minutes. Pour over the sauce and stir-fry for another 2 minutes, coating all the ingredients with the sauce. Add the cashew nuts and spring onions for the last 30 seconds. Serve at once.

Thai stir-fry

For 3–4

300g chicken breast, boned and skinned

3 tbs sunflower oil

75g cashew nuts

2 tbs fish sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 tbs lime juice

2 tbs soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely

1 chilli, seeded and sliced finely

80g small fresh or frozen peas

80g bamboo shoots, sliced

1 tbs chopped coriander

1 tbs chopped basil

Slice the chicken thinly. Heat 1 tbs oil in a wok or frying pan and toss the cashews in it until lightly browned. Set them aside. Combine the fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and soy sauce and set aside. Add the rest of the oil to the pan and stir-fry the garlic and chilli for a few seconds, then add the chicken. After 1 minute, add the vegetables and continue to toss and fry. When the chicken has turned white, which takes 1–2 minutes, add the sauce. Coat all the ingredients well with the sauce and fry for 1–2 minutes more. Add the chopped herbs and cashews for the last 30 seconds.

Chicken with mushrooms

Chicken and mushrooms are a happy combination, whether you use wild or cultivated mushrooms. If you use cultivated fresh mushrooms, add a few dried mushrooms, soaked for 20 minutes in warm water; this will make a huge difference in taste. Strain the soaking liquid and use it instead of part of the stock.

For 6

6 chicken breasts, skinned and boned

2 tbs flour

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tbs olive oil

60g butter

400g mushrooms, preferably wild

4 shallots, peeled and chopped finely

400ml chicken stock (p. 4)

250ml crème fraîche

Toss the chicken breasts in seasoned flour. Heat the oil and half the butter in a wide pan that will comfortably hold the breasts in one layer. Sauté the chicken until golden, about 4 minutes on each side. Take out the chicken and keep warm.

While the chicken is cooking, trim the mushrooms, removing any big stalks, and cut in half or in quarters. Add the remaining butter to the pan and lightly fry the shallot until it softens, then add the mushrooms and cook for 3–4 minutes. Lift out the mushroom and shallot mixture and add to the chicken.

Scrape loose any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and pour in the stock. Increase the heat so that the stock boils, and let it reduce by half. Lower the heat again and stir in the crème fraîche. Return the chicken mixture to the pan and simmer gently, covered, for 10–12 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Remove the pan from the heat, and serve. Rice makes a good accompaniment, so do sautéed potatoes.

Chicken with orange and saffron sauce

For 4–6

1.5–1.8kg chicken pieces

2 tbs sunflower oil

2 onions, peeled and sliced

salt

½ tsp paprika

150ml water

3 unwaxed oranges

15 saffron threads

2 tsp flour or cornflour

juice of ½ lemon (optional)

flaked toasted almonds to garnish

Sauté the chicken pieces in the oil until golden brown on all sides. Lift out the chicken and sauté the onion until golden. Return the chicken to the pan and season with salt and paprika. Pour over the water, bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer very gently for 20 minutes, turning the chicken once.

Remove the peel only (not the pith) from 2 of the oranges and cut it into fine strips - a potato peeler does the job well. Put the strips into a small pan, cover with water and bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes to remove any trace of bitterness. Drain and rinse. Squeeze the juice from all the oranges. Crush the saffron threads and blend them with 1 tbs orange juice.

Mix the remaining orange juice with the flour or cornflour and the saffron liquid. Stir this mixture into the chicken pan together with the orange peel, and simmer for 20–30 minutes more, until the chicken is tender and the sauce thick. Taste and add a little lemon juice if you would like a sharper sauce. Garnish with the almonds and serve with rice.

Garlic chicken

People who don’t like garlic have been converted by this simple French dish in which a few whole heads of garlic are cooked to a mellow purée.

For 4

3 or 4 heads of garlic

50g butter

80ml olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

4 chicken legs, separated into thighs and drumsticks

bouquet garni^* of thyme, parsley, rosemary, bay leaf and sage

Heat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. Separate the garlic cloves, discarding the head’s outer skin, but don’t peel the cloves. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy casserole, season the chicken and brown it on all sides. Fill the gaps between the chicken pieces with the cloves of garlic, turning to coat them in the fat. Tuck the bouquet garni into the centre. Put a double layer of foil over the dish and then the lid so that it is tightly closed. Put it low down in the oven and cook for 1½ hours. The aromas when you open the pot are wonderful, the chicken will be very tender and the garlic squeezes easily from its skin. Serve straight from the casserole with potatoes baked in the oven at the same time, or do as they sometimes do in Provence and serve slices of toasted country bread on which to spread the garlic purée.

Pot-roasted chicken with provençal vegetables

Once the vegetables are prepared, this dish needs little attention; all you have to do is turn the chicken. If you make the dish early in summer, use fresh wet garlic. It has a milder flavour than dried garlic and long cooking makes it particularly delicate.

For 4–6

1.5–1.8kg chicken

12 garlic cloves, unpeeled if new, and cut in half across the middle

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tbs olive oil

250g aubergine, diced

250g small courgettes, halved lengthwise and sliced

2 red peppers, seeded and cut in pieces

1 onion, peeled and chopped very finely

250g tomatoes, chopped

½ tsp thyme

½ tsp summer savory

½ tsp oregano or marjoram

1 glass white wine

Heat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, gas 5. Put half of the garlic into the cavity of the chicken, season it well and rub the bird all over with 1 tbs olive oil. In a dish, combine the remaining garlic and all the vegetables and herbs, season well and toss in the remainder of the oil. Make a bed of the vegetables in a heavy casserole just large enough to hold them and the chicken, put the chicken on its side on top. Pour over the wine. Cover tightly, using foil under the lid if necessary, and cook for 30 minutes. Turn the chicken over and carefully turn the vegetables in the juices. Cover the pot again and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes. Finally, put the chicken breast uppermost and return the open pot to the oven for 10 minutes or so, to brown the breast a little. Lift out the chicken, straining the juices into the vegetables. Keep the vegetables warm whilst you carve the chicken.

Coq au vin

There are many recipes for this well-known dish; I find this one works admirably.

For 4–6

60g butter

2 tbs olive oil

100g salt pork or bacon, cubed

250g button onions, peeled

1.5–1.8kg chicken pieces

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 bouquet garni^*

1 small glass brandy

1 bottle red wine (use something you wouldn’t mind drinking)

250g small mushrooms

1 tbs flour

croûtons (p. 3)

Heat all but 15g butter and 1 tbs oil in a heavy casserole and brown the salt pork or bacon cubes and onions lightly. Lift them out, season the chicken pieces and fry them in the fat, turning to brown them on all sides. Add the bouquet garni, return the salt pork and onions to the pan, then pour over the brandy and the wine. The chicken should be just covered. If necessary, add a little more wine or stock or even water. Cover and simmer very gently for about 40 minutes. The chicken should be tender but not falling from the bone.

Heat the remaining oil and lightly fry the mushrooms. Add them to the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes. Work the remaining butter and the flour together with a fork to make beurre manié (p. 358) and cut it into small pieces. Lift out the chicken and vegetables onto a serving dish and keep warm. Discard the bouquet garni. Boil the cooking liquid to reduce it to about 500ml. Skim off any fat. Add the bits of beurre manié to the pan over low heat, stirring until they have melted into the sauce. It will thicken in less than a minute. Let it come just to the boil and immediately remove the pan from the heat. It must not continue to boil. The sauce will now be smooth and shiny. Pour it over and around the chicken and serve with croûtons.

Chicken with tarragon

This is a standard dish of French bourgeois cooking and simple to prepare. It has a clear yet unobtrusive flavour of tarragon which complements the chicken well. Poaching is usually thought of as a good method for cooking tough older birds, but a poached chicken makes a very succulent dish. Some of the poaching liquid is used for the sauce; the rest will make a good soup.

For 6

30g butter

3 carrots, peeled and sliced finely

2 sticks celery, sliced finely

2 onions, peeled and sliced finely

13/4 litres chicken stock (p. 4)

1.5kg chicken

200ml dry white wine

small bunch tarragon

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 egg yolk

100ml crème fraîche

1 tsp flour

Heat the butter in a large pan and stew the carrots, celery and onion gently, with the lid on. Do not let them brown. Heat the stock in a separate pan. Put the chicken on top of the vegetables and pour over the stock and wine. There should be enough liquid to cover the chicken, if necessary add a little water. Bring to the boil over moderate heat and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Lower the heat. Put aside 3 tbs of the tarragon leaves for the sauce and add the rest of the bunch to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly and let the chicken poach for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The stock should just shudder, not bubble. Check to see if the bird is ready by inserting the point of a knife where the thigh joins the body – there should be no trace of blood.

When it is ready, lift out the chicken, draining it well over the pan, carve it and keep it warm while you make the sauce. Chop the reserved tarragon leaves. Strain the stock, pour 400ml into a pan and boil to reduce it by half. Beat the egg yolk with the crème fraîche and the flour. Remove the stock from the heat, let it cool a little, then whisk in the egg mixture to make a smooth creamy sauce. Add the chopped tarragon. Serve the sauce separately. New potatoes, glazed carrots, young broad beans or peas make good accompaniments.

Steamed chicken breasts with a ricotta stuffing

For 6

6 chicken breasts, skinned and boned

125g ricotta or curd cheese

2 tbs pine nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

12 green olives, pitted and chopped

a handful of basil leaves, shredded

salt and freshly ground pepper

With a long knife make a slit down the plump side of each breast for a pocket. Drain the cheese if necessary and mix with the pine nuts, olives and basil. Season well. Use a teaspoon and your fingers to stuff the mixture into the pockets and close them with toothpicks. Steam over simmering water for 15–18 minutes. Pierce with a skewer in the thickest part; if the juices run clear the chicken is ready. Serve with a tomato sauce (pp. 378–9): put a spoonful of sauce on each warmed plate and put the chicken breast on top. Serve the rest of the sauce separately.

Poussin

A poussin will serve 1 or 2, depending on appetite. The roast and baked chicken recipes on p. 279 and p. 281 are good for poussins; see the chart on p. 275 for roasting times. Halved poussins are excellent pot-roasted with garlic (p. 287); whole ones with provençal vegetables (p. 287). For more variety, use the guinea fowl and pigeon recipes on pp. 292–3 and p. 302.

Baked poussins with lavender

Lavender is not usually thought of as a kitchen flavouring, yet it is very good provided it is used in small quantities. Other herbs can replace it: thyme, rosemary, marjoram and tarragon all suit poultry. For an oriental flavour, use 2 tsp chopped lemon grass*, garlic and ginger for each poussin, or stir 1 tsp turmeric or a few saffron threads into the butter.

For 4

4 poussins

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbs fresh lavender flowers (about 6 heads) or 2 tsp dried

80g butter

Heat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6. Season the cavities of the birds and put in the lavender flowers. Close the cavities with a toothpick and tie the legs together so that they stay in place during cooking. Melt half the butter in a frying pan and brown the poussins all over. Cut 4 pieces of foil big enough to make a loose parcel around each poussin. Melt the remaining butter and brush the centre of each piece of foil. Place the poussins on the buttered part and pour the remaining butter over them. If there is butter left in the pan, use that too. Fold up the sides and close tightly on top, making sure there are no gaps where the juices can leak or the steam escape. Put the parcels on a baking sheet and bake for 30–35 minutes. Test one of the parcels to see that the poussin is ready, close it up again and let them all be opened at the table.

Roast poussins with kumquat sauce

The amount of cardamom in this recipe may seem excessive but the taste does not dominate the dish. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods and crush them with a pestle and mortar or give them a quick whirl in a coffee grinder (cardamom gives a wonderful flavour to coffee, too).

For 4

4 poussins

2 tbs sunflower oil

½ tsp turmeric

4 tbs fresh white or brown breadcrumbs

seeds from 15 cardamom pods*

50g melted butter

For the sauce

6 kumquats

juice of 3 oranges

2 tbs orange liqueur (eg Grand Marnier, Cointreau)

seeds from 8 cardamom pods^*

250ml chicken stock (p. 4)

1 tbs cornflour

2 tbs water

Heat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6. Cut the poussins in half and remove the backbones (p. 273). Put the birds in a lightly oiled roasting tin, skin side up, and brush them with the oil into which you have stirred the turmeric. Roast for 10 minutes. Mix the breadcrumbs and coarsely crushed cardamom seeds with a little melted butter. Remove the poussins from the oven, let them cool a little, then press the breadcrumb coating over them. Return the poussins to the oven to finish cooking, and baste once or twice with the butter and the pan juices. They will take another 12–15 minutes.

To make the sauce, slice the kumquats thinly and take out the seeds. Blanch them for 1 minute in boiling water, drain and rinse under cold water. Put the orange juice, liqueur, cardamom and stock into a small pan, bring to the boil, then simmer briskly to reduce by half. Add the kumquats.

Blend the cornflour with the water and whisk the mixture into the sauce off the heat. Return the pan to the heat and stir until the sauce thickens. To serve, spoon some of the sauce onto warm plates and place the poussins on top.

Guinea fowl

Smaller than a chicken, a bit larger than a pheasant, guinea fowl has a flavour somewhere between the two. Recipes for either bird can be used for guinea fowl, but the flesh is quite dry, so it is better to pot-roast, braise or casserole than to roast or grill. If you have a young bird to roast, bard it with fat or streaky bacon (p. 326), or rub it well with butter or olive oil and cover with foil.

Pot-roasted guinea fowl with chestnuts

I use vacuum-packed prepared chestnuts because they are so convenient. To prepare fresh chestnuts, see p. 129.

For 3–4

1 tbs sunflower oil

60g butter

1 guinea fowl

80g streaky bacon or pancetta^*, cut into lardons^*

1 small glass brandy or whisky

salt and freshly ground pepper

250g peeled chestnuts

2 sticks celery, chopped

60ml madeira or port

60ml water

100ml white wine

2–3 tbs double cream

Heat the oil and 20g butter in a heavy casserole in which the bird fits snugly and brown it on all sides. Add 50g of the lardons and let them brown. Put the guinea fowl on its side. Pour over the brandy or whisky and let it bubble briefly. Season the bird, then cover the casserole tightly and put it over a very low heat to simmer for about 50 minutes. Turn the guinea fowl over at half time.

Once the guinea fowl is in the pot, chop the chestnuts roughly. Heat the remaining butter and sauté the celery and remaining lardons for a minute or two. Put in the chestnuts, the madeira or port and the water. Season. Cover the pan and cook gently for about 20 minutes.

When the bird is ready, lift it out, carve it and keep warm on a serving dish. Add the wine to the pan and let it boil briskly to reduce and thicken slightly. To finish the chestnuts, stir in the cream and put them around the guinea fowl. Spoon over the sauce.

Guinea fowl braised with lemon and herbs

In this dish of Iranian origin, split peas are used to thicken the sauce. If you don’t have any, use small red lentils which also disintegrate as they cook. The quantities of herbs may seem large, but together with the lemon juice they give the dish a wonderfully fresh flavour.

For 3–4

3 tbs sunflower oil

1 guinea fowl, cut into pieces

2 leeks, sliced finely

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

80g split peas

salt

250ml water

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

70g chopped parsley

70g chopped coriander

30g chopped mint

juice of 2 lemons

Heat 2 tbs oil and sauté the guinea fowl, browning it lightly on all sides. Remove it from the pan and sauté the leeks for 3–4 minutes to soften them. Return the guinea fowl to the pan, add the spices and stir for another minute, then add the split peas and season with salt. Pour over the water, bring to the boil, then cover the pan and simmer very gently for 30 minutes. Check occasionally that there is enough water as it is absorbed by the split peas.

Lightly fry the crushed garlic with the herbs in the remaining oil. Stir this mixture into the guinea fowl and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and simmer for another 10–15 minutes. Serve with rice.

Turkey

By far the most popular choice for the Christmas celebration, turkey is now available all year, both whole and jointed. It can be sautéed, poached, stir-fried, grilled or braised – see the chicken recipes for suggestions.

Roast turkey

Roasting a turkey can be a daunting prospect the first time, particularly if it is for a large Christmas celebration. Make sure the bird is at room temperature, that you have weighed both it and its stuffing in order to calculate the roasting time correctly, and remember it will need regular basting.

For 12–14

125g butter, softened

2 tbs chopped thyme leaves

2 tbs chopped parsley

2 tbs chopped tarragon

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely

salt and freshly ground pepper

4–5kg turkey

1 onion, peeled (optional)

100ml chicken stock (p. 4)

Heat the oven to 180°C, 325°F, gas 4. Mash the butter with a fork and work into it the herbs and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Work your fingers in between the skin and the flesh of the turkey, carefully easing the skin loose from the breast. Spread the herbed butter over the flesh of the breast, letting the skin fall back to hold it in place. If you wish, stuff the turkey with the mixture below or with one of the stuffings on pp. 280–1. Otherwise, season the cavity and put in a quartered onion and some sprigs of herbs. Crumple a ball of foil to close the cavity or fasten it with skewers. Tie the legs together.

Put the bird, breast down, on a buttered V-shaped roasting rack that will hold it in place over a shallow roasting tin. Baste the turkey regularly with warmed stock and the pan juices. Roast for 20 minutes per 500g. An hour before the turkey is ready, remove it from the oven and turn it breast uppermost. This is quite tricky to do, and almost impossible with a bird larger than this. It is important not to break the skin. I have found the best way is to take a clean pair of oven gloves and lift it, but you can also manoeuvre it round with heavy wooden spoons. It helps to have someone else holding the pan and rack steady. Return the turkey to the oven. When it is ready the juices will run clear if you prick the thickest part of the thigh.

Let the turkey rest in a warm place for at least 20 minutes under a loose covering of foil before carving (p. 274). To make gravy, see p. 276.

Chestnut, celery and apple stuffing

Good for all types of poultry. Pack it loosely into the turkey’s cavity. If there is any left over, put it in a buttered oven dish and bake it in the oven for the last hour of the turkey’s cooking time, basting occasionally with the pan juices. I find the vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts very good and suggest using them for the stuffing. If you prefer to cook your own, see p. 129.

For enough to stuff a 4–5kg turkey

60g butter

the turkey liver

1 onion, peeled and chopped

8 sticks celery and young leaves, chopped

750g chestnuts, peeled

4 tart apples

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tbs brandy, whisky or rum

Melt the butter in a frying pan and brown the trimmed liver. Remove it from the pan. Add the onion and celery and cook gently for 4–5 minutes. Meanwhile dice the liver. Chop the chestnuts roughly. Core the apples and chop the flesh. Mix the liver, onion and celery and any juices from the pan with the chestnuts and apples. Season well and stir in the brandy, whisky or rum. Stuff the turkey with the mixture.

Turkey saltimbocca alla romana

For 6

6 thin escalopes of turkey breast

6 thin slices of Parma ham

6 thin slices buffalo mozzarella

salt and freshly ground pepper

6 basil leaves

60g butter

2 tbs olive oil

½ glass dry white wine

Put the escalopes between two pieces of clingfilm and flatten them gently with the heel of your hand or a rolling pin. Place a slice of Parma ham on each escalope, then a slice of mozzarella, trimming them if necessary to fit just inside the escalope. Season. Place a basil leaf in the centre of each one and roll up, securing the rolls with toothpicks. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan and sauté the rolls for about 6 minutes, turning them to colour all sides golden brown. Pour over the wine. When it bubbles, lift out the rolls and remove the toothpicks. Scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan, pour the juices over the meat and serve.

Duck

Duck is often avoided because it is thought of as being excessively fat. It does indeed have a thick layer under the skin, but below that the flesh is rich and well flavoured. The fat melts into the pan during cooking leaving succulent meat and a crisp skin. Duck responds well to flavouring with fruits and spices, particularly oriental spices.

Roast duck with figs

The idea for this dish comes from Spain where it is made with large dried figs. The small semi-dried Middle Eastern figs can be used too; they do not need to soak for more than 3–4 hours, and you will need to increase the quantity. The sweet wine for soaking the figs can be a Spanish moscatel, a French muscat such as Beaumes de Venise or Frontignac, or a white port.

For 4–5

24 dried figs

½ bottle sweet wine

2.5–3kg duck

1 unwaxed lemon

salt and freshly ground pepper

300ml chicken (p. 4) or duck stock

Soak the figs in the wine overnight. Heat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas 7. Remove excess fat from the edge of the cavity, rub the duck all over with the juice of half the lemon and some salt. Season the cavity with salt and pepper and put in the half lemon shell and the other half, cut into four. Prick the skin all over, so that the fat will be released as the duck cooks, and put the bird, upside down, on a rack over a baking tin. After 20 minutes reduce the temperature to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4 and remove all the fat from the pan with a ladle or baster. Turn the duck so its breast is uppermost. Drain the figs and use the wine to baste the duck. During the next 30-40 minutes baste it frequently until the wine is used up. If the duck is browning too fast, lower the heat to 150°C, 300°F, gas 2.

After 1 hour add the figs and the stock to the pan. Continue basting the duck with the pan juices; it will take a further 30–45 minutes to cook. Test to see if it is ready by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with the point of a sharp knife; if the juices run clear it is ready. Let the duck rest for 15–20 minutes, loosely covered (p. 274), in a warm place before carving. Lift the figs out of the pan and keep them warm whilst you siphon off or blot up the remaining fat. I find the most effective way is to lay a sheet of kitchen paper over the liquid in the pan to absorb the fat. Repeat until all the fat is removed. Whisk the pan juices and scrape up any bits sticking to the bottom of the pan to make a sauce to serve with the duck and figs.

Duck breasts with green peppercorns

I have been making this dish for several years, since I published Prue Leith’s Dinner Parties in 1984. Prue’s recipe calls for a whole duck from which you cut the breasts and use the carcass (having removed the legs for another dish) to make the stock needed. Since duck breasts are now readily available I take the quick way: buy breasts and use chicken stock.

For 6

3 large or 6 small boned duck breasts

salt

400ml chicken (p. 4) or duck stock

4 tbs green peppercorns

100g butter

Heat a non-stick dry pan and put the duck breasts in, skin side down, and fry for 10 minutes over moderate heat. The fat will run copiously from the skin. Turn them the other way up and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the breasts to a board, lift off the skins and put to one side. Transfer the breasts to a plate, cover with another plate and keep hot in a low oven; this allows the flesh to relax a little. Cut the skin into matchsticks, and put back in the pan for 1–2 minutes, until it is brown and crisp all over. Drain on kitchen paper and salt lightly. Pour the fat from the pan, put in the stock and boil to reduce by half. Add the peppercorns and then whisk in the butter, a little at a time, to make a rich, velvety sauce. Slice the breasts and arrange on a serving platter, pour round the sauce and scatter the skin on top.

Duck breasts with glazed apples

For 6

3 tart eating apples

50g butter

3 tbs brown sugar

3 large or 6 small boned duck breasts

20g caster sugar

200ml sherry vinegar

400ml chicken (p. 4) or duck stock

100g butter

salt and freshly ground pepper

Peel, core and slice the apples thickly. Heat the butter and brown sugar and fry the apples until softened and glazed. Keep the slices whole. Set aside and keep warm. Heat a non-stick dry frying pan and put in the breasts, skin side down. Fry over medium heat for 10 minutes – the fat will run freely – then turn them and fry for a further 3 minutes. Transfer the breasts to a plate, cover with another plate and keep hot in a low oven; this allows the flesh to relax a little. Pour the fat from the pan and reduce the heat to low. Sprinkle on the caster sugar and let it caramelize gently. Deglaze* the pan with the vinegar and when it has reduced by half, add the stock. Bring to the boil, let the stock reduce by half too, then whisk in the butter, a bit at a time, to make a smooth sauce. Season if necessary. Slice the duck breasts, arrange them on a platter, pour the sauce around and garnish with the apple slices.

Goose

Goose is my favourite festive meat, the bird I would always choose for large celebrations. Undeniably rich, the layer of fat between the skin and the breast keeps the meat succulent and well-flavoured as it melts. Like duck, goose benefits from fruit flavours in a stuffing or as an accompaniment.

Roast goose with a fruit stuffing

It is important to roast goose on a rack so that it doesn’t sit in its own fat, to keep basting it regularly so that more fat melts, and to remove as much fat as possible from the tin 3 or 4 times during the roasting period.

Goose and duck fat is delicious for frying potatoes but better not indulged in if you have a cholesterol problem. Carefully roasted goose flesh is not fatty or greasy but has a rich flavour and firm texture. In spite of the large amount of fat, it is possible to overcook goose which will make the flesh dry and stringy, so be attentive to the cooking time.

I find this fruit stuffing goes well with goose, but the stuffings on pp. 280–1 could be used instead.

For 8–10

4.5–5kg goose

salt and freshly ground pepper

½ tsp marjoram

400g prunes, soaked overnight

600g tart eating or cooking apples

100g raisins

Rub salt into the goose an hour or two before you are ready to roast it. Heat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas 7. Season the cavity with salt and pepper and the marjoram. Drain and stone the prunes and cut in half, peel and core the apples and cut into cubes. Mix together the prunes, apples and raisins and use to stuff the cavity loosely. Close it with a ball of foil or skewers. Prick the skin of the goose all over to help release the fat.

Tuck the wings under the body, tie the legs together and put the goose on a rack over the largest baking tin that will fit into the oven. You need a big tin to catch the copious amount of fat that runs out. Roast the bird for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 170°C, 325°F, gas 3. Baste it with the fat in the pan, and remove the fat from the pan with a ladle or baster at regular intervals. Calculate the cooking time at 20 minutes per 500g, including the weight of the stuffing in the total weight. If the breast is darkening too quickly, cover it with a butter paper or foil. If it is too pale, turn up the heat for the last 15 minutes to brown the skin. The goose is ready when the juices run clear if you insert the point of a knife in the thickest part of the thigh.

Let the goose rest for 20 minutes in a warm place, loosely covered (p. 274). This allows the flesh to relax and makes carving easier. To make the gravy pour off all the fat remaining in the tin and follow the instructions on p. 276.

Game birds

Many game birds are now on sale in supermarkets, although you may have to go to a game dealer for grouse or wild duck. If you are not sure you like a gamey flavour, try farmed game such as quail or pheasant first since it will have the mildest flavour. The recipes for braised and pot-roasted chicken and those for guinea fowl can be used with pheasant.

Barbecued quail

This is one of the best ways to cook these small birds, but do marinate them for several hours or overnight first. You could use a simple marinade of white wine, vinegar and a herb or the oriental one given here.

For 8

4 tbs soy sauce

6 tbs sherry or saké

2 tbs sugar

juice and rind of 1 unwaxed lime

2 shallots, peeled and sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

a small piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

freshly ground pepper

8 quail

4–6 tbs sunflower oil

2 tbs chopped coriander

2 spring onions, sliced finely

Combine the first 8 ingredients for the marinade. Split the quail from top to bottom and put them in a shallow dish. Spoon over the marinade, cover and leave for several hours in the refrigerator. Turn the pieces from time to time.

Take the birds from the marinade, wiping them clean of any bits that are sticking to them. Thread the quail onto skewers to hold them flat, pushing the skewers through the leg and the wing. Brush them with oil and put them on an oiled rack, 12–15cm from the heat, starting with the cut side down. Turn from time to time and baste with the oil. They will take 12–15 minutes. Scatter over the coriander and spring onions and serve.

Braised quail with grapes

For 4

8 quail

salt and freshly ground pepper

sprigs of rosemary or 8 sage leaves

60g butter

3 shallots, peeled and chopped finely

small glass brandy

150ml white wine

150g seedless green grapes

Season the quail with salt and pepper and put a little rosemary or a sage leaf in the cavity of each one. Heat 40g butter in a heavy pan and brown the quail on all sides for 5 minutes. Add the shallots and let them soften in the butter. Heat the brandy over moderate heat in a ladle, ignite it and pour it over the quail. Shake the pan. When the flames have died down, pour over the wine. Cover the pan, bring slowly to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the grapes and cook for a further 10–12 minutes. Lift out the quail, stir the remaining butter into the pan and pour the sauce over the birds.

A sweet potato purée (p. 96) flavoured with Armagnac or brandy goes well with these quail.

Partridges with red cabbage

Partridge and cabbage seem to have a natural affinity. Most recipes call for white or green cabbage but I like this version with red cabbage which I first discovered in Germany.

For 4

red cabbage weighing about 500g

60g butter

1 onion, peeled and sliced

1 tart eating apple

2 bay leaves

salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ tsp ground cloves

2 tbs wine vinegar

125ml red wine

4 partridges

4 sage leaves

4 rashers fat bacon

2 slices day-old bread

60g streaky bacon, cut into lardons^*

Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut it in four, remove the stalk and shred the leaves finely. Melt half the butter in a pan and soften the onion without letting it brown. Peel, core and slice the apple, then add the cabbage, apple and bay leaves to the onion. Season well with salt, pepper and cloves and stir to mix all together. Add the vinegar and wine, cover the pan and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. Check occasionally that the mixture is not sticking to the pan; if necessary add a little water.

While the cabbage is cooking, heat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas 7. Season the partridges inside and out and put a sage leaf in the cavity of each one. Cover the breasts with the fat bacon, and hold it in place with string. Melt the remaining butter in a small roasting dish with a lid and brown the partridges on all sides. Transfer them to the oven and roast for 20 minutes, basting occasionally with the pan juices. Reduce the heat to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. Put the cabbage mixture around the partridges, put on the lid and return the pan to the oven for another 30 minutes. Check to see if the partridges are ready. If necessary, cook them a bit longer, adding a little water to the pan.

When the partridges are cooked, take the dish from the oven. Remove the crusts from the bread and cut it into cubes. Heat the oil in a small frying pan and fry the bacon lardons until crisp, then add the bread and fry the croûtons until crisp. Season with pepper.

Remove the bacon from the partridge breasts and cut the birds in half, removing the backbone (p. 273). Put the cabbage mixture in a serving dish with the partridges on top and scatter over the croûtons and lardons.

Braised partridges with fennel and walnuts

For 2

2 partridges

salt and freshly ground pepper

60g butter

4 shallots, peeled and chopped

200ml chicken stock (p. 4) or water

1 large or 2 small bulbs of fennel, sliced

60g walnuts, halved

100ml single cream

Split the partridges in two and remove the backbone (p. 273); season with salt and pepper. Heat half the butter in a heavy pan and sauté the partridges gently, browning them on all sides. Lift them out and sauté the shallots for 2–3 minutes. Return the partridges to the pan, pour over the stock or water, cover the pan and simmer for about 1 hour, until the birds are tender.

Towards the end of the cooking time blanch the fennel in salted water for 1–2 minutes. Drain and rinse it under the cold tap, then sauté it in the rest of the butter until tender. Stir in the walnut halves. When the partridges are ready, remove them to a serving dish and keep warm in a low oven.

Add the cream to the pan and whisk to make a sauce. If it is too thin, let it bubble to reduce. Pour the sauce over the partridges and surround with the fennel and walnuts.

Pigeons with raisins and pine nuts

For 4

65g butter

4 pigeons

80g pancetta^* or salt pork, diced

8 small onions, peeled

350ml chicken stock (p.4)

salt and freshly ground pepper

60g raisins

3 tbs pine nuts

2 tsp flour

Heat the oven to 170°C, 325°F, gas 3. Heat 50g butter in a casserole and brown the pigeons slowly on all sides. Lift them out and lightly fry the pancetta or salt pork and onions. Return the pigeons to the pan, pour over the stock, season, cover and transfer the pan to the oven. After 30 minutes, check the pigeons; they should be almost ready. Add the raisins and pine nuts to the pan and cook for a further 10–15 minutes. Lift out the pigeons, detach the legs and cut the breast meat from the bone. Put the meat on a serving dish and keep warm while you thicken the cooking liquid. Work the remaining butter into the flour with a fork to make beurre manié (p. 358) and cut it into small pieces. Add the bits of beurre manié to the pan over low heat, stirring until they have melted into the sauce which will thicken very quickly. Let it come just to the boil and immediately remove the pan from the heat. It must not continue to boil. The sauce will now be smooth and shiny. Check the seasoning, pour the sauce over the pigeon and serve.

Pot-roasted grouse

For 2

20g butter

1 grouse

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbs brandy or whisky

4–5 tbs stock

1 small glass red wine

Melt the butter in a heavy pan just large enough to hold the grouse and brown it lightly on all sides for 6–8 minutes. Season the grouse and put it on its side. Pour over the brandy or whisky and stock, let it bubble briefly, then cover tightly, lower the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes. Turn the bird halfway through the cooking. Forty minutes should be long enough, although an old bird may need longer. Take out the grouse and keep warm; add the red wine to the pan, turn up the heat to let it reduce and thicken a little and serve it as the sauce.

Casserole of wild duck with olives

The sun-dried tomatoes and olives make a rich sauce for a gamey wild duck. Large juicy olives such as kalamatas are best.

For 4

2 wild duck, each cut into four (p. 273)

2 tbs sunflower oil

2 onions, peeled and sliced

1 tbs flour

1 tbs sun-dried or plain tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

2 bay leaves

salt and freshly ground pepper

200ml red wine

500ml chicken stock (p. 4) or water

30 black olives, pitted

3 tbs chopped parsley

Heat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. Brown the pieces of duck in the oil in a large casserole. Lift them out and add the onions. When they have coloured lightly sprinkle over the flour. Stir well to blend it with the fat and the onions, then stir in the tomato paste. Add the garlic, tomatoes and bay leaves and season well with salt and pepper. Return the duck to the pan, pour over the wine and enough stock or water just to cover the duck. Cover tightly and transfer the pan to the oven. Cook until the duck is tender, about 1–1¼ hours. Add the olives and parsley 5 minutes before serving.

Sautéed pheasant with herbs

A young pheasant is quickly sautéed and has a delicate flavour.

For 2

2 tbs olive oil

1 pheasant, cut into 4 (p. 272)

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 shallots, peeled and quartered

2 sprigs thyme or marjoram

150ml white wine

30g butter

Heat the oil. Season the pheasant and sauté it over moderate heat, turning to brown it on all sides. Allow it to cook gently for 5–6 minutes. Add the garlic, shallots, thyme or marjoram and wine to the pan. Cover and simmer over low heat, turning the pheasant occasionally until it is tender. This will take 20–30 minutes, depending on size. Put the pheasant on a serving dish and keep warm. Whisk the butter, little by little, into the pan juices to make a sauce. Remove the herb and pour the sauce over the pheasant. Serve with a vegetable purée (p. 96).

Pheasant chilindron

This is a dish from Navarra in northern Spain, where it is made with lamb, chicken or rabbit. I tried the method with guinea fowl and pheasant some years ago and enjoyed both, so here is the recipe. Chilindron refers to the use of red peppers which are one of the main crops of Navarra. For a more refined version of the dish, roast and peel the peppers first (p. 151).

For 4

2 pheasants, each cut into 4 (p. 272)

salt

3 tbs olive oil

150g Serrano ham (or bacon), cut in thin strips

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 onion, peeled and chopped

3 red peppers, seeded and cut in strips

500g tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or a 400g can

Season the pheasant pieces with salt, heat the oil and sauté them until browned on all sides. Lift them out and cook the ham lightly in the same oil. Scoop out the ham and put aside while you cook the garlic and onion over gentle heat until the onion has softened. Return the ham to the pan with the red peppers and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes then return the pheasant pieces to the pan. Taste and add a little more salt if necessary. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour or so, until the pheasant is tender. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little water. Serve with boiled or roast potatoes.

Poultry and game birds