Angela Day Modern Classics

Lemon and Honey Stir-fry Chicken

15 ml oil
500 g chicken tenderloin strips, cut into 3-cm pieces
1 red onion, sliced into thin wedges
1 bunch spring onions, diagonally sliced
60 ml honey
60 ml lemon juice
30 ml soy sauce
10 ml cornflour mixed with 20 ml water
100 g roasted cashew nuts

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the chicken in batches until brown and just cooked. Remove and set aside. Add the red onion to the wok and cook for a few minutes. Add the spring onions and stir-fry for 1 minute. Return the chicken to the wok. Combine the honey, lemon juice and soy sauce, and mix well. Add to the wok and bring to the boil. Stir in the cornflour and cook until thickened. Mix in the cashew nuts. Serve with rice or noodles. Serves 4

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

4 plump chicken breast fillets
80 g feta cheese
30 ml plain yoghurt or sour cream
45 ml sundried tomatoes, chopped
15 ml snipped chives
black pepper
250 g sliced Parma ham (8 slices)

Cut a slit in the side of the chicken fillets. Combine the feta, yoghurt, tomatoes, chives and pepper and mix well. Divide the mixture among the 4 chicken breasts, stuffing it into the opening. Wrap each chicken breast in 2 slices of ham, securing them in place either with string or a toothpick. Brown the chicken breasts all over in a pan over a high heat. Transfer them to a baking tray and roast in the oven at 180 °C for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and discard the string or toothpicks. Cut into slices Serves 4

Portuguese Chicken

1 whole chicken, spatchcocked
250 g baby potatoes, peeled
MARINADE
1 whole head of garlic
15 ml coarse salt
3–5 ml peri-peri powder
180 ml oil
90 ml white wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Crush the garlic with the rock salt in a pestle and mortar to form a paste. Mix in the peri-peri, oil, vinegar and seasoning. Spread this over the chicken and leave to marinate for 1 hour. Place the chicken, breast side down, onto a roasting tray and roast at 180 °C for 30–40 minutes. In the meantime, boil the potatoes until just soft, then drain well. Remove the chicken from the oven and add the potatoes to the tray. Place the chicken, breast side up on top of the potatoes. Return to the oven and roast for another 40–50 minutes until golden-brown and crispy. Remove the chicken from the oven and keep warm. Return the pan to the oven to crisp up the potatoes, about 10–15 minutes.

NOTE: To spatchcock a chicken, cut down the one side of the backbone to open out. Cut down the other side of the backbone to remove the bones. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a board and with the palm of your hand press down on the breast to flatten the chicken. Serves 4

Crumbed Chicken and Pistachio Strips

250 ml pistachio nuts, finely chopped
125 ml breadcrumbs
30 ml Dijon mustard
30 ml olive oil
30 ml honey
salt and pepper to taste
350 g chicken fillet strips
POTATO SALAD
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
150 g mayonnaise
15 ml lemon juice
80 g edamame beans

Mix together the pistachios and breadcrumbs in shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the mustard, olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper until smooth. Dip the chicken strips into the mustard mixture to coat, then coat with the crumbs. Arrange the strips on a lightly greased baking sheet and rest in the fridge while you make the potato salad. Boil the potatoes in salted water, drain and cool, and then transfer to a large glass bowl. Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, edamame beans and mix well. Bake the chicken at 190 °C for about 20 minutes until golden-brown. Serve with the potato salad. Serves 4

Chicken Balls with Laksa

5-cm stalk lemongrass, finely chopped
4-cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
800 g chicken mince
15 ml fish sauce
125 ml chopped fresh coriander
30 ml oil
400 g can coconut milk
80 g sachet laksa paste
500 ml chicken stock
400 g pack hokkien noodles
chopped fresh coriander for garnishing

Combine the lemongrass, ginger, garlic and chilli, then pound to a paste. Add to the mince and mix well. Stir in the fish sauce and chopped coriander, then mix well. Shape into balls and fry in heated oil until golden-brown and cooked. Drain and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the coconut milk and laksa paste and bring to the boil. When the paste is dissolved, add the stock and boil for 5 minutes. Add the noodles, and separate gently with a fork. Finally, add the chicken balls and heat through. Serve in bowls, garnished with coriander. Serves 4–6

Chicken à la King

4 chicken breast fillets
60 g butter
250 g mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
50 ml cake flour
300 ml milk, heated
45 ml sherry
45 ml chopped fresh parsley
rice for serving

Poach the chicken in simmering stock until cooked. Remove the chicken and reserve 200 ml of the cooking liquid. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Heat the butter and sauté the mushrooms and peppers. Stir in the flour and mix well. Gradually add the reserved cooking liquid stock and milk, stirring constantly. Simmer for 3 minutes until thickened. Return the chicken to the sauce, add the sherry, parsley and seasoning and heat through. Serve with rice. Serves 4

Coq au Vin

125 g thick-cut bacon, diced
30 ml olive oil
1 large chicken, portioned
50 ml brandy
salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
3 ml dried thyme
16–20 baby onions, peeled
45 ml cake flour
500 ml red wine
500 ml chicken stock
15 ml tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
250 g button mushrooms, halved

Fry the bacon in a saucepan, adding a little oil if necessary, until crisp. Remove and set aside. Add the oil and chicken portions to the pan and brown all over, but do not crowd the pan, making sure they all fit in, in a single layer. Add the brandy and ignite, standing well back from the pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add the bay leaf and thyme. Arrange the onions around the chicken. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, turning the onions once. Uncover the pan, sprinkle over the flour, turning the chicken and onions so that the flour is absorbed. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the wine, stock, tomato paste and garlic. Return the bacon to the pan and mix in. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes. Add the mushrooms and simmer for 5–10 minutes, making sure the chicken is tender. If the sauce is not thick enough, remove the chicken portions and boil the sauce rapidly to reduce and thicken it. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve with rice and vegetables. Serves 4

Orange Duck Casserole

2 kg duck, portioned
2 small onions, chopped
150 ml orange juice
2 oranges, segmented
60 ml port
15 ml brown sugar
60 ml white wine
rind of 1 orange
15 ml fresh mixed herbs (parsley, thyme, sage)
salt and pepper to taste
extra orange, segmented for serving

Fry the duck portions in a pan until browned. Remove and place into an ovenproof casserole. Drain out all but 15 ml of the rendered fat. Add the onions to the pan and fry until transparent. Stir in the orange juice, orange segments, port, sugar, wine, rind and herbs. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat. Pour this mixture over the duck portions. Season well, cover and cook in the oven at 180 °C for 2–2½ hours, until the meat is tender. If there is a lot of extra fat in the sauce, scoop it off and boil the remaining mixture to thicken slightly. Serve the portions with the gravy and garnish with extra orange segments. Serves 4

Glazed Duck with Bulgur Wheat Salad

4 duck breasts
20 ml pomegranate molasses
30 ml honey
5 ml toasted caraway seeds, crushed
SALAD
250 g bulgur wheat
600 ml hot vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
410 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
45 ml olive oil
2 red onions, halved and finely sliced
15 ml pomegranate molasses
100 g dried sour cherries or cranberries
a handful of fresh mint, chopped
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
100 g pistachio nuts, shelled, toasted and roughly chopped
60 ml pomegranate seeds

Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Using a sharp knife, diagonally score the skin of the duck breasts, then set aside. Mix together the pomegranate molasses, honey and caraway seeds. Rub the mixture evenly over the duck breasts. Heat a non-stick griddle pan on high and cook the duck, skin-side down, for 2–3 minutes to caramelise the skin. Turn over and cook for a further 2 minutes. Transfer the duck to an ovenproof dish and bake for 8–10 minutes, or until cooked to your liking (duck breast should be slightly pink in colour). Remove and set aside to rest. To make the salad, put the bulgur wheat into a large bowl and pour over the stock. Cover with clingwrap or a plate and set aside. After 5 minutes, fluff with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the chickpeas. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the pomegranate molasses and cherries and cook for a further 5minutes, until the onions begin to caramelise. Remove from the heat and stir into the bulgur wheat mixture. Stir in the mint, parsley, and pistachio nuts. Spoon the salad onto a serving plate and arrange the slices of duck on top. Pour over any cooking juices from the duck and sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds. Serves 4

Middle Eastern Roast Turkey with Jewelled Couscous

3 kg whole turkey, cleaned
50 g butter, softened
grated rind of 1 lemon
30 ml lemon juice
30 ml finely chopped preserved lemon (optional)
1 onion, peeled and halved
60 ml pomegranate molasses
30 ml olive oil
30 ml orange juice
5 ml ground cumin
5 ml ground coriander
5 ml ground cinnamon
5 ml paprika
250 ml white wine
250 ml chicken stock
orange slices
COUSCOUS
250 ml couscous
250 ml boiling chicken stock
60 ml chopped dried apricots
60 ml chopped pistachio nuts
60 ml chopped fresh coriander
salt and pepper
120 ml pomegranate rubies
extra orange slices for garnishing

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Loosen the skin of the turkey at the breastbone. Combine the butter, lemon rind, lemon juice and preserved lemon, if using. Spread this under the skin at the breast. Put the halved onion into the cavity. Combine the pomegranate molasses, orange juice, olive oil and spices and mix well. Brush this mixture over the turkey and place it on a rack in an oven pan. Pour the wine and stock into the pan. Add the orange slices around the turkey. Cover the pan with foil and roast for 1½ hours. Remove the foil and baste the turkey well. Brush over any remaining spice mixture. Return the turkey to the oven without the foil and roast until golden-brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven. Cover with foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with couscous Serves 6–8

COUSCOUS: Put the couscous into a bowl and pour over the boiling stock. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork to separate the grains. Add the apricots, pistachio nuts, coriander and seasoning and mix well. Sprinkle with pomegranate rubies and garnish with orange slices before serving.

Coronation Chicken

15 ml oil
1 onion, chopped
15 ml mild curry powder
5 ml tomato paste
20 ml fruit chutney
60 ml white wine
salt
15 ml lemon juice
250 ml mayonnaise
100 ml fresh cream
1 kg cooked chicken meat, cubed
100 ml sultanas
15 ml chopped fresh coriander
cos or butter lettuce for serving

Heat the oil in a pot. Sauté the onions until glossy. Stir in the curry powder, tomato paste and fruit chutney and cook for 30 seconds. Add the wine and salt. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Put the mixture into a food processor, along with the lemon juice, mayonnaise and cream. Process until smooth, then pour over the chicken. Add the sultanas and coriander and toss together. Serve cold on lettuce cups, or with rice. Serves 6–8

NOTE: You can either use a whole cooked chicken where the skin and bones have been removed and the meat chopped up, or 6–8 poached chicken breast fillets that have been diced.

Turkey and Cranberry Pie

50 g butter
60 ml cake flour
250 ml chicken stock
60 ml dry white wine
80 ml fresh cream
500 ml diced cooked turkey
250 ml diced cooked ham
30 g butter
10 ml chopped garlic
250 g portabellini mushrooms, sliced
30 ml chopped fresh parsley
30 ml chopped chives
½ bunch spring onions, chopped
salt and pepper
400 g roll frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg yolk, beaten
cranberry sauce for serving

Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Gradually pour in the stock and wine, stirring continuously until the mixture boils. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Add the turkey and ham. In a clean pan, melt the butter and fry the garlic and mushrooms for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir into the turkey mixture. Add the herbs and spring onions. Season well and leave to cool completely. Unroll the pastry and roll it out to measure a 30 × 33 cm rectangle. Cut it in half so you have 2 × 15 cm-wide sheets. Place a sheet on a baking tray and spoon on the cold filling mixture, leaving a 2 cm border. Brush the border with the egg yolk. Fold the remaining sheet in half lengthwise and use a sharp knife to make cuts in the folded side, about 1 cm apart, leaving a 2 cm border. Unfold and carefully place the pastry over the filling. Press the edges to seal and brush the surface with beaten egg. Bake at 200 °C for 20–30 minutes until golden-brown. Remove and cool slightly before serving with cranberry sauce. Serves 4

Chicken Curry

10 ml butter
10 ml oil
2 onions, sliced
800 g chicken breasts, deboned and cubed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 ml turmeric
5 ml ground coriander
10 ml curry powder
125 ml white wine
150 ml chicken stock
100 ml raisins
100 ml desiccated coconut
1 large green apple, sliced
3 cardamom seeds, bruised
1 cinnamon stick
5 ml garam masala

Melt the butter and oil and fry the onions until transparent. Add the chicken and garlic, and brown lightly. Stir in the turmeric, ground coriander and curry powder. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, stock, raisins, coconut, apple, cardamom and cinnamon. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender. Ten minutes before serving, stir in the masala. Serve with rice and sambals. Serves 4

CHICKEN AND POULTRY

Hawaiian Chicken