KIWI GLAZED CORNISH HENSServes 2 Kiwifruit is only sweet and mild when it's fully ripe. A kiwifruit grower told me that kiwifruits are ripe when they're "soft as a baby's bottom." When they're underripe, they taste like something between a lemon and a crabapple. If your kiwifruit is hard when you bring it home, give it a couple of days to ripen on your kitchen counter. 2 fresh Cornish game hens salt and ground pepper to taste 3 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 tablespoon sugar 1 ripe kiwifruit, peeled and mashed Preheat oven to 350oF. Remove giblets. Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Tie legs together, fold wings back and arrange in baking pan. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Brush hens with 2 tablespoons butter, reserving remainder. Put hens in oven, and while they are cooking, prepare kiwi glaze. Add sugar to remaining butter in pan and heat over medium-low until sugar dissolves. Add mashed kiwi and cook one minute. Remove from heat. After 45 minutes of cooking time, brush hens generously with kiwi glaze. Continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced.
FAMILY FAVORITES In contrast to the preceding recipes, these recipes have more ingredients and require more preparation time, but if you've got the time, they're worth it. If you want to minimize time in the kitchen using these recipes, here are some suggestions. Tips for Saving Time in the Kitchen
_To halve baking time, select boneless chicken breasts. Cooking time is only 15-20 minutes at 350oF. A bone-in breast takes 35-45 minutes.
_Stir fry chicken can be done in as little as 4 minutes.
_Cook double batches and freeze the extras in serving size packages. On days when time is short, pop a package into the microwave for "fast food."
_Take advantage of your supermarket's time-saving convenience items. If you're in a hurry, don't bother to slice and chop your fresh ingredients. The salad bar has probably done it for you. You can also find time savers such as shredded cheese and frozen chopped onion. (The supermarket industry has watched restaurants and fast food stores take more and more of your food dollars away each year. They're now doing everything they can think of to reverse this trend and make supermarket shopping so attractive, quick, convenient and economical that you'll want to cook at home.)
_Learn to cook chicken in the microwave. A pound of broiler parts that would take 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven takes only 6-10 minutes in the microwave. See Chapter Four, Chicken in the Microwave.
SOUPS
PHOTO: Pot of soup with fresh vegetables surrounding outside - 2
Wherever there are people and chickens, there are chicken soups. Virtually every immigrant group arriving in America brought along favorite chicken soup recipes and often the treasured family soup pot, too.