Pour vinegar into skillet, scraping and stirring to remove pan glaze; add garlic, cinnamon, honey orange rind, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour vinegar mixture into casserole. Cover and bake 15 minutes. Stir in tomato strips, re-cover and bake 15 minutes longer. Garnish with minced parsley and basil, if desired. Serve with hot crusty Italian bread.
PHOTO: Roaster Thigh "Rice Birds" "RICE BIRDS" PIEDMONTESE IN WINE AND CREAM SAUCEServes 6-8 8 roaster boneless thigh cutlets Salt and ground pepper to taste 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided 2 tablespoons chopped onion 3/4 teaspoon minced, fresh rosemary or sage, or 1/4 teaspoon dried 2 ounces chopped prosciutto or ham 1 cup cooked rice 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup (2-ounces) grated or diced Italian fontina or mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chicken or beef broth 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon minced, fresh parsley Trim off and discard any fat and sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place between 2 moistened pieces of plastic wrap; pound until about 1/4 inch thick.
In large heavy, oven-proof skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion and 1/8 teaspoon rosemary; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but not brown. Stir in prosciutto; cook 1 minute longer.
In small bowl, combine onion mixture, rice, and cheeses; season with salt and pepper to taste. Place 1 heaping tablespoon rice stuffing 1 inch from end of each pounded thigh. Roll up thighs into neat "packages", folding edges in over stuffing; tie packages with kitchen string.
In same skillet over medium heat, melt remaining butter with oil. Cook Rice Birds in butter-oil on all sides until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover skillet and simmer 35 minutes. Transfer "birds" to serving platter; cut strings and keep warm.
Add broth, wine, and remaining rosemary to skillet, scraping bottom to incorporate any browned bits. Stir in cream; cook over medium-high heat until sauce is thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Return birds and any juices to skillet; cover with sauce and cook briefly just until heated through.
Arrange Rice Birds and sauce on serving platter and sprinkle with parsley. COPPA DA FESTA CRISTOFORO COLOMBOServes 8 Amarettini (small almond-flavored biscuits) or large Amaretti, crushed 1 pint each strawberry, vanilla and pistachio ice cream Amaretto liqueur (optional) Colored candy sprinkles or nonpareils 16 cocktail toothpick flags of Italy and USA (8 each)
For each serving: In bottom of large, stemmed glass, place 1 teaspoon Amarettini biscuit. Alternately scoop strawberry, vanilla and pistachio ice cream on top, sprinkling about 1 teaspoon Amarettini between each scoop. Pour a little Amaretto or other liqueur on ice cream, if desired. Top with sprinkles and insert a flag of Italy and USA. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or place coppas in freezer until ready to serve. PHOTO: Chicken Kebabs are tailgate party heroes PHOTO: Thanksgiving Roaster Nested in Sage Dressing takes an…
RECIPES OF OLD SOUTH ARE TODAY'S THANKSGIVING TREASURES Even before George Washington declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, its celebration had spread from Massachusetts Colony to all America. In the Old South, Thanksgiving could mean weeks of preparation, days of celebrating and a house that overflowed with guests. Modern times have inevitably relaxed some standards of southern hospitality, but not necessarily when it comes to setting a sumptuous table. Here's a Carolina version of a Thanksgiving bird. It's an Oven Stuffer Roaster complete with a nest of stuffing. The stuffing is cooked outside instead of inside, so it soaks up the pan juices and develops a lightly crusted surface. Several of Perdue Farms' home recipe testers tried the stuffing-nest method and found it not only wonderful eating, but an appealing presentation as well. THANKSGIVING DAY DINNER DELIGHT *Roaster Nested in Sage Dressing with Sweet Potato Puff *Creamed Giblet Gravy String Beans Almondine Creamy Cole Slaw Cranberry Salad Sour Dough Dinner Rolls Southern Pecan Pie *Recipe follows ROASTER NESTED IN SAGE DRESSING WITH SWEET POTATO PUFF AND CREAMED GIBLET GRAVY Serves 6-8 1 whole roaster Salt and ground pepper to taste 3 cups hot water 1 loaf (1-1/4 to 1/1-2 pounds) day-old white bread 1 cup chopped onion 1-1/2 cups chopped celery 1/4 cup minced, fresh parsley 1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh sage or 1-1/4 teaspoons dried sage 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 2 eggs 1 tablespoon butter or margarine Creamed Giblet Gravy (recipe follows) Preheat oven to 350F. Remove giblets and sprinkle inside of bird with salt and pepper. Tie legs together and fold wings back. Place roaster in roasting pan or baking dish along with giblets. Pour in 2 cups hot water. Roast 1-1/4 hours, basting occasionally with pan liquids. Meanwhile, prepare dressing: tear bread into 1/2-inch pieces; place in large bowl with onion, celery, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, sage, and thyme. Mix well and set aside. After 1-1/4 hours, remove roaster from oven. Reserve giblets and pour 2 cups of pan juices through strainer into a medium-sized saucepan; reserve for gravy. Add water to remaining pan juices, if necessary, to bring liquid to 1-1/2 cups. Ladle into bowl with dressing mixture; add eggs and mix until thoroughly moistened. With hands, mold stuffing around outside of roaster to form a "nest." Brush butter over breast. Return roaster to oven; continue cooking 45 minutes to 1 hour longer or until dressing is cooked and lightly browned and juices run clear with no hint of pink when roaster thigh is pierced. If desired, serve nested roaster from roasting pan. Or run spatula under bird to loosen it and carefully transfer to heated platter, keeping dressing intact. Serve with Creamed Giblet Gravy. Creamed Giblet Gravy 2 cups reserved pan juices Reserved roaster giblets, chopped 3/4 cup milk 1/4 cup flour Salt and ground pepper to taste Chop giblets and add to pan juices; over medium heat, bring to a simmer. In small bowl, make a smooth paste of milk and flour. Whisk flour mixture into pan juices and continue whisking until gravy is thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. BOURBON SWEET POTATO PUFFServes 6 If you have a sweet tooth, you'll love this recipe. Frank does. 6 medium-sized cooked sweet potatoes or 1 can (40-ounces) sweet potatoes, drained 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, melted 3 eggs 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 to 2 teaspoons grated orange rind 1/4 cup bourbon 1 package (10-ounces) marshmallows Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 1-1/2-quart souffle dish or casserole. Peel cooked sweet potatoes. In large bowl, combine potatoes with remaining ingredients except marshmallows. With electric mixer or food processor, beat or process until fluffy. Turn mixture into prepared dish or casserole; arrange marshmallows over top. Bake 20 minutes or until marshmallows are puffed and golden. PHOTO: Black & White - 3 Platters, 1 sm. bowl soup, 2 chopsticks CHANUKAH IS A FESTIVAL OF FUN AND FOOD Chanukah is a Jewish holiday, a day of remembrance, a festival of lights, and most of all, a family party that is celebrated during eight joyful days. Chanukah was first celebrated more than 2,100 years ago, following the defeat of the Syrian army by the Macabees. After driving the Syrians from Jerusalem, the Jewish temple was ceremonially cleansed. During the cleaning, a flask of oil belonging to the high priest was found. It contained enough oil to burn one night. Instead, it burned miraculously for eight days and eight nights. That is why a special eight-branch menorah (candlestick) is lit each Chanukah night at sundown, beginning with a single lighted candle on the first night and building to a full eight. As with all Jewish holidays, traditional foods are part of the celebration. Fried and sauteed dishes have special Chanukah significance because of the oil used in cooking them. Holiday Chicken Saute is a favorite meal in one family in which there are two small boys who still prefer fingers to forks. Their mother, who is a food consultant, once asked Frank what he thought of such table manners. His answer: "That's why we sell our drumsticks with built- in handles." With most of America's Jewish settlers having come from Eastern Europe, holiday foods served in that part of the world are most popular here. For Chanukah, this means crisp, brown potato latkes (Yiddish for pancakes). Latkes are usually served with fresh applesauce and dairy sour cream. Before the arrival of the food processor, hand grating the potatoes was a traditional pre-dinner part of the ritual, with everyone taking turns at grating potatoes — and sometimes knuckles. In Israel, fried jelly doughnuts are frequently served instead of latkes, and many Sephardic Jews (from Mediterranean countries), serve fried pastries unique to each country. Among them are Moroccan fichuelas. These crisp, honey-coated pastries are great fun to twirl in hot oil and shape into pinwheels - but beware of the little fingers near hot oil. PHOTO: Chanukah for Families FAMILY CHANUKAH SUPPER PARTY *Holiday Chicken Saute *Potato Latkes *Applesauce *Fichuelas De Chanukah *Recipe follows HOLIDAY CHICKEN SAUTEServes 4-6 6 chicken drumsticks 6 chicken thighs 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or chicken fat 3 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices 3 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices 1 large onion, sliced into rings 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons honey 1 lemon, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons cold water In large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat oil. Saute drumsticks and thighs in hot oil until lightly browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove from skillet. To pan drippings, add zucchini, carrots, and onion; saute 3 minutes. Return chicken to skillet; Add lemon juice, honey, lemon slices, salt, and paprika. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 20 to 25 minutes longer or until chicken and vegetables are tender. In cup, place cornstarch; add water and blend to form a smooth paste. Stir into skillet and cook until slightly thickened. To serve, arrange chicken, lemon slices and vegetables on large platter; spoon sauce on top.
POTATO LATKES (Potato Pancakes) Serves 4-6 5 medium-sized raw potatoes 1 medium-sized onion, peeled 2 eggs 1/4 cup matzo meal or flour 1 teaspoon salt or to taste Vegetable oil for frying Wash potatoes; remove spots or blemishes with a small knife. Peel potatoes, if desired. With hand grater or food processor fitted with steel shredding blade, coarsely grate potatoes. Transfer to large bowl; cover with cold water and let stand 10 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander, pressing out excess liquid. Using hand grater or food processor fitted with steel blade, grate or chop onion. Combine drained potatoes, onion, eggs, matzo meal or flour and salt; mix well. (As mixture stands, more liquid will accumulate. Do not pour off liquid; stir mixture frequently to blend.) In large skillet, heat 1/4-inch oil over medium heat until hot. Drop potato mixture by tablespoons into hot oil; flatten slightly with spatula. Cook pancakes, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides, turning once and adding more oil if necessary. Drain on paper towels. Keep cooked pancakes warm in preheated 200F oven while others are cooking. Serve pancakes warm, with applesauce. APPLESAUCEServes 4-6 Frank loves this recipe. He's normally not fond of Granny Smith apples, but he likes them cooked, in this recipe. 5 to 6 medium-sized tart apples (about 2 pounds) 2 to 4 tablespoons water 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, to taste (optional) 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg Peel apples, if desired; remove cores and seeds. Cut apples into chunks; place in medium-sized saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons water, sugar if desired, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 20 to 30 minutes or until apples are very tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary. Remove from heat and stir until large lumps disappear and mixture is fairly smooth. If apples are used unpeeled, strain sauce in food press or mill to remove skin. Let stand until cool; refrigerate until ready to serve. FICHUELAS DE CHANUKAHServes 6 (Spiral-Shaped Sephardic Chanukah Pastries) 5 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 2 eggs, slightly beaten 2-1/4 cups vegetable oil, divided 3/4 cup warm water 1-1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup water In large bowl or container of food processor, fitted with steel blade, combine flour, salt, eggs, 1/4 cup oil, and 3/4 cup warm water. Stir or process until mixture forms a fairly stiff dough. On unfloured surface, knead dough 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 4 parts; roll each into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Let dough stand 1 hour for easier handling. On lightly floured surface, roll out one ball into a 9 x 18-inch rectangle. Cut dough into 6 strips, each about 1- 1/2-inches wide and 18-inches long. In small saucepan over low heat, heat sugar in water until sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly; keep warm. In medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 cups oil to 375F, or until small piece of dough sizzles when dropped in oil. With hand, gently lift one end of a dough strip; pierce the opposite end with a long-handled fork and twirl fork once to secure dough. Place dough, fork-end first; into hot oil. As dough fries, quickly and gently turn fork, rolling dough around to form a pinwheel. Fry dough until puffed and golden, about 30 to 60 seconds. (Do not brown.) Slip dough off fork; remove from oil with slotted spoon and immediately dip into warm sugar mixture to coat well. Cool completely on wire rack placed over waxed paper. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes 24 pastries FOR THE ROMANCE OF IT, SERVE A CHRISTMAS DINNER GEORGE AND MARTHA WASHINGTON STYLE