In a small saucepan, melt butter; combine with remaining sherry and baste hens with mixture. Roast hens, basting occasionally, about 1 hour and 15 minutes longer or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. Remove hens from roasting pan, cut strings, place on serving platter and keep warm. Pour pan juices into a heat proof measuring cup or small bowl. Skim off 2 tablespoons of clear yellow drippings that rise to the top and return to pan. Skim off any remaining yellow drippings and discard. Reserve degreased pan juices to add to gravy with broth.
If desired, serve hens garnished with spiced or brandied fruit. Serve with sherried gravy. SHERRIED PAN GRAVY 2 tablespoons reserved pan drippings 2 tablespoons flour 2 cups chicken broth or water 4 tablespoons dry sherry Place roasting pan over medium heat; add flour to reserved clear pan drippings and cook 2 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom to incorporate any browned bits. Stir in enough combined degreased pan juices, chicken broth and sherry to make 2 cups; simmer, stirring constantly, 2 minutes longer. Strain gravy into sauceboat. "WHIPT" SYLLABUBServes 4-6 3 tablespoons dark rum or Cognac 2 tablespoons sugar Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 cup (1/2-pint) heavy cream Sprigs fresh rosemary (optional) Sweetmeats (see note) or stewed fruits
In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat rum, sugar and lemon rind. Gradually add heavy cream, beating constantly until cream forms soft peaks. (Do not overbeat.) Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
When ready to serve, if liquids have separated, beat by hand to re-incorporate. Serve Syllabub in small cordial glasses, garnished with a rosemary sprig. Accompany with sweetmeats. (By the way, do you know what a sweetmeat is? It's any dainty little confection such as stuffed dates, chocolate truffles, sugared apricots and pears, or even candied watermelon rind.)
Chapter Nine CHICKEN FOR VERY SPECIAL OCCASIONS SHOW STOPPER RECIPES
With the majority of the recipes in this book, I've tried to keep in mind that you are busy and have plenty of other things to do with your time besides spending it in the kitchen. I've also tried to keep the ingredients and the processes reasonably simple and usually I've had an eye on the calories and the cost.
This chapter is an exception. These recipes ignore calories, and some of them require not just minutes of preparation, but days. There are some occasions, however, that deserve showstopper recipes. Maybe your daughter is getting married? Or you're celebrating a very special anniversary? Someone important to you just got a promotion? You're part of a gourmet club, and you want your recipe to be at least as good as Linda's?
This chapter is the place to look for unusual recipes, the show stoppers, the ones that will really make people feel special, and that they'll be talking about for days to come.
BASS DRUM STICK Serves 4-6 This really does look the padded stick a drummer would use for his bass drum. l. Remove the knobby knuckle from the end of a drumstick by giving it a good hard whack with your heaviest knife. If you happen to have a meat cleaver the job is easier. 2. Stand the drumstick on its meaty end and push the skin down to expose the tendons. Remove the largest tendons by pulling them free with a pair of clean pliers. 3. Scrape the skin and meat away from the bone to form a rounder, more compact drumstick. 10 chicken drumsticks 1/3 cup flour 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1 can (6-ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate 1 can (6-ounces) water 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 3/4 teaspoon minced, fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg In a large plastic bag combine flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces and shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Pour off remaining butter. In a large measuring cup combine remaining ingredients. Add orange juice mixture to skillet. Cover and cook over low heat for 25 to 35 minutes, turning chicken several times until cooked through.
BREAST PAILLARD Serves 4 As you can see in the accompanying photograph, this is an attractive dish. I tried it on our indoor electric grill and thought it was worth making over and over again. 1 roaster boneless breast or 1 thin sliced boneless roaster breast Vegetable oil Salt and ground pepper to taste 1/4 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature 2 tablespoons snipped fresh or frozen chives 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon, or 1/4 teaspoon dried 2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley Remove tenderloin pieces from back of breast. Place breast pieces and tenderloins between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4-inch thickness to form 6 cutlets. Skip the preceding steps if using the thin sliced roaster breast. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Combine butter, chives and tarragon. Reform into a bar and freeze to harden. Grill cutlets over hot coals, rotating the chicken on the grill to form crosshatch markings and turning completely over once. Or Broil 3" from heat a few minutes on each side until lightly browned. Cut herb butter in slices. Sprinkle each slice with parsley and top with a butter slice. Serve immediately. BREAST ROLL CORDON BLEUServes 4 You can find a simpler version of this in Chapter Seven, Chicken for Tomorrow or Next Week, but this one is a show stopper. 1 roaster boneless breast 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened 1 egg yolk 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 1 clove garlic, minced 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg Salt and ground pepper to taste 1/4 pound sliced ham 3 to 4 cups chicken broth Place breast halves side by side between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4" thickness, forming an 8" x 12" rectangle. In a mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients except ham and broth. Place breast smooth side down, on a piece of dampened cheesecloth. Arrange ham slices over chicken breast. Spread filling over ham leaving a 1/2-inch border. Carefully roll breast, lengthwise, jelly-roll fashion around filling. Wrap in cheesecloth, tie ends and in 2 to 3 places in center. Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add chicken and reduce heat to low. Poach chicken, covered, 35 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool. Remove cheesecloth and chill. Cut chicken roll in 3/4-inch slices and arrange over lettuce or watercress. CHICKEN BROCCOLI CAKEServes 4-6 From the name, you'd think this was a very unusual dessert, but in fact, the cake part of the name comes from its shape, not its taste. Although this takes awhile to make, especially the pancakes, I've always felt it was well worth it every time I've made it. Since you can eat this with just a fork, it's particularly good for a buffet meal when you don't want your guests to have to cut anything while they're balancing food on their laps. Sauce: 3 tablespoons butter or margarine 3 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 cups milk 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Blend in flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add milk and cook, stirring, until sauce is smooth and thickened. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Filling: When choosing the broccoli for the filling, look for firm, compact clusters of small flower buds with none opened enough to show the bright yellow flower. If you can see any yellow in the buds, the broccoli is overmature. Broccoli is at its best when the bud clusters are dark green or sage green, or even green with a decidedly purplish cast. 3 tablespoons butter or margarine 2 cups broccoli, cooked and chopped (Once when I didn't have enough broccoli on hand, I rounded it out with green peas and it was great.) 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1-1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken 1/3 cup grated Swiss cheese 6 pancakes, each a little less than 7-inches wide and about 1/4-inch thick. (The thicker the pancake, the taller the "cake". Use your favorite recipe or mix.) In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in broccoli, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg and chicken. (You can stop at this point the night before, but remember to bake the "cake" longer since the ingredients will be cold from being in the refrigerator.) Preheat oven to 375oF. To assemble ``cake," butter a cookie sheet and place a pancake on it. Spread with part of the broccoli filling. Repeat layers, ending with a pancake. Pour sauce over the top and sprinkle with Swiss cheese. Bake for 15 minutes (or 25 minutes if ingredients were refrigerated). Place under a hot broiler and broil until cheese is lightly browned. To serve, cut into wedges. CHICKEN FONDUE IServes 4 I haven't seen anyone use a fondue pot for a long time, but it's still a great way to serve chicken, and it's a fun and informal way to entertain. Maybe it's time to remember this once-popular way of cooking. The first version is a new, low-calorie version. The second is more traditional. 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 4 cans (13-3/4 ounces each) chicken broth 1 bottle (12-ounces) chili sauce 1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion 1/4 clove garlic, minced Cut each breast in one-inch cubes. Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken. Bring broth to boiling in fondue pot and keep at that temperature. Provide each guest with portion of chicken and fondue fork as well as fork for eating. Each guest cooks own chicken on fondue fork by holding in boiling broth about 1 minute, or until done. In a small bowl mix remaining ingredients as sauce for dipping after cooking. CHICKEN FONDUE IIServes 4 4 skinless and boneless chicken breast halves 1-1/2 pints oil 1 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup water 3 tablespoons sesame seed 1-1/2 cups flour Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Bring oil to boiling point in fondue pot and keep at that temperature. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper on chicken. In a mixing bowl combine remaining salt, eggs, water, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, sesame seed and flour to make a batter. Provide each guest with fondue fork as well as fork for eating. Each guest cooks own chicken on fondue fork by dipping into batter and then holding in hot oil approximately 1 minute, or until done. Serve with a variety of dips. Any barbecue sauce makes a good dip. I also recommend the Dill Dip and Orange Dip. DILL DIP Makes 1 cup 1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing 1/2 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons finely chopped onion 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon dill seed In a small bowl combine all ingredients and stir until blended. ORANGE DIP Makes 1 cup 1 can (6-ounces) orange juice concentrate 3 tablespoons oil 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon Tabasco In a blender or food processor combine all ingredients. Blend at speed for 5 seconds or until smooth. Food Tip: Use leftover orange or dill dip for fresh vegetable such as cauliflower, broccoli, carrots or celery. CHICKEN KIEV Serves 4 Frank and I had this in a restaurant in Moscow back in 1988. We happened to be there because the Soviet Government had invited Frank and his CEO, Don Mabe, to give them tips on producing plumper chicken. Don's wife, Flo, and I got to go along. I remember that Frank was impressed by the world-class knowledge and skill of the Soviet poultrymen, but he said their chickens didn't grow to be as plump and juicy as ours because their diets didn't include enough protein. The Soviet birds may have been thin, but the recipe that we had for Chicken Kiev was "otlichnii," (outstanding). You've got it exactly right if, when you cut the cooked chicken, the melted butter spurts out. 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced boneless roaster breast 1/2 cup butter or margarine, chilled 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon snipped fresh or frozen chives 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 1 egg, beaten 1 cup bread crumbs Oil for deep frying Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to flatten slightly. Skip the previous step if you are using thin sliced boneless roaster breasts. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, blend butter, lemon juice and chives; mold into four oblongs and chill. (In fact, I think freezing works best.) Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken. Wrap chicken breast around chilled mold and secure with toothpicks. Dip in beaten egg and roll in bread crumbs. Chill again for one hour. Fry in deep fat at 350oF for 10 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Serve immediately