The Perdue Chicken Cookbook Part 3

Tips for Saving Time in the Kitchen

_To halve baking time, select boneless chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s. 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.

If you grew up on canned, frozen, and dried soups, you may not realize how easy it is to make truly wonderful soups at home. If so, try it for yourself, perhaps with these American cla.s.sics. All the soups are based on a key ingredient: rich, homemade chicken stock, made from either whole birds or from parts, in about three hours. Stock takes little tending, just slow easy cooking to bring out all the flavor and wholesome goodness. Why not try making one of these soups now? And then, with the help of your freezer, enjoy the results many times in the coming months.

Basic Guide to Chicken Soup

_Older, larger birds, such as the 5-7 pound roasters, make the best soups. An older bird will have developed more of the rich, intense chickeny flavor than the younger, milder-flavored broilers or Cornish hens. I've made soup from broilers and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't as good as it could be.

_Use roaster parts if you want to save time. They cook faster and are excellent when you need only a small amount of broth. The richest flavor, by the way, comes from the muscles that are exercised most, which happen to be the dark meat muscles. All parts will make satisfactory soup, but the legs, thighs and necks provide the fullest flavor.

_For clear, golden broth, do not add liver. It turns stock cloudy. And avoid a greenish cast by using only parsley stems and the white parts of leeks or scallions.

_As the stock cooks down, foam will float to the top.

Skim it off, or strain it out through double cheesecloth when the stock is complete. Tie herbs and greens in cheesecloth as a "bouquet garni," so you won't inadvertently remove them during the skimming.

_Always simmer stock over low to medium heat. It's not a good idea to boil the stock for the same reason it's not a good idea to boil coffee; too much of the flavor would boil away into the air. _Leftover vegetables and those past their prime are good pureed in cream soups. When thickening such recipes with egg, prevent curdling by stirring a cup of hot soup first into egg, then back into soup. Also, be careful to keep the soup from boiling once you've added the egg.

_Most soups develop better flavor if you'll store them, covered, in the refrigerator for a day or two. To seal in the flavor while you're storing the soup, don't remove the fat that's on top. When you're ready to serve the soup you can lift the congealed fat off as a sheet. To remove the last particles of fat, place unscented paper towel on the surface. Draw towel to one side and remove.

_When freezing stock, allow 1/2- to 1-inch head room in containers so soup can expand. Freeze some in quart- sized or larger containers for use in soups. Ladle the rest into ice cube trays or m.u.f.fin cups for adding to vegetables, sauces, or gravies. Freeze and then transfer frozen stock cubes to a plastic bag or freezer container and keep frozen until ready to use.

_Soup may be stored in the refrigerator two or three days or frozen for three to four months. When reheating, make sure to bring the broth to a boil. Soups enriched with eggs are, unfortunately, not good candidates for reheating; they're apt to curdle.

BASIC CHICKEN STOCK Makes about 8 cups If you need to, you can make the following subst.i.tutions for the roaster: 1 stewing hen or spent fowl (5-7 pounds); 2 fresh young chickens (2-4 pounds); or 6 pounds fresh chicken parts, preferably dark meat portions. (As I mentioned earlier, young chickens will not provide as rich a flavor as the older birds but the taste will still be good.) Cooking times for meat will vary from 3 hours for stewing hens or spent fowl, to 1-1/2 hours for 2 smaller birds to slightly less time for parts. In each case, time from beginning of simmer and return bones to stock for an additional 1/2 hour after you've removed the meat.

Chicken stock is delicious served as a simple broth with herbs, shredded or julienne vegetables, slivers of meat, or rice. It also is the base from which countless other soups are made.

1 roaster (5-7 pounds) chicken giblets, except liver 1 large bay leaf 2 whole cloves 1 teaspoon white peppercorns 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried 4 quarts water or enough to cover chicken generously 1 cup dry white wine, optional 2 medium onions, quartered 2 large carrots, sliced 2 ribs celery, sliced 1 leek, white part only, cleaned and sliced, optional 1 bunch fresh parsley, stems only 1 teaspoon salt or to taste Remove giblets from roaster and discard bird-watcher thermometer, if it has one. Place roaster along with giblets in a large stockpot (8 to 10 quarts) or other large sauce pot. Wrap bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, and thyme in cheesecloth as bouquet garni; tie closed with string.

Add to stockpot along with remaining ingredients. Cover pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 2-1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Carefully skim stock from time to time with a ladle or spoon to remove fat particles and foam.

To check roaster for doneness, pull back a leg or cut into meat close to bone; it is cooked when no pink color remains in meat. Remove pieces with a slotted spoon. Cut away meat from bones and return bones to stock; simmer 30 minutes longer. (See Chapter 10: Cooking with Leftovers for uses for the cooked meat.) Strain stock through a fine sieve. If you want, prepare in advance to this point and refrigerate or freeze. Skim off top fat before using.

To make a soup, bring as much stock as needed to a simmer.

Then follow the soup recipe, adding chicken, vegetables, thickeners, seasonings, and garnishes.

CHICKEN-IN-EVERY-POT SOUPServes 4-6 For the best flavor, use fresh vegetables, varying them according to the season. Speaking of fresh vegetables, do you know how to tell a good carrot? Look at the "crown,"

(that's the stem end). If the crown is turning brown or black or has regrowth visible where the stem was, you've got a carrot that's been around awhile. If the crown and shoulders are a bright orange, you've got a nice, fresh carrot.

1 cup potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes 4 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup dry sherry 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 1 cup onions, halved and thinly sliced 1 cup carrots, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks 1 cup celery, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks 1 cup fresh or frozen green beans, in 2-inch pieces 2 cups cooked chicken, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch julienne strips 1 cup zucchini, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks Place potatoes in a saucepan with enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook potatoes 5 minutes; drain, rinse under cold water and set aside. In large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring broth and sherry to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Add onions, carrots, and celery and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in green beans and chicken and heat soup to boiling. Add zucchini and potatoes and simmer 1 minute longer or until vegetables are as tender as you like them.

Variation: Chicken Minestrone Add 1 cup chopped stewed tomatoes in their juice and 2 cups cooked, drained fusilli or other pasta and 1/2-cup cooked kidney beans when adding zucchini and potatoes. Stir in 1/2-cup grated Parmesan cheese just before serving. Other fresh vegetables may be added according to their cooking times. Minestrone happens to be one of Frank's favorites, although he skips the cheese because of its cholesterol.

NEW ENGLAND CHICKEN 'N' CORN CHOWDERServes 4-6 Chowders are thick soups which take their name from the large French pot used in soup-making called a "chaudiere."

You can use fresh corn in this recipe, but I deliberately suggested frozen corn first because frozen corn can actually taste sweeter and fresher than the fresh corn you buy at the supermarket. Corn loses 50% of its sweetness in just 24 hours at room temperature, and it can take days for corn to get from the fields to the supermarket to your house. In contrast, frozen corn is rushed from the fields to the freezer in just a few hours, and once frozen, it stops losing its sweetness. Strange as it may seem, with corn, frozen can taste fresher than fresh.

1/4 pound bacon or salt pork, diced 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 4 cups chicken broth 2 cups peeled potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn or kernels from 2 ears of corn 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 2 cups cooked, diced chicken 1 cup (1/2-pint) heavy cream Oyster crackers, for garnish In large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute bacon for 3 minutes until its fat has been rendered. Add onions and celery and cook 3 minutes longer. Stir in broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Add potatoes and corn, season with salt and pepper and cook 5 to 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken and cream, simmer 3 minutes and serve with oyster crackers.

Variation: Sh.e.l.lfish Chowder Add 1 cup chopped green pepper and 1 cup cooked crab or shrimp to soup when adding chicken.

HEARTY LANCASTER CHICKEN, VEGETABLE AND DUMPLING SOUP Serves 4 This is a famous Pennsylvania summer soup made with extra vegetables for hearty winter eating. You can subst.i.tute noodles for the dumplings, or add crackers, pretzels $ and some people have told me that even popcorn works. I'm skeptical about the popcorn, but if you're feeling adventurous, give it a try.

6 cups chicken broth 2 cups cooked, diced chicken 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 1/2 cup parboiled potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes 1/2 cup parboiled carrots, cut in 1/2-inch pieces 1/2 cup shredded green cabbage 1 cup thinly-sliced leek, white and tender green parts only, or 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 package (10-ounces) frozen corn kernels from 2 ears of corn Knepp In large saucepan over high heat, bring broth to a boil.

Add other ingredients and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 3 minutes while making dumplings.

Knepp (Little Dumplings) 1 egg 3/4 cup flour 1/3 cup water 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon baking powder Pinch ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon minced, fresh parsley, optional garnish In small bowl, beat egg; stir in flour, water, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. Drop batter by half teaspoons into the simmering soup. When dumplings rise to top, stir in parsley and serve.

Variation: Chicken Spinach Straciatella Omit dumplings. Clean and stem 1/2 pound fresh spinach; stack and cut into 1/2-inch strips. Whisk together 2 eggs with 1/2-cup grated Parmesan cheese. Stir in spinach with chicken, then heat soup just to boiling. Immediately pour in the egg mixture in a thin stream, while stirring. The goal is to end up with thread-like strands of cooked egg.

Cook until soup simmers again; stir gently just before serving.

STEW FROM BAVARIAServes 4 If you like mild sauerkraut, instead of just draining it, as the recipe suggests, rinse it in a colander or strainer.

1 roaster boneless breast, cut into bite-size pieces salt and ground pepper to taste 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or margarine 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 pound sauerkraut, drained 1 can (16 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce 1 large apple, peeled, cored and sliced 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) Season breast pieces with salt and pepper. In a flame proof ca.s.serole or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt b.u.t.ter. Add chicken and onions. Saute until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. In a bowl combine sauerkraut, cranberry sauce and apples. Spoon over chicken and onions and toss gently. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with walnuts just before serving.

MAIN DISH RECIPES RECIPES WITH CHICKEN b.r.e.a.s.t.s Unlike women, chickens have only one breast. A single serving would usually be a breast half.

The recipes that follow will refer to "b.r.e.a.s.t.s" and "breast halves." A cutlet is a breast half (or thigh) that is both skinless and boneless and sometimes has been pounded to flatten. A scaloppine is a cutlet sliced almost in half lengthwise and then opened, like the wings of a b.u.t.terfly or a thin slice from a large roaster breast. To save time, look for chicken scaloppine which have already been made for you: the Perdue thin-sliced Oven Stuffer Roaster b.r.e.a.s.t.s are ready-made scaloppine.

The recipes will also specify whether to use a chicken breast or a roaster breast. You can interchange them, but the results will be different. A roaster has a more intense flavor and is juicier. It's also bigger, and requires longer cooking.

BAKED b.r.e.a.s.t.s WITH CHEESEServes 4 When the Perdue Oven Stuffer Roasters and Roaster Parts first came out, Frank used to have recipe cards put in each one because it was a new product and most people didn't know how they should be cooked. The practice was discontinued once Roasters became well-known. The woman in charge of distributing recipes told me that sometimes the recipes on the cards became family favorites, and when a person lost one of the family favorite cards, he or she would actually take the trouble to write to Frank for a replacement. I asked how often this happens and learned that over the years, Frank has received thousands of letters requesting replacement cards. This is one of the recipes that people have asked for over and over again.

3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or margarine, divided 1 roaster boneless breast salt and ground pepper to taste 2 scallions, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley 1 and 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried 1/2 cup chicken broth 3 tablespoons dry white wine 3/4 cup grated Swiss cheese 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons bread crumbs Preheat oven to 375oF. Lightly b.u.t.ter a shallow baking dish. Place chicken in baking dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper, scallions, parsley, and thyme. In a measuring cup combine broth and wine and pour over chicken. Cover and bake 20 minutes. In a small bowl combine cheeses and bread crumbs. Remove chicken from oven and sprinkle with cheese mixture. Dot with remaining b.u.t.ter and place under broiler until cheese is melted and golden.

BERLINER SCHNITZEL b.r.e.a.s.t.serves 4 You'll notice that the "hard-cooked" egg in this recipe isn't called "hard-boiled." The reason is that the egg producers tell me that it's better never to boil an egg, but rather to cook it until it's hard in water that's just below boiling. If you cook your eggs in boiling water, they'll end up with an unattractive greenish color where the yolk meets the white. At lower temperatures, the yolk will be more tender and won't discolor.

1 roaster boneless breast or a package of thin sliced boneless roaster breast.

2 eggs 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste Ground pepper to taste 1/3 cup flour 1 cup dry breadcrumbs vegetable oil 6 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or margarine 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons capers, drained 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley Separate fillets from breast halves and then cut breast halves in half, lengthwise. Place breast pieces between sheets of plastic wrap. Pound chicken to a 1/4-inch thickness to form scaloppine. If using thin sliced breast skip this step. In a shallow bowl beat eggs with salt and pepper. Place flour and bread crumbs on sheets of wax paper. Dredge chicken in flour then dip in egg and coat with breadcrumbs. Heat 1/4-inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove to serving platter. Pour oil from skillet and wipe clean.

Add b.u.t.ter to skillet and melt over medium heat. Add lemon juice and capers carefully to avoid spatters; pour over schnitzels. In a small bowl toss together hard- cooked egg and parsley and sprinkle over top. Serve with b.u.t.tered noodles.

BONELESS BREAST PARMESANServes 4 To get the best flavor from the tomatoes, make sure your supermarket doesn't store them on the chilling shelf and don't refrigerate them when you bring them home. Store them at room temperature and use them soon after you buy them.

1 roaster boneless breast or thin sliced boneless roaster breast 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided Ground pepper to taste 2 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/3 cup flour 1 pound fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped 1 small clove garlic, minced 3/4 cup olive oil, divided 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried Separate fillets from breast halves and then cut breast halves in half, lengthwise. Place breast pieces between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4" thickness to form scaloppine. If using thin sliced breast, skip the previous step. In a shallow bowl beat eggs with 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place flour on a sheet of wax paper. On another sheet of wax paper combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dredge cutlets in flour, dip in egg and roll in bread crumb mixture. Refrigerate while making sauce. In a small serving bowl combine tomatoes, garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, basil and salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining oil. Add chicken and saute for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Transfer to a warmed serving dish. Pa.s.s sauce separately.

BREAST COQ AU VIN Serves 4 The famous food writer, Malcolm R. Herbert, tells a story that I've always loved about coq au vin (chicken in wine).

According to Herbert, a lady lavished praise on Alexander Dumaine, one of France's outstanding chefs, for his version of chicken in wine.

"Madam, I'm not satisfied," Dumaine replied.

"But you have been making coq au vin for 30 years,"

the woman protested. "How can you not be satisfied?"

"That, madam, was practice."

According to Herbert, Dumaine's version of coq au vin uses red wine, white wine, and brandy, and it takes a good twenty-four hours to prepare. This version is a lot simpler, but still very good. The day I made it, I couldn't find pearl onions or small onions in my local supermarket, so I used a large white onion, chopped. The pearl onions would have been prettier, but the taste was fine.

2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or margarine 1 roaster breast 1 cup dry red wine salt and ground pepper to taste 1 sprig each of fresh thyme and rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon each, dried 1 clove garlic, minced 16 pearl onions, if available, otherwise 8 small white onions, peeled and quartered, or 1 large onion, chopped.

1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 cup water 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt b.u.t.ter. Add breast and brown on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Add wine, seasonings, garlic and onions. Cover and simmer 60 minutes. Add mushrooms and simmer 10 to 15 minutes longer or until breast is cooked through. Drain juices into a small saucepan; blend cornstarch and water; stir into pan juices and cook, over medium heat, stirring constantly, one minute or until sauce thickens and clears. Carve breast and serve with wine sauce. Garnish with crumbled bacon and parsley.

BREAST WITH APPLE-PECAN STUFFINGServes 4 Make sure that the pecans you use are fresh. In the sh.e.l.l, they'll last in a cool dry place for six months. Sh.e.l.led pecans should be kept in the refrigerator, in an air tight container. If you plan to keep them for longer than half a year, freeze them.

1 roaster breast salt and ground pepper to taste 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs 6 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or margarine, divided 1/4 cup hot chicken broth or water 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped 1/2 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 375oF. Season breast inside and out with salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 4 tablespoons b.u.t.ter, broth, apples and pecans. Stuff breast cavity and cover with aluminum foil. Carefully place breast, skin side up in roasting pan. Rub remaining b.u.t.ter over breast and bake about one hour and 15 minutes until juices run clear with no hint of pink when pierced. Remove stuffing and carve half of breast.

b.u.t.tERMILK PECAN CHICKENServes 4 The pecan halves are more appetizing-looking when you put them on top of the chicken during the last ten minutes of baking; the nuts get a delicious-looking brown. I come back to this recipe when I want something that's never fail.

1 egg 1/2 cup b.u.t.termilk 3/4 cup pecan halves, divided 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup ground pecans 2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons sesame seed 4 chicken breast halves 1/4 cup oil In a mixing bowl beat egg with b.u.t.termilk. Chop 1/2 cup of pecans coa.r.s.ely, reserving remaining halves for garnish.

On a sheet of wax paper mix together chopped pecans, flour, paprika, salt, pepper and sesame seed. Dip chicken pieces in b.u.t.termilk mixture; then pecan mixture. Pour oil in shallow baking pan. Place chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s, skin side down, in pan and turn to coat with oil; finis.h.i.+ng with skin side up. Bake, uncovered, at 350oF 45 to 50 minutes, or until cooked through. During last 10 minutes of baking, place reserved pecan halves on top of chicken.

CHICKEN AVOCADO MELT Serves 4 For years I made it a kind of hobby to ask cookbook authors and recipe contest winners how they came up with their recipes. Since I don't invent recipes myself, the people who create the real winners seem to me as mysterious and impressive as someone who composes a hit song or writes a best selling novel.

My favorite example of this is Marge Fortier, who won the $10,000 Grand Prize at the National Chicken Cooking Contest. She didn't do any tinkering, tasting, and adjusting the way most of us would. No, the complete idea for her recipe for Chicken Avocado Melt came to her seemingly out of nowhere. "I was vacuuming the living room," she told me, "when all of a sudden, I don't know how, the complete idea for the finished recipe just came to me. She grabbed a pencil and jotted down the entire recipe on the notepad that she always keeps handy$and won $10,000.

Her recipe calls for chicken breast halves, but you can simplify things a little if you use thin sliced boneless roaster breast pieces instead.