IRISH ROASTED CHICKEN

HOT CHICKEN WINGS

ORIENTAL CHICKEN

PORK

HOLIDAY SPECIALS

CORSICAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

The combination of chicken, olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, and potatoes all cooked together in a single dish make today's recipe an interesting and pleasant alternative to more conventional chicken casseroles.

(Serves 4)

1 large Roasting Chicken
4 Tbs. (1/4 cup) Olive Oil
8 oz. Button Mushrooms
4 oz. Olives (Green or Black) pitted
1 lb. Mediterranean or Italian-style Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 lb. small New Potatoes, scrubbed

HOT CHICKEN WINGS

(Serves 10 to 12)

• 6 or 7 lbs. Chicken Wings
• 1/2 stick Margarine
• 3 cups Hot Pepper Sauce
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 - 2 tsp. dried Herb Mixture
• (Basil, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, parsley)
• 1-2 tsp. Chili Powder
• Ground Black or Red Pepper (red is hotter)
• 1/8 tsp. Turmeric
• Juice of 1 Orange (About 1/4 to 1/2 cup)

Cut wings at joints. Use only the two larger pieces. (Save the tips in freezer for making stock.) Rinse the wings in cold water, drain, and pat dry with paper towels.
Melt the margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the hot pepper and Worcestershire sauces, herb mixture, chili powder, black or red pepper, turmeric, and orange juice. Stir to combine all ingredients.
Pour the marinade over wings in a large glass or stainless steel container. Toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (overnight is better.)
Note that there's no salt added to the marinade. George doesn't think it's needed at all; but if you like, salt the wings only during the last 15 minutes of cooking, because adding salt to the marinade will dry out the wings and cause them to be less tender.
Also note, there's nothing sacred about the measurements above, they're just approximations. Increase, decrease, add or delete anything according to what you like and what you have on hand.
Spread marinated wings in a single layer in a large on a shallow roasting pan. (George uses a cheap aluminum throwaway pan so he doesn't have to wash it.) Reserve excess marinade for basting if needed. (Since the marinade has been in contact with raw chicken, keep it in the refrigerator and use only in this recipe. Please, don't use it in anything else.)
Preheat oven to 450-F degrees. Bake wings, uncovered on the middle rack for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 325-F degrees and continue baking for an additional hour or so. Turn or the wings once while baking.
Halfway through baking, drain accumulated juices from pan. (George reminds you that this is important. Otherwise the wings will be rubbery and gunky like the restaurant variety, and will contain more fat.) Brush or spoon on some of the reserved marinade to coat the wings again.
After the wings are finished, they can be held for several hours in a warm oven. Add a shot of the juices drained from the pan to keep them moist and cover with aluminum foil, or just serve them warm, now.

INDIAN CHICKEN CURRY

1/2 cup butter or olive oil
2 large onions
3 whole cardamom (1 tsp. grated)
1 1" stick cinnamon (1/2 tsp. ground)
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp ginger
1 Tbsp cumin
3 1/2-4 lb chicken, cut up
1 Tbsp curry
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp Tabasco
3/4 cup water
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

Saute chopped onions and garlic in butter or oil; add spices, tomato and water. Simmer, then pour over chicken and cook for 1 3/4 hours on top of stove in covered pan. Just before serving, salt to taste. Serve over rice. 

ORIENTAL CHICKEN

(Serves 4)

4 tablespoons white wine, divided
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 packet Sweet ‘N Low® granulated sugar substitute
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon paprika
4 chicken cutlets (about 1 pound)
Few grains ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Chopped green onion and fresh parsley for garnish

In shallow 1-1/2-quart micro-proof dish, combine 1 tablespoon wine, soy sauce, garlic, honey, lemon peel, Sweet ‘N Low, ginger and paprika. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate several hours.
To promote even cooking, tuck under any thin ends of chicken. Spoon marinade over chicken. Sprinkle with pepper and sesame seeds. Cover tightly with wax paper. Cook on medium-high power 6 to 8 minutes or just until cooked through, turning dish if chicken appears to be cooking unevenly. Remove chicken to serving dish and keep warm.
In glass measuring cup, stir together cornstarch and remaining 3 tablespoons white wine; stir into drippings in dish. Cook, uncovered, on high power 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with green onion and parsley.

Per serving: 170 calories

IRISH ROASTED CHICKEN

This recipe takes a while to prepare, but you will be rewarded with a delicious main course of chicken with a side of potatoes and stuffing, not to mention wonderful aromas during the roasting process. Consider this recipe your Pot O' Gold, found at the end of an Irish rainbow ... or any rainbow, for that matter.

(Serves 6)

4-lb. whole Chicken
4 oz. Oatmeal
1 medium Onion, chopped
2 Tbs. Butter
3 Tbs. Chicken Stock
Salt and White Pepper to taste
3 Tbs. Olive Oil
6 oz. Irish Bacon
3 medium Onions, sliced
4 medium Carrots, sliced
2 lb. Red Potatoes with skins on
Up to 1/2 cup Seasoned Flour

If there are giblets with the bird, remove them, rinse all but the liver (reserving that for another use), and cover them with water. Add salt and pepper, bring to the boil, and simmer for half an hour. Skim off the fat, and use as your chicken stock in the recipe. Otherwise, The Kitchen Staff recommends you use a low-sodium can or two of Chicken Broth.
Wipe the bird inside and out, and remove any lumps of fat from the inside. Sprinkle inside and out with a bit of salt.
Mix together the oatmeal, chopped onion, butter, chicken stock, and some white pepper. Stuff the bird with this mixture and secure well with small skewers.
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and lightly fry the Irish bacon. When it's crispy, remove the bacon to paper towels to drain; then chop and place in a large casserole or Dutch Oven large enough to accommodate the bird (and eventually the potatoes).
Quickly brown the chicken on all sides in the same skillet, and place it on top of the Irish bacon pieces.
Sauté the sliced onions with the carrots until both are just a bit soft. Add the vegetables to the casserole or Dutch oven.
Strain the giblet stock and add liquid if needed to make about 1 cup. Heat the stock through and pour over the chicken (alternatively, use canned broth or stock).
Cover and cook the chicken in a pre-heated 350-F degree oven for about an hour.
Meanwhile, cut the red-skinned potatoes into thick slices and either blanch them in boiling water or steam them for about 5 minutes. Toss them in seasoned flour and add them to the casserole or Dutch oven. You may need to add a little more stock if too much moisture is lost during the first hour of baking.
Put a few dabs of butter over the potatoes, then cover the pot and continue to bake for another 30 minutes, removing the cover during the last few minutes of baking to brown the potatoes appetizingly.
To serve, place the whole chicken on a platter, surrounded by the potatoes. Remove any skewers that were used to truss the bird while baking. Drizzle the Irish bacon bits over the top.
Carve and serve a portion of potatoes and stuffing with each piece of chicken.