Monday, November 28, 2011

Roast Chicken with Easy Stuffing

Roast Young Chicken
Prepared November 28, 2011. Every cook should know how to  roast a chicken. Here's one way that works beautifully.
1 3-1/2 to 4 lb young chicken
1 pkg Stove Top™ Chicken Flavor dressing, prepared according to package directions
1 T general purpose dry rub
vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C). Prepare the chicken by rinsing under cold water, removing visible fat, and drying with paper towels inside and out. Season the cavity with dry rub liberally and fill with dressing, setting aside any extra. Truss the drumsticks with cotton twine and close the cavity with twine and skewers. Tuck the wings under. Prick the skin all over the fat on the breast, wings, and thighs with a sharp skewer. Rub vegetable oil over the skin and season liberally with dry rub. Set the bird on a V-rack in shallow dark roasting pan and place in the middle of preheated oven. Roast undisturbed for 1 hour. Check temperature of thickest part of thigh with a thermometer. When temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 C) remove from oven and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest 15 minutes and carve into serving pieces. Deglaze roasting pan with a little wine or stock and serve, after defatting, on the side. O-T-C salad makes a nice side dish.

Pork Chops Grilled and Braised with Onions, Apples, and Cabbage

Prepared August 30, 2007. Adapted from Emeril Lagasse, foodnetwork.com.
4 1-inch thick rib or loin pork chops, bone in
general purpose breader or seasoned flour
3 c yellow onions, thinly sliced through poles
2 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thick
2/3 lb cabbage, finely shredded
1 c apple cider
1 T cider vinegar
1 c chicken stock
6 pepper corns
2 bay leaves
1/2 T ground cumin
1/2 T paprika
chili powder
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 T vegetable oil, divided
Trim fat from chops, dust with chili powder and bread lightly. Add 1 T oil to a heavy oven-proof 12-inch skillet, heat over medium high, and grill chops until nicely browned on both sides but not cooked through. Remove to a plate. Heat 2 T oil, and cook onions and apples until lightly colored. Add the cabbage and fry a few more minutes. Add the liquids, raise the heat, and deglaze the pan. Return the chops to the pan and cover with the cooked vegetables, and add the seasonings.  Cover tightly and oven roast 1-1/2 hours at 325 degrees F, turning once half way through the cooking. Serve over steamed rice. Serves 4.