The Italian Blog

From a health point of view it would be ok, but the
flavor and texture will have deteriorated and it just wont
be particularly tasty. I stored chicken in the freezer for
a year once as an experiment, just to see what it would be
like. It wasnt awful, but it was kind of flat and
tasteless. I remember wondering if this was what cotton
tasted like – although to be fair, it wasnt really that
bad.
Why are bones sometimes dark?
Darkened bones occur when the product has been frozen.
Freezing causes the blood cells in the bone marrow to
rupture and then when the chicken is thawed, these ruptured
cells leak out and cause visible reddish splotches on the
bones. When cooked, these discolorations Burger Fayetteville Arkansas will turn from
red to almost black.
Is it true that breast meat is the least fattening part of
a chicken?
Yes. Breast meat has about half the fat of thigh
meat. If calories or cholesterol are important to you,
choose the breast meat. Frank watches his cholesterol and
Ive never seen him go for anything but breast meat. Is it
better to cook a chicken quickly at a high temperature-or
slowly at a low temperature?
Both work, but with high temperatures, you run a
greater risk of uneven cooking, with the wings and legs
becoming overcooked before the rest of the bird is done.
Usually we recommend a moderate temperature of 350 degrees
for whole birds and 375 degrees for parts. If you are in a
hurry and want to use a higher temperature, then shield the
wings and legs by wrapping them with aluminum foil if
theyre starting to become too brown.
How much should I allow for shrinkage when cooking chicken?
For each 3-ounce serving of cooked poultry, buy an
extra ounce to allow for shrinkage and an extra two ounces
to allow for bone.
If I want to use different parts of the chicken from what
the recipe calls for, how do I go about making
substitutions?
This table should help:
Name of Part Approximate No. to Equal One
Whole Chicken Whole breasts 3
Half breasts 6
Whole leg (thigh and drumstick) 6
Thigh 12
Drumsticks 14
Wing 14
Drumette (upper part of wing) 24
When using cooked chicken, allow one pound of whole
uncooked chicken for each cup of cooked, edible chicken
meat.
How do you truss a chicken?
HERE HAVE ILLUSTRATION SHOWING HOW
Whats the best way to carve a chicken?

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, youll 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 Casa-di-pizza Depew New York 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.

Slice each breast half almost in half lengthwise and then
open like the wings of a butterfly. Brush with melted
butter and sprinkle with parsley. Place slice of bacon or
ham and slice of cheese on each chicken breast, folding to
fit. Roll, jelly-roll fashion, and secure with toothpicks.
Dip in beaten eggs and roll in bread crumbs. Fry in deep
fat at 350oF for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and
cooked through.. Remove toothpicks before serving. Keep
warm in a preheated 325oF if serving within 30 minutes or
reheat in a preheated 350oF for 10 to 15 minutes.
CHICKEN SALAD HAWAIIANServes 12-15
This recipe is good for a summer lunch. You should keep it
cold until serving, but contrary to popular belief,
mayonnaise itself isnt particularly dangerous from a food
safety point of view. Pizza Outlet – North Fayette In Imperial, Pennsylvania Mayonnaise in its usual commercial
formulations is acid enough to be mildly protective against
harmful microorganisms. But its not protective enough, so
dont take chances and do keep this refrigerated until you
need it.
6 cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 cups chopped celery
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 can (#2 size or 2 1/2 cups) pineapple tidbits, drained
1/2 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted, divided
In a large mixing bowl combine chicken, mayonnaise, celery
and soy sauce. Gently fold in pineapple and half of almond
slivers. Serve salad on a platter lined with lettuce
leaves. Garnish with remaining almonds.
CREAMED CHICKEN VICTORIAServes 10-12
This is a good buffet dish because your guests dont have
to cut anything while balancing their dinner plates on
their laps. Ive expanded it to feed as many as 60 people,
and it always draws raves. As an additional bonus, its at
least as good the next day for leftovers. You may find, as
I have, that its easier to add the flour right after
sauteing the mushrooms and skip sauteing the chicken. You
can also use leftover chicken and skip cooking the roaster
breasts; Ive done it and it works just fine. The original
recipe called for twice as much mustard. If you like your
foods quite spicy, you may want to use the four teaspoons
of mustard that the original recipe called for.
2 whole roaster breasts, 2-1/2 to 3 pounds each
8 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
salt to taste, depending on saltiness of the broth
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper or to taste
2 cups light cream or half and half
1 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Puffed Pastry Hearts (recipe follows) or toast points
In 4-quart Dutch oven or large, deep skillet over high
heat, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add roaster breasts
and enough water to cover, if necessary. Reduce heat to
low; simmer for 70 minutes. Cool breasts in broth. Remove
and cut into 1/2-inch dice; discard bones and skin.
Reserve 2 cups broth for recipe; save remainder for another
use.
In same Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat, melt
butter; add mushrooms and saute 30 seconds. Add diced
chicken and saute 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour,
seasonings, 2 cups reserved broth and cream; bring to a
simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring
frequently. Add sherry, Parmesan cheese and parsley.
Simmer 1 minute longer. Serve chicken with Puff Pastry
Hearts or toast points.
PUFF PASTRY HEARTS to go with Chicken Victoria
You can bake the Puff Pastry Hearts 1 or 2 days in advance.
Store thoroughly-cooled hearts in an airtight container.
1 package (17-1/2-ounces) frozen puff pastry
1 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter
1 whole egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Defrost pastry 20 minutes at room temperature. Preheat
oven to 375F. Open one sheet at a time onto a lightly-
floured board. Cut hearts from pastry and place on two
dampened cookie sheets. Pierce hearts with tines of a
fork. Then, using the back of a small knife, decorate tops
and edges. Brush tops lightly with egg wash. Bake 20
minutes or until golden.
CURRIED CHICKEN RAJServes 10-12
This is another dish that works well for a buffet. Its
easy to serve and easy to eat since the guests dont need
to cut anything.
2 whole roaster breasts 2 and 1/2 to 3 pounds each
1/2 cup butter or margarine
8 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup curry powder
1/2 cup flour
1-1/4 teaspoons salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups light cream or half and half
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Sorrento, might well stir a gourmet to poetic flights. The Italians are
very fond of their _Risotto_, the rice which they eat with various
seasonings,–with sauce, with butter, and with more elaborate
preparations. They also eat their _Paste asciutte_ in various forms. It
is _Maccheroni_ generally in Naples, _Spagetti_ in Rome, _Trinetti_ in
Genoa. _Alla Siciliana_ and _con Vongole_ are but two of the many ways
of seasoning the _Spagetti_. Again, the delicate little envelopes of
paste containing forcemeat of some kind or another change their names
according to their contents and the town they are made in. They are
_Ravioli_ both at Genoa and Florence, but at Bologna they are
_Capeletti_, and at Turin _Agnolotti. Perpadelle_, another pasta dish
with a little difference of seasoning, becomes _Tettachine_ when the
venue changes from Bologna to Rome.
There are many minor differences in the components of similarly named
dishes at different towns; the _Minestrone_ of Milan and Genoa differ,
and so does the _Fritto Misto_ of Rome and Turin. I fancy that, as a
compensation, only an expert could tell the difference between the soups
_di Vongole_ at Naples, _di Dattero_ at Spezzia, and _di Peoci_ at
Venice.
The “Zabajone” the sweet, frothing drink beaten up with eggs and sugar,
is made differently in different towns. At Milan and Turin Marsala and
brandy are used in it; at Venice Cyprus wine is the foundation; and
elsewhere three wines are used. It is a splendidly sustaining drink,
whether drunk hot or iced, and Italian doctors order it in cases of
depression, and it might well find a place in the household recipes of
English and American households. The wines of the various towns I have
noted in writing of them. “Vino nostrano” or “del paese” brings from the
waiter his list of the local juice of the grape, and the wine of the
district is the wine to drink. Roughly speaking, the red wine is the
best throughout Italy, the white of Bologna and the Veneto being the
exceptions. Finally, do not be alarmed if at a _trattoria_ a waiter puts
before you a huge flask of wine. It has been weighed before it is
brought to you. It will be weighed when the waiter takes it away after
you have finished, and what you have drunk, plus the great gulp the
waiter is sure to take if he gets a chance, is what you will be charged
for.
The Anglo-Saxon travelling Caramel Peach Muffins in Italy is likely to strike Turin, or Milan,
or Genoa as his first big town, according to the route he has chosen,
and those are therefore the three towns the capabilities of which I
shall first try to describe.

Mushrooms have been long used in sauces and other culinary preparations;
yet there are numerous instances on record of the deleterious effects of
some species of these _fungi_, almost all of which are fraught with
poison.[114] Pliny already exclaims against the luxury of his countrymen
in this article, and wonders what extraordinary pleasure there can be in
eating such dangerous food.[115]
But if the palate must be indulged with these treacherous luxuries, or,
as Seneca calls them, “voluptuous poison,”[116] it is highly necessary
that the mild eatable mushrooms, should be gathered by persons skilful
enough to distinguish the good from the false, or poisonous, which is
not always the case; nor are the characters which distinguish them
strongly marked.
The following statement is published by Mr. Glen, surgeon, of
Knightsbridge:
“A poor man, residing in Knightsbridge, took a walk in Hyde Park, with
the intention of gathering some mushrooms. He collected a considerable
number, and, after stewing them, began to eat them. He had finished the
whole, with the exception of about six or eight, when, about eight or
ten minutes from the commencement of his meal, he was suddenly seized
with a dimness, One Pot Dinner or mist before his eyes, a giddiness of the head, with a
general trembling and sudden loss of power;–so much so, that he nearly
fell off the chair; to this succeeded loss of recollection: he forgot
where he was, and all the circumstances of his case. This deprivation
soon went off, and he so far rallied as to be able, though with
difficulty, to get up, with the intention of going to Mr. Glen for
assistance–a distance of about five hundred yards: he had not proceeded
more than half way, when his memory again failed him; he lost his road,
although previously well acquainted with it. He was met by a friend, who
with difficulty learned his state, and conducted him to Mr. Glens
house. His countenance betrayed great anxiety: he reeled about, like a
drunken man, and was greatly inclined to sleep; his pulse was low and
feeble. Mr. Glen immediately gave him an emetic draught. The poison had
so diminished the sensibility of the stomach, that vomiting did not take
place for near twenty minutes, although another draught had been
exhibited. During this interval his drowsiness increased to such a
degree, that he was only kept awake by obliging him to walk round the
room with assistance; he also, at this time, complained of distressing
pains in the calves of his legs.–Full vomiting was at length produced.
After the operation of the emetic, he expressed himself generally
better, but still continued drowsy. In the evening Mr. Glen found him
doing well.”
The following case is recorded in the Medical Transactions, vol. ii.
“A middle-aged man having gathered what he called champignons, they were
stewed, and eaten by himself and his wife; their child also, about four
years old, ate a little of them, and the sippets of bread which were put
into the liquor. Within five minutes after eating them, the man began to
stare in an unusual manner, and was unable to shut his eyes. All
objects appeared to him coloured with a variety of colours. He felt a
palpitation in what he called his stomach; and was so giddy, that he
could hardly stand. He seemed to himself swelled all over his body. He
hardly knew what he did or said; and sometimes was unable to speak at
all. These symptoms continued in a greater or less degree for
twenty-four hours; after which, he felt little or no disorder. Soon
after he perceived himself ill, one scruple of white vitriol was given
him, and repeated two or three times, with which he vomited plentifully.
“The woman, aged thirty-nine, felt all the same symptoms, but in a
higher degree. She totally lost her voice and her senses, and was either
stupid, or so furious that it was necessary she should be held. The
white vitriol was offered to her, of which she was capable of taking but
very little; however, after four or five hours, she was much recovered:
but she continued many days far from being well, and from enjoying her
former health and strength. She frequently fainted for the first week
after; and there was, during a month longer, an uneasy sense of heat and
weight in her breast, stomach, and bowels, with great flatulence. Her
head was, at first waking, much confused; and she often experienced
palpitations, tremblings, and other hysteric affections, to all which
she had ever before been a stranger.
“The child had some convulsive agitations of his arms, but was otherwise
little affected. He was capable of taking half a scruple of ipecacuanha,
with which he vomited, and was soon perfectly recovered.”

Test the freshness of meat and fish. Staleness of meat and fish is
shown by loose and flabby flesh. The gills of fresh fish are red and
the fins stiff.
Make all the purchases possible Chiles Rellenos at a public market, if you can walk
to it, or if carfare will not make too large an increase in the amount
you have set aside for the days buying.
A food chopper can be made to pay for itself in a short time by the
great variety of ways it furnishes of utilizing left-overs.
If possible, buy meat trimmings. They cost 20 cents a pound and can be
used in many ways.

Let stand, covered, 15 minutes.
SAUCY MICROWAVE CHICKEN WINGSServes 4
To make an attractive presentation, try tucking the tip of
each wing under to form a triangle.
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 small clove garlic, minced
16 chicken wings
In 12 x 8-inch microwave-safe utensil, combine all
ingredients except wings; turn wings in mixture. Cover
with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 8
minutes per pound, turning wings over 3 to 4 times during
cooking.
Let stand, covered, 10 minutes.
TEX-MEX DRUMSTICKSServes 4
Removing skin from chicken is an easy way to reduce
calories, and because moisture doesnt evaporate readily in
microwave cooking, the chicken will remain juicy and
flavorful.
6 chicken drumsticks
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup taco-flavored or other pourable salad dressing
Remove skin from drumsticks. On wax paper, combine pecans,
bread crumbs, parsley and chili powder. Brush drumsticks
with taco dressing, then roll in crumb mixture to coat all
sides. Reserve crumbs and dressing.
On microwave-safe roasting pan, arrange drumsticks in
circular pattern, with meatier portions toward outside.
Cover with wax paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power)
10 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn
drumsticks over, spoon on remaining dressing and sprinkle
with reserved crumb mixture. Cover with a double thickness
of paper towels. Complete cooking, removing paper towels
during last 2 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes
before serving.
MICROWAVE CHICKEN BREASTS PAPRIKASHServes 4
One way of avoiding having your eyes tear when the slicing
the onion in this recipe is to do the cutting under running
tap water. The vapors that hurt
your eyes wont have a chance to get into the air, but
instead will just wash down the drain.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 green peppers, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 can (8-ounces) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Ground pepper to taste
4 chicken breast halves
1 container (8-ounces) commercial sour cream
1 tablespoon flour
In a 12 x 8-inch microwave-safe utensil, combine oil,
peppers and onion. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at
HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce,
paprika, marjoram, salt, and pepper. On top of tomato
mixture, place breasts bone side up with meatier portions
toward outside. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH 5
minutes; reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook
10 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn
breasts over and stir mixture. Re-cover with wax paper and
microwave remaining time. Let stand 5 minutes.
Stir sour cream and flour into tomato mixture. Cover;
microwave at HIGH 1 minute. Stir and let stand 2 minutes.
Pour over chicken breasts.
CORNISH HENS WITH LEMON TARRAGON SAUCEServes 4
You can get more juice from a lemon if you roll it around
on a flat surface first while pressing your palm against it
fairly hard. This ruptures the little juice sacks. Youll
also get more juice if the lemon is at room temperature
rather than just out of the refrigerator.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
Malvern Pizza In Malvern, Pennsylvania 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, divided, or 1/2 teaspoon
dried
1 cup chicken broth
Juice of one lemon (about 1/4 cup)
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, or substitute green beans
2 teaspoons water
With sharp knife or poultry shears, cut hens in half,
lengthwise. Remove and discard backbone and skin. Coat
hen pieces lightly with flour and sprinkle with half of
tarragon. Place hens bone side up, with legs to inside, on
a microwave-safe roasting utensil.
In a 4-cup glass container, combine chicken broth, lemon
juice, remaining tarragon and pepper. Microwave at HIGH
(100% power) 3 to 4 minutes, or until boiling. Baste hens
with half of hot broth. Cover with wax paper; microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound combined
weight of hens. Halfway through cooking time, turn hens
bone side down and baste with remaining broth mixture. Re-
cover and complete cooking. Let stand, covered, 10
minutes.
Slice asparagus diagonally into 1-inch pieces and place in
a 2-quart microwave-safe utensil with water. Cover;
microwave at HIGH 3 TO 4 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes;
drain and set aside. When ready to serve, add asparagus to
lemon sauce and pour over hens.
MICROWAVE HENS JUBILEEServes 2
This is a close cousin of CHICKEN A LA MONTMORENCY, but
its spicier and less sweet.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
1 can (16-ounces) dark sweet cherries in syrup
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
With poultry shears or sharp knife, split hens lengthwise,
removing backbone, if desired. In 12 x 8 microwave-safe
utensil, arrange hens, bone side up with meatier portions
to outside.

Pour off and discard butter from skillet. Add remaining
ingredients and stir to combine. Return chicken to
skillet. Cover and cook over low heat for about 1/2 hour,
turning chicken several times until cooked through.
FRUIT AND NUT CHICKENServes 4
Inflation hits all of us, but in this recipe, youll find
one ingredient has come down in price over the years. In
fact, its come down spectacularly. In Roman times,
raisins werent just expensive, they were money. You could
buy a young slave for 2 amphora (jars) of raisins.
2 tablespoons oil
1 chicken cut in serving pieces
1-1/2 cups orange juice
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add chicken
and brown for 12 to 15 minutes per side. Pour orange juice
over chicken. Sprinkle salt, cinnamon, pepper, raisins and
almonds on top. Cover and simmer for approximately 30
minutes or until cooked through.
OVEN BARBECUED CHICKENServes 4
This isnt new or unique, but its good. Of course, you can
always use your favorite prepared barbecue sauce if you
prefer.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons oil
Preheat oven to 350oF. Place chicken in single layer, skin
side up, in shallow baking pan. In a mixing bowl combine
remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Pomodoro Sauce Bake,
uncovered, for about 1 hour, or until cooked through.
PHOTO: Drumsticks in bowl of rice – bread & glass of wine
– 3
RECIPES WITH GROUND CHICKEN
Ground Chicken is a perfect substitute for ground beef in
dishes such as spaghetti, chili, meatloaf, lasagna or even
plain burgers. And ground chicken has fewer calories and
less fat than ground beef. It will vary according to the
individual manufacturers formulations, but ground chicken
usually averages 60% less fat than the U.S. Department of
Agriculture standard permits for regular ground beef.
(Regular ground beef is about 30% fat.)
I was surprised to learn that theres actually a
double standard for the beef industry and the poultry
industry when it comes to describing fat content. Beef can
be classified as “lean” at 22.5% fat, while chicken is only
“lean” if it contains 10% or less fat.
I was also surprised to learn how complicated it is to
make ground chicken. If I werent connected with the
industry, I would have thought that to get ground chicken,
you just put it in a grinder the way you do to get
hamburger, and that would be it. Ah, but its not so! The
fibers of chicken meat are shorter and more delicate than
beef. To get the right texture took a full year of
experimentation and fine tuning at Perdue. The skilled and
knowledgeable food scientists working on the project had to
discover which parts of the bird tasted best in hamburger,
what size holes the meat should be forced through in the
grinding machine, what temperature would be best, and so
on. A difference of a mere 2 degrees in the meats
temperature meant the difference between a desirable
texture and one that was merely passable.

THIGH FLAUTASServes 4
You can tell if your avocado for the guacamole in this
recipe is ripe by whether it yields to gentle pressure when
you hold it between your palms. If theres some “give” to
it, its ripe. If it feels hard, like a baseball, its not
ripe. Wait a few days, and it will have a richer, creamer
texture and flavor. You can speed the ripening by keeping
the avocado in a paper bag, at room temperature, along with
a banana or pear or apple. These fruits give off a ripening
factor and the paper bag concentrates the ripening factor.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 pound Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
(about 2 cups)
1/4 cup red or green chili salsa
salt to taste
8 flour tortillas
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/3 cup sour cream, optional
Guacamole:
1 large ripe avocado
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon red or green chili salsa
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat bring chicken
broth to a boil. Add boneless thighs, reduce heat to
medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove
thighs, reserving broth for other use. Shred meat and
place in a mixing bowl. Toss with 1-1/2 cups cheese,
salsa, and salt to taste. Divide mixture among tortillas
and roll up, securing with a toothpick, if necessary. In a
large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2-inch
oil. Fry flautas in hot oil, turning to brown lightly on
all sides. Transfer to serving dish and keep warm. To
make guacamole, scoop out avocado flesh, chop and toss with
lemon juice. Combine lightly with remaining ingredients.
Serve flautas topped with guacamole, remaining cheese and
sour cream, if desired.
Chapter Two. Chicken for the Microwave
When I was organizing this chapter, I was tempted to
include all of these microwave recipes in the “Cooking for
Everyday” chapter. After all, the microwave is certainly
becoming part of our everyday life.
The reason I didnt is$well, there are two reasons.
First, if I put all the microwave recipes in one chapter,
you wont have to waste time hunting for them. Second,
there are a number of tips on using the microwave
successfully, and I thought you might like to have them all
in one place, also.
The microwave is a wonderful convenience, but in my
case, I used to use it for reheating foods or for boiling
water and not much else. Are you the same? Ah, but theres
so much more to it than that! Having spent time with the
Perdue Swiss Omelet Roll food technologists and home economists, and
especially after studying the techniques and recipes from
Rita Marie Schneider, the home economist who developed the
majority of the Perdue microwave recipes, Im a convert
now. Ive come to appreciate the versatility of the
microwave as well as the speed.
Theres a reason I happen to have spent time with the
Perdue experts. Once when Frank was microwaving nuggets for
himself at HIGH, he found that by the time all of them were
heated, one of them was badly overcooked and therefore,
dried out and$what a dirty word this is in the Perdue
household!$tough. Frank didnt know that the microwave was
the problem and instead assumed it was his product that was
at fault.
How can I even tell you about the crisis that one
tough “tender” caused! Frank didnt seem as upset when a
whole processing plant burned down the year before. Because
of that one tough tender, he called the plant manager, the
quality control people, the packaging people, the man who
wrote the cooking directions, the food technologists, the
woman who runs the tasting lab, and probably half a dozen
other people as well. It didnt matter that it was the
weekend$the situation had to be addressed immediately! He
kept repeating disconsolately, “I have no right to sell a
product like this.”

Yogurt-Herb Sauce
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Salt and ground pepper to taste
In small bowl, combine yogurt and herbs. Add salt and
ground pepper to taste.
BONING AND RE-FORMING A WHOLE CHICKEN
1. On a large cutting board, place bird breast down with
drumsticks turned toward you. Using a small, sharp boning
knife, cut off tail. Then cut through skin down middle of
backbone.
2. Keep knife close to backbone to loosen flesh, cutting
around small oyster-shaped piece of meat part-way down
back; leave oyster attached to skin. Just below oyster,
use point of knife to locate and sever ball joint between
hip and thigh.
3. Working toward neck, loosen flesh from carcass. When
shoulder blade is reached, keep bone to your right and cut
through joint to sever wing from shoulder.
4. Continue loosening flesh around edge of carcass until
you reach breastbone. Do not try to detach this because
skin is very thin at this point. Turn bird around so neck
faces you; repeat steps 2 and 3. Carefully, cut through
two spots where wishbone is attached to carcass.
5. When both sides of carcass and wishbone are loosened,
lift carcass and cut breastbone away from meat. Cut
through cartilage, but do not worry about leaving some
attached to flesh. It can be removed more easily later
without piercing skin. Remove carcass and, if desired,
simmer with vegetables to make a stock.
6. Using kitchen string or unwaxed dental floss, thread a
large darning needle. Turn chicken skin-side up and sew
closed any holes in skin. Stitch split area near tail
together so that chicken roughly forms a rectangle.
7. Turn chicken skin-side down and carefully remove any
remaining cartilage in breast area. Detach small breast
fillets and use to cover less meaty areas near thighs.
Season meat, if desired.
8. Mound stuffing down center of breast. Pull skin up on
either side around stuffing and re-form chicken. Sew back
of bird closed.
9. Truss bird into attractive chicken shape.
A TRIO OF SHOW STOPPER “VEAL” CLASSICS
Chicken breasts, when pounded and flattened, can make an
excellent substitute for veal. And if your market has them,
the thin sliced boneless roaster breast is even better,
since you dont have to pound or flatten the individual
pieces. The fact is, if someone didnt tell you, and if
youre not a food professional, theres a good chance that
youd have difficulty telling the difference. The muscle
fibers in both meats are surprisingly similar; theyre both
low in fat, and neither has much collagen, the factor that
makes meat fibrous and chewy.
The basic ingredients in most of the “veal” dishes that
follow are boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Theyre
called “cutlets.” A scaloppine is a cutlet sliced in half
lengthwise.
By the way, if Frank had his way, from now on you wouldnt
think of chicken breasts as an inexpensive substitute for
veal. Youd think of veal as a more expensive substitute
for his chicken breasts. In fact, Frank likes to say that
“Anything veal can do, my chicken breasts can do better,”
He points out that chicken breasts are richer than veal in
vitamin A, niacin, and calcium, and theyre lower in
calories and cholesterol. Theyre equal to veal in
protein, and of course, theyre much, much more affordable.
If thin sliced boneless roaster breast is unavailable
in your market, you can make your own scaloppine, place a
skinless, boneless chicken breast half on a flat surface,
insert a sharp knife into the side and cut the chicken
breast into two wide flat slices. Put these slices
between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet
or rolling pin to 1/4″ thickness.
CHICKEN OSCARServes 4
Veal Oscar is served in some of the finest New York
restaurants. You can make this chicken version yourself
for a small fraction of the restaurant cost.
8 scaloppine (about 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken
breast halves) or 1 thin sliced boneless roaster breast
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup cooked crabmeat
16 cooked, fresh asparagus spears or 1 can (10 1/2 ounces),
drained
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup Hollandaise Sauce (optional)