I found a set of three books, “The Practical Books,” published in the United Kingdom with no authors indicated. The one I’ve chosen here is “Practical Chicken Dishes.” It’s a slim book with 27 quick and easy recipes from all over the world, according to the back cover. Since we can get weary of simple grilled chicken on the barbecue, here are three new ways to cook that bird. Mediterranean Chicken
4 chicken quarters 4 tablespoons low fat plain yogurt 3 tablespoons sun dried tomato paste 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly crushed 2 cloves fresh garlic, coarsely chopped Make a marinade of all the ingredients except the chicken by adding them to a small bowl and mixing well. Transfer the marinade to a dish large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer. Add the chicken to the dish and turn over the pieces so they are covered with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least two hours. Remove dish from fridge and, leaving it covered, set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. Place the chicken quarters over medium heat on the grill and cook for 30-40 minutes, turning frequently. Test to see if the juices run clear. If not, cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately on a bed of salad greens. It’s also delicious eaten cold. Note: You can make the sun dried tomato paste by using oil-packed tomatoes and pulverizing them with a mortar and pestle. Chicken With Bramble Sauce
4 boneless chicken breasts or 8 boneless thighs 4 tablespoons dry white wine or hard cider 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
Sauce: 1 3/4 cup fresh blackberries 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 2 tablespoons red current jelly 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg Cut the chicken into one-inch cubes and place in a bowl. Sprinkle the wine and chopped rosemary over the chicken. Season to taste with pepper. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Drain the marinade from the chicken and thread the meat onto skewers. Reserve the marinade for the bramble sauce. Cook the chicken skewers over a medium fire for 8-10 minutes, or until golden. In the meantime, place the marinade into a pan with the blackberries and simmer gently until soft. Press through a strainer. Return the blackberry puree to the pan, add the cider vinegar and red current jelly and bring to a boil. Boil the sauce, uncovered, until it is reduced by about one-third. Spoon a little bramble sauce onto each serving plate and place a chicken skewer on top. Sprinkle with nutmeg and garnish each skewer with some fresh rosemary and whole blackberries. Serve immediately. Since I found these cookbooks in a used book store, I don’t know if there are additional volumes in the set. They are nicely done with full color pictures and clear instructions and take little room on the shelf. I’ll keep my eye out for more. And...that’s all she wrote.
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