Foodista Blog » Herbs

Easy Delicious Turkey Stock

Sheri Wetherell — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:18:17 +0000

If you’re like me, your belly is still so full from yesterday the mere thought of eating again is about to make you burst. But now’s the time to get that turkey carcass on the stove for stock makin’! Hopefully you still have the remains of that tasty bird, for an abundance of delicious soup is right around the corner.

I like to roast the carcass before I begin simmering. Remove the bulk of the meat and set aside – though some remaining meat left on is great as it will get nice and roasted. Place in a 400-450 degree F oven for about an hour. The bones will get nice and browned and any skin will get crispy. After roasting, cut the carcass into large chunks (e.g. quarters) and place the carcass in an 8 quart stockpot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Skim off the foam that forms on the top. Once the foam turns white you no longer need to skim. Then, toss in the following:

an onion (halved with the skin on),
a clove of garlic (also with the skin on),
2 carrots (unpeeled) roughly chopped,
a stalk or two of celery roughly chopped and with the leaves,
a sprig of fresh thyme,
a bay leaf,
a handful of flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
a healthy pinch of kosher salt

Partially cover and reduce heat until it is barely simmering. Simmer for 3-4 hours, adding more water if necessary to keep the bones just covered. Take care to not over dilute your stock too much. Strain stock into a large container and freeze or start making your delicious turkey soup!

Enjoy!

Photo by WordRidden

To print or save this recipe in your Foodista Favorites click below:

More delicious turkey leftover recipes from our friends in the blogosphere:
Cooking With Amy lists a bunch of tasty dishes in her Turkey Leftover Recipes post
Healthy turkey leftover recipes from Be Fit With Janet
Leftover Turkey Meals Your Kids Will Love from KidGlue
Tasty ways to use your turkey leftovers from Surviving Recession 101

Possibly Related Posts:

Mussels Marinated in Oil and Herbs

Melissa — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:42:45 +0000

Julia Child week continues at Foodista! Last night I prepared Julia’s appetizer of Mussels Marinated in Oil and Herbs. I was looking to cook something quick and delicious and slightly off the beaten path of weeknight dinners. If you are a shellfish fan like I am, you’ll love it. Fresh herbs, vermouth and sweet mussel meat creates one tasty dish! Although created as an appetizer, these herb-y mussels would be perfect added to a salad with some scallops or shrimp or just added to a light angel hair pasta.

Love mussels? Here are three other mussel recipes that I’m planning to make in the near future.
Sausage and Mussel Soup with Kale From imafoodblog

Cedar Planked Mussels From Steamy Kitchen Food Blog

Moules Fromage Bleu From Laura’s Best Recipes Blog

Possibly Related Posts:

Taking Advantage of Herb Blossoms

Melissa — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:04:57 +0000

One of the most satisfying things about having an herb garden is reaching an arm outside the kitchen window and plucking off some fresh thyme from your thyme plant or walking no further than your back yard for a sprig of rosemary for a recipe. But what do you do with all the lovely herb blossoms?

If you have a chive plant that is sprouting purple puffballs, don’t throw them into your compost- eat them! Seriously try it! If you gently pull out a chive blossom petal and give it a nibble, you’ll taste a light, sweet onion flavor that is much milder than the chive plant itself. The same goes for thyme, rosemary and oregano blossoms- each have their own delicate flavor that imparts just a hint of the herb without overwhelming the dish. I like sprinkling rosemary blossoms on caprese salad, garnishing a soup, grilled vegetables or even homemade pizza. The other cool thing about herb gardens is unlike a big vegetable garden, they are not as much work and instead of gasping at the price of fresh herbs for sale at the grocery store, you can smile at clipping $4 worth of herbs right off your porch.

Possibly Related Posts:

Grilled Bison With Cilantro Mint Pesto

Sheri Wetherell — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:35:12 +0000

It’s grilling day! Chicken, burgers, steaks, ribs…whatever you’re throwing down on the flames today here’s the perfect condiment: cilantro mint pesto. This recipe, I am super proud to say, came from Melissa and her co-author’s (Marcus Pape) newest book – their fourth! – Eat & Drink In The Northwest. The series is a beautiful food and wine (specifically Pacific Northwestern wines) pairing cookbook that will inspire you with seasonal ingredients. Of course I have to tout it! Even if Melissa wasn’t part of the Foodista team (and my friend) I’d still be shouting praises from the roof tops for her books. Each one is filled with beautiful mouthwatering recipes with local ingredients that are artfully paired with a local wine.

The other day Melissa brought to the office some grilled lamb and a jar of her cilantro mint pesto. (Did I mention that I love my job?) If it wasn’t for the spoon she placed in the jar I would have shamelessly dipped in and scooped out a big, green, tasty finger full.

Last night we grilled up some beautiful bison steaks, which we coated with a bit of the pesto before grilling, and topped them off with more. Perhaps this should be called Green Goddess – it sure is divine! Grilling lamb? Marcus recommends pairing it with a Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Red Blend or a Zinfandel.

Try it on any grilled meat or fish, smear it on your burger, make some crostini topped with ripe tomato, or even mixed with pasta. It’s the perfect condiment.

Here’s the recipe, thanks to Mel.

Possibly Related Posts:

Vodka Soda with Lavender Simple Syrup

Melissa — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:00:20 +0000

Since summer is officially here, lets have a toast! Another way to celebrate summer herbs besides eating them in your salad is to infuse them into drinks. I like to make a recipe that is grilled peaches brushed with lavender simple syrup and stuffed with gorgonzola dolce and since we just happen to have extra lavender simple syrup I made some vodka soda drinks adding the leftover lavender simple syrup for added sweetness and flavor and they were delicious! I just had to share it with you all.

Vodka Soda with Lavender Simple Syrup
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. dried lavender blossoms
ice
4 oz. vodka
12. oz soda water

Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Add dried lavender, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool. Into each pint glass, add ice, 2 tablespoons lavender simple syrup, 2 oz. vodka and fill with soda water. Stir. Depending on your sweet scale, you may want more lavender simple syrup.

Cheers!

Photo by Lakobos

Possibly Related Posts:

Foodista and Onepot.org

Melissa — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:01:55 +0000

This last Monday night, Foodista collaborated with Michael Hebb of Onepot.org and Foraged and Found Edibles in the Caffe Vita Loft for a “Friends of Foodista” dinner. What came together in the kitchen was beyond extraordinary. If you have followed Michael Hebb lately, you’ll notice that the guy is involved in a variety of projects all over Seattle and making the rules up as he goes. As part of the evening’s experiment, I showed up to the Vita loft around 11:30 am and set up my laptop at the edge of the kitchen counter right next to Chef Conor Donahue from San Francisco who was busy slicing butter clams, and began to document recipes directly into Foodista as each recipe was created in front of me.

The dinner wasn’t completely thrown together by the seat-of-their-pants. Over the weekend, chef and co-founder of Foraged and Found Edibles, Christina Choi, and Chef Donahue met with Hebb and decided on a menu inspired by seasonal and foraged ingredients from the area. The menu would be about the ingredients. Every recipe on Monday night’s menu was either foraged wild or locally harvested. Even the butter clams for the Butter Clam Fritter Appetizer was foraged by Foodista co-founders Barnaby and Sheri over a long weekend near Hope Island.

Chef Choi showed up at the loft carrying ingredients freshly picked only 24- 48 hours prior and set to work baking off Elderberry Shortbread to go with the local strawberries with elderberry syrup that we would later eat for dessert. As I was attempting to write precise recipes into the Foodista site, I received less than standard responses to measurements, techniques and even ingredients for most of the recipes. Not to anyone’s fault, it’s just that chefs don’t often use measurements while they are cooking, chefs cook by feel, taste, touch and smell. So when I ask for the recipe on how to make their specific court bouillon, they’re recipe suggestion was to “use what you have lying around,” only half joking of course. For example, while Hebb was preparing the octopus, I asked, “Okay, so what is the next step?” ”

“Use a sharp knife and cut head from tentacles,” he said.

“And then what do you with the head?”

“Say… give it to your cat.”

“Michael, can you tell me what is in the spice rub for the elk shoulder and what the amounts were?”

His response was, “Open your pantry, use a variety of spices that appeal to you. We used juniper berries, fennel seeds, chili flakes, cumin and coriander guajillo chili peppers.”

Over the course of the day and into the evening I watched the three experienced chefs create stunning dishes out of simple, but high quality ingredients and all inside a fairly basic kitchen set up. The dishes were beautiful, delicious and made with respect to the ingredients. I kept thinking as each gorgeous dish was passed around the table, I’ve seen these ingredients before, I can do this at home- with the right recipe that is. When you buy fresh and local, the ingredients speak for themselves and don’t require too much work on your part. Plus, you are supporting local farmers and foragers who didn’t fly your produce from half way around the world to get it to you. If you need a little inspiration for turning your farmer market seabeans or garlic scapes into a great meal, check out the recipes created by Onepot on Foodista.

Appetizers

Butter clam fritters with wild sorrel aioli:

Lemon balm leaves with raw porcini salad and chive flowers:

Plates

Local scallop crudo with sea beans and shiso:

Octopus with fingerlings and wild onion blossoms:

Elk shoulder with porcini, farro, and garlic scapes:

Wood violet and miners lettuce salad:

Sweet

Local strawberries with elderflower syrup and cream:

Farm direct Caffe Vita Sumatra Gayo River coffee

Possibly Related Posts:

Smoked Trout With Chive Cream Cheese

Sheri Wetherell — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:34:24 +0000

Even though we had (all in one day, mind you) snow, sleet, rain, clouds/fog, beautiful blue skies, then more snow again, our group of friends felt the urge to fire up the barbecues and smokers and have ourselves a cook-off. We are more than ready for spring here in Seattle! The categories were the standard trio: meat, sauces, and sides.

I made Barnaby’s famous potato salad, which is easy as pie and always a winner – even though I felt a bit like a slacker – but I felt it best to steer clear of the serious grillers. Plus, I was the photographer and the unofficial Official Wine Taster (even though that wasn’t a category, nor were we doing any wine tasting). Still, I looked official seated on the leather barstool.

With all the meat being smoked and grilled (tri-tip, pork ribs, flank steak) I felt we needed to add some fish to the “red meat mix.” Especially after last week’s pork gluttony at Cochon. I vaguely remember swearing off meat for a month, didn’t I? That obviously didn’t last long.

Barnaby threw four whole trout in the smoker and let them swim in alder smoke for about an hour. The pellets we use are all-natural wood pellets from BBQr’s Delight, by far the best we’ve found.

We mixed fresh finely chopped chives with whipped cream cheese, smeared a bit on water crackers, and placed a lovely tender hunk of trout on each. Then our friend’s five-year old son, Sammy, topped them off with more fresh chives. As he put it, “My dad was a sous chef, I know how to do it.” Ahh, the child of my dreams!

Stay tuned for the rest of the menu…

Possibly Related Posts:

Daregal Fresh Frozen Herbs

Sheri Wetherell — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:00:43 +0000

I am constantly buying fresh herbs in those expensive plastic clam shell packs, especially in the winter. And, unfortunately, I usually end up throwing most of them away because I don’t use them quickly enough. At $2.50 – $4.00 or more a pack that’s a huge waste of money! Then, I was recently introduced to Daregal, a French company that has specialized in herbs since 1887. What’s special about their herbs is that they are all-natural – no preservatives or salt – and frozen fresh within 3 hours of picking. Since herbs lose 75% of their flavor within 24 hours, then sit on the supermarket shelves losing even more flavor, it’s great to have a fresh-from-the-garden option.

Fresh Frozen From France – say that ten times fast!

We have a selection of both Greens and Blends and have loved them all, tasting and smelling as if I just picked them from my yard. The herbs come in convenient shakers that fit perfectly two-deep in your freezer door. Thawing isn’t necessary, you just toss (or shake) the already washed and stemmed chopped bits into your dishes. They are ever-so-lightly (you can’t even tell) coated with vegetable oil to preserve freshness and so the leaves won’t stick together. We’ve used them all: the basil and oregano in countless Italian dishes, the parsley sprinkled in soups, the cilantro in Vietnamese salad rolls (even frozen, as it quickly thaws!), and I mix the Blends with yogurt to make delicious herb dips and sauces (delicious on chicken or meats!).

Leave it to the French to come up with an awesome culinary idea! Since my herb garden failed miserably last year here in Seattle I’m making sure my freezer is well stocked year-round with these herbs. They certainly have saved me money, too! No more tossing out those wilted, slimy store bought ones.

I haven’t found them in any stores here in Seattle, but you can order them online.

Possibly Related Posts:

Panforte di Siena

Sheri Wetherell — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:49:53 +0000

Photo: James.Whisker

Every day as we walked to school in Siena, Italy we passed the big panforte factory. We could smell the delicious confection baking and it was intoxicating. Back then I didn’t appreciate this dense and chewy cake but it’s now something I look forward to during the holidays.

Panforte dates back to at least the Middle Ages, some believe back even further, and originated in Siena (or at least Tuscany). It literally translates to “strong bread,” referring to its piquant flavor. Being so densely packed with dried fruit, nuts, spices, and honey I’m sure the Crusaders referred to it as their energy bar.

Many regard Siena as the panforte capital of Italy. While there are various recipes for panforte most Senese believe it should contain seventeen ingredients to represent the seventeen contrade (subdivisions) of the walled city (my beloved contrada was the Istrice, or the crested porcupine!).

If you’re making panforte follow the traditional Italian way by baking it in small 4-inch disks. Wrap it in wax paper, then brown butcher paper. Tie it with string and, if you want to get really fancy, seal it with red embossed wax. Che bella! A little slice is perfect in the morning with a cup of cappuccino, or after a meal with a nice glass of vin santo.

Panforte
Adapted from Chef Gina DePalma

Nonstick cooking spray, for pan
3 cups whole blanched almonds
1 3/4 cups whole hazelnuts, skinned or unskinned
2 cups diced candied orange peel
6 ounces dried apricots, diced
5 ounces dried figs, diced
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups honey
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees with a rack set in the center of the oven. Generously spray a 9-by-2-inch heavy-bottomed, nonstick round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with a parchment paper circle, spray parchment paper circle with cooking spray. Coat bottom and sides of pan with flour, tapping out excess.

Using a sharp knife, roughly chop almonds and hazelnuts and place in a large, wide bowl, along with orange peel, apricots, and figs; toss to combine.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, cocoa powder, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper. Add to bowl of nuts and fruit and toss until well combined.

Place sugar, honey, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook mixture until it reaches 217 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat and quickly pour sugar mixture into nut mixture. Using a heatproof spatula, stir until well combined. Transfer mixture to prepared cake pan, smoothing surface with a spatula.

Transfer cake pan to oven and bake until entire surface is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer cake to wire rack and let cool completely. Wrap well with parchment paper, and then again with plastic wrap. Store in a cool, dry place up to 3 weeks.

To serve, dust the panforte with confectioners’ sugar and cut into thin wedges with a sharp knife.
For more on the history of panforte check out Siena’s Panforte: A Christmas Delight.

Possibly Related Posts:

Lamb Spare Ribs with Kabocha Puree and Walnut Pesto

Sheri Wetherell — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:44:17 +0000

A few weeks ago we drove out to Walla Walla to do a little early spring release wine tasting. At one beautiful winery, Abeja, we were blown over by the fine wines as well as the food offered at their autumn celebration. Chef Pascal Sauton from Portland, Oregon’s Carafe Bistro prepared a dish so delectable we returned the following day for another tasting (well, five actually). The small plate that had the four of us nearly begging for more was the Lamb Spare Ribs with Kabocha Squash Puree and Hibbits Ranch Walnut Pesto. Allow me a moment to compose myself…

It was a tender, fatty (oh yes, you want this fat) section of rib that had been slow roasted until the meat was falling off the bone, served atop a subtly sweet puree of kabocha (a Japanese pumpkin), then drizzled with a delicious earthy walnut pesto.

Thank.God.I.Eat.Meat!! Pure Heaven, I tell you, pure Heaven.

I’m sure I can’t do justice to Chef Sauton, but I’m going to do my darndest and try to whip this up at home.

Lamb Spare Ribs, Kabocha Puree & Walnut Pesto

Lamb ribs, cut into thirds (about 3″ in length)
1 kabocha squash
Olive oil
Fresh parsley, chopped
Raw walnuts
Walnut oil
Salt and pepper to taste
*optional: crushed garlic and lemon zest

Slow roast the ribs until meat starts to pull away from the bone.

To make the kabocha puree: Cut the kabocha into 2 inch pieces, remove seeds. Place onto a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 40-60 minutes in a 400 degree oven or until tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Once cool enough to touch remove outer green skin and place in a food processor. Puree the squash mixture until smooth.

To make the walnut pesto: Roast walnuts in a 350 degree oven until golden, turning frequently. Pulse in a food processor until in small pieces, but careful not to create a paste. Add chopped parsley, drizzle in walnut oil and pulse until a medium-moist consistency is reached. You don’t want it too pasty or too dry. For added flavor toss in some crushed garlic and lemon zest.

Serve ribs on top on the puree and spoon the pesto over the top. You will not be disappointed.

Possibly Related Posts:

Oil and Vinegar

Sheri Wetherell — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:49:17 +0000

It wasn’t until I lived in Italy that I truly learned to love and appreciate a good olive oil. Drizzled on tender butter lettuce salads with a pinch of salt, spooned over handmade pastas, dabbed on a chunk of rustic Tuscan bread, and I ashamedly admit, slathered all over myself in lieu of suntan oil. I was twenty, I wasn’t thinking (but my skin sure looked damn good!). Now, many years older, I have nixed the use of olive oil as a tanning accelerant, but continue drizzling, spooning, and dabbing with molto gusto.

In Italy, early November is the time when olives will begin to be harvested for the first batch of olive oil. Gourmands around the world eagerly await this time of year for the season’s new arrival. Now I like me some good fresh olive oil, but I was not about to hop on a jet and queue up with the rest of the oliophiles. So I went local and visited Oil & Vinegar in Bellevue, Washington.

This growing franchise offers a wide and impressive selection of beautiful imported oils and vinegars. Oil & Vinegar’s product line also extends to an exclusive assortment of herbs and spices, pastas, appetizers, cooking tools, and more. Their gift sets are far from the predictable packaged sets because the product is so unique, like personalized oil and vinegar labels. Think Christmas, everyone!

What immediately caught my attention when I walked into Oil & Vinegar was their tap wall (pictured). A stunning display of glass vessels containing an array of olive, nut and seed oils, flavor infused oils and vinegars, as well as balsamic and wine vinegars. One of my favorites, a blood orange oil that nearly brought me to my knees it was so fresh and good.

As the gourmands begin their journey home from Italy carrying their precious cargo, I too, happily returned home with an armful of olive oils and vinegars. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to use mileage.

Check out our video interview with Matt Stermer, owner of the Oil & Vinegar franchise in the US.

Possibly Related Posts:

Gremolata

Sheri Wetherell — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:05:46 +0000

Gremolata is a traditional accompaniment to Osso Buco, an Italian dish of braised veal shank. It is simply made of chopped parsley, lemon peel and garlic, which makes it divine on all kinds of meats, poultry, and seafood. Personally, I could put it on top of a good toasted bread and be just fine.

I made a batch of gremolata the other night to go on top of our delicious red wine stewed oxtail. It adds the perfect blend of herb-citrus-lemon flavors to a hearty meat dish.

Gremolata

1 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the lemon peel in long strips, then mince the peel. Transfer to small bowl and mix in parsley and garlic.

Possibly Related Posts:

Creamy Quinoa with Mushrooms and Shallot

Tracy Sarich — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 20:02:55 +0000

Photo: FranUolla

This recipe for quinoa is one of the best I’ve ever made. It’s easy and rich – substantial enough to stand up to a steak dinner but still delicate enough to be served with fish. Give this a try.

Ingredients:

Quinoa
Chicken Broth: homemade is best though I do use Swanson’s when I don’t have any of my own.
Shallots
Garlic
Dukka (see link to recipe below)
Salt & Pepper
Mushrooms: I used shitake, but any will do. A blend is also nice.
Butter
Herbs/Garnish: green onion, chives, parsley

Technique:

Melt a tablespoon or so of butter and saute 4 tablespoons of minced shallots. Add 1/2-1 teaspoon of garlic, to taste, and saute until soft. Add quinoa and saute until toasted. Add sliced mushroom.
The key to this recipe is the change I made to the proportions. Ordinarily, the ratio of liquid to quinoa is 2:1. Here, I used 4 or 5:1. I added the liquid to the mixture and boiled it down in an open pot – essentially reducing the broth while providing enough liquid to completely cook the quinoa. Quinoa is cooked when the grain has become fluffy looking with a neat little curl of the husk still visible. I find quinoa one of the most beautiful of grains and love its soft and slightly chewy texture.
When the quinoa is cooked, add 1-2 tablespoons of Dukka (though any blend of coriander seeds, cumin, and such will do) and minced green onion (or chives) and parsley.
Serve hot and creamy.

Enjoy.

Possibly Related Posts:

Roasted Chicken with Anise, Tarragon and Garlic

Tracy Sarich — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:14:45 +0000

Photo: adactio

Last night I made an absolutely delicious roast chicken, the recipe for which I must share. It started with the desire to have rice with a yummy gravy – led me to pick up a chicken to roast – and wound up with real prize of a dish that I will certainly share with you and my future guests. The rub I created for this dish was a completely spontaneous concoction that defies exact measurement – so, read the mixture and add/substract/adjust at will. I served this roasted chicken with steamed cauliflower and plain white rice. The gravy this chick created was the best I’ve ever made. If you have suggestions for improvement – please send along.

The picture above is not mine, I did not have a camera last night – but this chicken so pretty I just had to post it.

Ingredients:

Whole Chicken: I only use organic, folks.

Onion and Garlic: 1-2 small to medium onions (cut into quarters) and approximately 10 cloves of garlic (peeled and slightly smashed).

Shallots: 1 shallot, cut into quarters, stuffed inside the bird’s cavity.

Parsley: Smallish bunch – enough to loosely fill the cavity of the bird.

Tarragon: 3 good long sprigs to stuff inside the cavity of the bird.

Chicken Broth: I only use Swanson’s or my own…

Spice Rub: These are rough measures, I was free-wheelin’ when I made this, so feel free to experiment with the amounts.

Kosher Salt (1 tablespoon)
Black and White Pepper (1 Tablespoon)
Coriander Seeds (1/2 to 1 teaspoon)
Cumin Seeds (1 teaspoon)
Anise Seeds (2 teaspoons)
Fennel Seeds (2 teaspoons)
Cayenne (1 teaspoon)

Technique:

Wash and dry your bird, inside and out. I also like to cut off any extra flaps of skin/fat. Rub with a little vegetable oil.
Stuff bird with quartered shallots, approximately 5 cloves of garlic (peeled and smashed), tarragon sprigs, and parsley. Sprinkle with a small amount of the above spice rub. You could tress this bird – I did not do so – I simply placed it breast down in my roasting pan, stuffed it with the shallots, garlic and tarragon and inserted the parsley at the end to keep those items inside the bird. Do not stuff too tightly or it will affect your cooking time.
Place stuffed bird onto a bed of roughly cut onions and garlic.
Rub with remaining spice mixture and a little nob of butter (can’t resist).
Cook at 425 until the internal temperature reaches 160.
Midway through the cooking process I did a few things that I think are worth repeating: (a) I allowed the bird to brown and then began to baste it with the drippings and a little chicken broth; (b) about 1/2 way through the process I began to baste with chicken broth – which added liquid to the roasting pan and began the process of deglazing the pan before I took it from the oven – I would not add more than 2 cups of liquid. This chicken broth boiled down nicely – intensifying the chicken flavor and incorporating the flavors of the rub. A roasting purist would say I did not truly roast this bird, and they would be right. This technique roasted the bird for the first 1/4 of its cooking and braised it the rest of the way. The result was a very rich broth and moist breast.
Gravy: Remove bird and any bits from the roasting pan and add 4 more cups of broth. I reduced this to 1/2, added a little pepper, wondra flour (my mom’s trick for thickening gravy), and fresh chives and parsley at the end. It was good. Didn’t need salt – though will want to check it.

Great gravy for potatoes and rice. Lovely on my cauliflower. A real comfort meal. Enjoy.

Possibly Related Posts:

Cheddar Dill Scones

Sheri Wetherell — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:09:01 +0000

It’s been darn cold here in Seattle, so I’ve been using any excuse to fire up the stove or oven just to hang out by the heat. My latest excuse was in the form of savory scones. Cheddar dill scones, to be exact. As they baked they filled the house with that lovely something-delicious-is-in-the-oven smell. On a cold day, that is just the smell I love. That and the smell of a real fire going in the fireplace.

If you, too, are a bit chilly, then these little scones are sure to warm your paws.

Cheddar Dill Scones
Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa

4 cups all-purpose flour (plus a little extra for rolling)
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 pound (3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup cold heavy cream
1/2 pound (roughly 4 cups) extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, small-diced
1 cup minced fresh dill
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk (for egg wash)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and mix on low until the butter is in little pea-sized pieces. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs and heavy cream, then add them to the flour mixture. Combine until just blended. Toss together the Cheddar, dill, and 1 tablespoon of flour, then add them to the dough. Mix until they are almost incorporated.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead until the Cheddar and dill are well distributed (about 1 minute). Roll the dough until 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 4-inch squares and then in half diagonally to make triangles. Brush the tops with the egg wash.

Line a baking sheet with Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the outside is crusty and the inside is fully baked.

Possibly Related Posts: