TASTE
SUNDAY NIGHT SUPPERS
Springing for Chicken
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Sunday signals the end of the weekend and the beginning of a new week, the perfect day to gather the whole family around the dining table to enjoy a simple home-cooked meal. It's an ideal time to catch up on each family member's activities of the past week and what lies ahead. It's an opportune time to discuss current events, family matters or whatever strikes your fancy. Setting time aside for Sunday night suppers can be a memorable part of a family's traditions.
Today, The Advertiser, in partnership with Share Your Table, an interactive food-focused Web site (www.shareyourtable.com) introduces Sunday Night Suppers, a monthly feature published here the first Wednesday of each month, dedicated to a simple meal that busy cooks can prepare.
Each month, food writer Joan Namkoong will provide you with a main course and a suggestion or two for side dishes. Each main course will be simple to prepare: no fancy ingredients, no complicated cooking procedures. We'll suggest that you double the recipe so you'll have leftovers to work with during the week. And we'll provide a recipe or two and ideas for those weeknight meals when time is of the essence. You'll find more ideas at www.shareyourtable.com.
The food for a Sunday night supper doesn't have to be fancy. Simple home-cooked meals using fresh ingredients can be planned to engage family members in the preparation. Participation in the cooking, setting the table and cleanup can be a family affair, further encouraging family participation in kitchen activities. Sunday Night Suppers are a perfect time to cook a meal that will also provide the basis for meals for the busy week ahead.
Let's begin our Sunday Night Suppers series with a roast chicken dinner, perhaps the most delicious and versatile food you can prepare for such an occasion.
A golden brown, aromatic, crispy-skinned roast chicken will no doubt get everyone into a celebratory mood, even if it is just a Sunday night. Succulent and tasty, there's nothing more comforting than this classic preparation that requires little effort on the cook's part.
First, buy the plumpest chicken you can find. Two (3 to 4-pound) fryer-broilers or one (6- to 8-pound) roaster would be ideal for a meal for four, allowing leftovers for the busy week ahead. If you can afford one, look for an organic, free-range chicken the flavor will be far superior.
While the chicken is roasting, prepare a salad of fresh greens. Or roast some seasonal vegetables alongside the chicken let your oven do all the work. A loaf of crusty bread would always be a great accompaniment.
THE SIMPLEST AND BEST ROAST CHICKEN
Place oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove the chicken from its package; remove giblets and discard; remove the neck and save in a plastic bag for making chicken stock, if desired. Rinse the chicken under tap water and pat dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan or a shallow casserole. If you have a roasting rack, use it.
Mix the salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Sprinkle about half of the salt and pepper into the cavity of the chicken, coating the inside. Place the parsley and thyme in the cavity.
Tuck the chicken wings under the body of the chicken. Tie the ends of the chicken legs together with kitchen string.
Brush the chicken with about half of the melted butter. Sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper all over the outside of the chicken. Place the chicken in the oven and roast.
After 30 minutes, brush the chicken with the remaining butter. Continue to roast the chicken until it is nicely browned and cooked, about 1 1/2 hours. Check for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thigh joint; the temperature should be 180 degrees.
Remove the chicken from the oven. Insert a large spoon into the cavity and tilt the chicken, allowing the juices to empty into the roasting pan. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Serves 4.
Per serving: 750 calories, 57 g fat, 20 g saturated fat, 255 mg cholesterol, greater than 1500 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 56 g protein
If you want to make a sauce, strain the liquid from the roasting pan into a small saucepan. Allow the liquid to settle for a few minutes, then skim the fat off the top. Alternatively, strain liquid into a gravy strainer, then pour liquid into a saucepan, leaving the fat behind.
Add 1/2 cup white wine to the roasting pan and heat over medium high heat. Scrape brown bits from the roasting pan as the liquid boils. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the liquid into the saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Mix together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water and add to the pan juices to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve alongside chicken.
WHEN IS IT DONE?
It's important to cook a chicken all the way through to prevent any illness due to bacteria. The sure test for a well-done chicken is a temperature reading with an instant-read thermometer: 180 degrees. Take the temperature in the thigh joint, the portion that will take the longest time to cook. Place the thermometer into the thigh meat, avoiding the bone. If you see any pink juices running from the point of insertion, the chicken is not yet cooked.
ROASTED VEGETABLES
Roasted vegetables are an easy and nutritious accompaniment to a roast chicken or other meat entree. And they are very easy to prepare.
Select from a variety of vegetables: beets, parsnips, celery root, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fennel, turnips, carrots, leeks, celery, onions, kabocha, zucchini and eggplant come to mind. Just one or two of a half a dozen of these will do to serve 6. Leftover roasted vegetables are always great for a workday lunch.
Wash and peel each item as needed then cut each into bite-sized chunks. Place the vegetables in a shallow baking pan or casserole. Drizzle all the vegetables generously with good quality olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the vegetables in a 425-degree oven alongside the chicken. They will take about 45 minutes, maybe a little more, to cook and brown nicely. Stir once or twice while they are roasting. Test for doneness by piercing vegetables with a fork; when they're soft but crusty on the outside, the vegetables are ready to enjoy.
SUNDAY DINNER ALL WEEK
After dinner, strip the chicken carcass of all its meat, leaving any breast and leg portions in large pieces. Break the bones and save them in a plastic bag; freeze the bones to use for making chicken stock. Cover and refrigerate the chicken meat and use it in a variety of ways during the week:
Top a Caesar salad with slices of roasted chicken. In fact, roasted chicken can be included in any salad for a lunch or dinner.
Make a chicken sandwich for lunch using sliced breast meat, moistened with some mayonnaise and mustard, topped with fresh greens. Or make a chicken salad sandwich; go to www.shareyourtable.com for a recipe.
Include diced chicken in your favorite macaroni and cheese for a quick weeknight dinner.
Make a quick soup for a weeknight meal. Combine diced carrots, celery and onions with chicken broth and diced chicken; add some hearty greens like kale or chard; throw in a handful of pasta, too.
Make chicken tacos, tostadas or quesadillas. Go to www.shareyourtable.com for a recipe.
For more chicken roasting, leftover ideas and tips, go to www.shareyourtable.com.
