Adapted from The New Jewish Table by Ellen Kassoff Gray and Todd Gray

From Ellen: Growing up in Washington, my family had a housekeeper named Annie Barley, who made the best-fried chicken. She would batter and dip it in crushed up cornflake crumbs—you know, the ones that came in the box with the big red rooster on it? She used an iron skillet with four inches of oil in it. Whenever I came home from school and that chicken was frying, I knew it was going to be a great dinner.

Ingredients

Canola oil for frying
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups egg wash*
4 cups cornflake cereal, crushed
9 chicken thighs
9 chicken drum sticks

Directions

Fry the chicken. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour 3 inches of oil into a deep skillet or heavy saucepan (fill a skillet no more than halfway) and heat over medium heat to 300°F (measure on a candy thermometer). Mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Place the egg wash and cereal each in shallow dishes. Working in batches, dip each chicken piece in the flour, shaking off the excess, then in the egg wash, and finally in the cereal, pressing the crumbs with your hands to adhere to all sides; add the chicken to the skillet and fry until the crust is nice and crispy on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.

Complete the cooking. The chicken will be done when the juices run clear where the meat is pierced with a skewer; if the frying hasn't completely cooked it, transfer the pieces to a baking dish and complete the cooking in the oven. (If the chicken is done after the frying step, lower the oven temperature to 225°F and keep the first batch of chicken warm while you cook the remainder.)

Serves 6

Notes

From the Chef's Appendix:
An egg wash is an "eggy" liquid - a mix of whole eggs and water used to adhere crumb coatings to food that is to be fried. For 1 cup, mix 2 large eggs with 6 tablespoons cool water, whisking until combined.

Recipe: Kosher, poultry

Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman

From Deb: "This dish is a win-win for me, and if I don't dawdle, I can get it on the table in only an hour."

Ingredients

One 3 to 3 1/2 lb. whole chicken
Table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 Lbs. fingerling or baby potatoes
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lemon
1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves to finish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Using a sharp pair of kitchen shears, spatchcock* the chicken by removing the backbone of the chicken and discard or freeze for stock. Flatten out the chicken and sprinkle both sides liberally with salt and pepper. Lay the chicken breast-side-up in a roasting pan (I adore my 12" cast iron skillet for this), and pat the breast skin dry with a paper towel. Season again with more salt and pepper. Nestle the potatoes around the chicken, and drizzle them lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast the chicken for 30-45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees. Toss the potatoes after about 20 minutes so that they cook evenly.
When the chicken has finished cooking transfer potatoes to large serving platter. Cut the legs, thighs, breasts and wings from the spatchcocked chicken and arrange them with the potatoes on the platter. Squeeze juice of entire lemon over the chicken and sprinkle with the thyme. Serve hot.

Notes

*Flattening the chicken by cutting out the backbone is known as spatchcocking.  See "How to Spatchcock a Chicken".

Recipe: Kosher, Chicken

Adapted from Helen Nash's New Kosher Cuisine by Helen Nash

This is an Asian-inspired dish that I like to serve as either a main course at a dinner party or one of several other dishes on a buffet table. It is beautiful to look at.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
12 large spinach leaves
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Filling:
1/2 cup raw sushi rice
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Orange Sauce:
1  1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
3 to 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1  1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1  1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1  1/2 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

To make the filling: Place the sushi rice and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Season with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cool.

To make the sauce: Bring all the sauce ingredients to a boil in a small enamel-lined saucepan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the rolls: Lightly salt and pepper each chicken breast on both sides and place it on a piece of cling wrap. Remove the stems from the spinach leaves and flatten the leaves so they will roll easier. Line each breast with 3 spinach leaves and one-fourth of the filling.

Starting with the narrowest end, roll the breast up (not too tight!) until it looks like a log. (I use the cling wrap to facilitate the rolling.) When the breast is rolled and completely enclosed in the cling wrap, twist the sides and close them with a metal tie. Refrigerate if not using right away.

To cook the rolls: Bring the chicken rolls back to room temperature, if necessary. Place them in the basket of a bamboo steamer. Set the basket over a large pot or wok, whose bottom third has been filled with water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Cover and steam over high heat for 9 to 10 minutes, turning the rolls once. Cook until the chicken has turned pale pink inside. Turn off the heat and let rest, covered, for 1 minute.

To serve: Remove one of the ties, and, holding the other end, slip each roll out onto a plate, Pour off the accumulated juices. Cut each roll on the diagonal into 3 pieces. Place the pieces on a dinner plate or serving dish. Reheat the sauce and spoon the hot sauce over the pieces.

Notes:

Yield: Serves 4

Recipes: Poultry,  Chicken Breast, Asian, Kosher

KosherEye.com

Adapted from How To Cook Indian by Sanjeev Kapoor

Butter chicken is a popular Punjabi dish, and one that characterizes the essence of the region's cooking. The greatness of the dish, also called chicken makhni, comes from the immersion of roasted chicken in a curry that is as smooth as butter. The velvety texture, and the mingling of the sour and the sweet and the spices, is what gives the dish its name.

KosherEye has adapted this famous Indian dish to use nondairy ingredients. This is a spicy dish and the "heat" can be adapted to suit your tastes.

Ingredients:

14 ounces boneless chicken cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon red chile powder
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the marinade:
1/2 cup nondairy yogurt
2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste*
2 teaspoons fresh garlic paste**
1/2 teaspoon red chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

For roasting:
2 tablespoons unsalted nondairy margarine, melted

For the sauce:
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves***
2 tablespoons unsalted nondairy margarine
4 cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1 teaspoon red chile powder
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, chopped
12 medium tomatoes, roughly chipped
1 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon nondairy heavy cream substitute such as coconut milk or MimicCreme.

Directions:

Prick the chicken pieces all over with a fork. Put them in a large bowl and add the chile powder, lemon juice, and salt, and stir well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Make the Marinade: Put the nondairy yogurt in a large bowl. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, chile powder, garam masala, salt, and oil, and stir well with a wooden spoon.

Add the chicken to the above marinade and stir well to coat. Cove the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to marinate for 3 to 4 hours.

Roast the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Soak wooden skewers in water. Thread the chicken pieces onto the wooden skewers, arrange them on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until almost cooked through. Baste the chicken pieces with the melted margarine and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove the chicken from the skewers onto a plate and set aside.

Make the sauce: Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the dried fenugreek leaves and toss for 2 minutes to make it crisp. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool, then crush it with your hand to a powder. Set aside.

Place a nonstick saucepan over low heat and add 1 tablespoon of the margarine. When it melts, add the cardamom and mace, and cook until fragrant.

Stir the chili powder and 1 tablespoon water together to make a smooth paste. Add it to the pan and stir. Add the garlic, ginger, and tomatoes, and stir well. Cook for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes become pulpy.

Pour the mixture through a strainer into a bowl. Transfer the solid to a food processor and process until smooth. Strain into the bowl and discard any remaining solids in the strainer.

Place another nonstick saucepan over low heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon margarine. When it is melted, add the strained mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Add the dried crushed fenugreek leaves and cook for 5 minutes. Add the salt, honey, and cream substitute, and stir well. Cool for 2 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 3 minutes.

Serve hot.

Notes:

Yield: Serves 4

*Ginger Paste: 7 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped. Put the giner in a food processor. Add 3 tablespoons water and process to a smooth paste. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Make 6 tablespoons.

**Garlic Paste: 25 cloves garlic, peeled: Place garlic in a food processor and add 1/2 cup water; process to a smooth paste. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Make 6 tablespoons.

*** you can substitute a pinch of ground fenugreek seeds for a similar flavor.

Recipes: Poultry, Chicken, Indian Style, Curry,  Kosher

                                                    Photo: svrkitchen.com

by June Hersh, The Kosher Carnivore

The gamy flavor of the duck pairs perfectly with the sweet taste of the figs and apricots to create a sinfully simple and delicious dish. You could actually forgo the sauce and spoon some of the collected fat over the sliced breasts and be very happy, but why stop at very happy when you can be full out delirious.

Ingredients:

10 dried Mission figs, stems removed
10 dried Turkish apricots
2 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons Madeira wine, or dry sherry
Several sprigs of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
4 (1/2  to  3/4  pound) duck breasts

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine the figs, apricots and stock. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 15 minutes.  Remove the fruit from the sauce with a slotted spoon, chop into small pieces, and reserve.  To the pot of stock, add the Madeira, thyme and rosemary.  Cook, uncovered, over low heat for about 10 minutes.

While the sauce cooks, prepare the duck breasts by patting the meat dry and then scoring the fat in a cross-hatch pattern, being careful not to pierce the meat.  Sprinkle the duck with kosher salt and pepper and let them rest, on a paper towel to be sure they are nice and dry.

Heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet on the stove, and lay the breasts, skin side down in the pan. Cook over medium heat, until the skin is nicely browned, about 5 to 7  minutes.  Using a turkey baster or large spoon, remove the excess duck fat as it collects. Reserve the fat.  Turn the breasts over and cook for 5 minutes on the second side. Turn them once more skin side down and cook for just a couple of minutes to crisp up the skin. For rare, you can remove the breasts and cover loosely with foil, let them rest for at least 5 minutes.  For medium, continue to cook the breasts for an additional 5 minutes. Alternatively, you could pop the pan in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

While the breasts rest, strain the sauce to remove the rosemary and thyme.  Create a slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water, stir back into the pan, heat and repeat if necessary. Add the reserved fruit and heat through.  Slice the breasts, and spoon the sauce over the meat.

Notes:

Yield: 4 servings

Behind the Counter Have your butcher prepare the duck breasts, with the bone removed, but skin on. Alternate cuts frenched chicken breasts (-$)

Properly scoring and getting a good sear on the skin side of the duck breasts is the key to a well prepared duck breast.

Recipes: Poultry, Duck, Kosher

by Sarah Lasry, KosherStreet.com

This is a healthy recipe – using ground turkey instead of ground meat – that uses one of my favorite cooking tools...the slow cooker. Add the ingredients, set the temperature, and let it simmer all day. The house will smell fabulous and you will have a great meal to serve to your family.

Ingredients:

For the tomato sauce:
1 large onion, chopped roughly
1  cup canned diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar (or 1 pack splenda)
1 teaspoon cumin

For the Turkey Meatballs
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs (or I sometimes use cooked brown rice for a healthier option)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspooon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon rind (or dried lemon peel)

1 lb cooked spaghetti

 Fresh sage leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl add all the ingredients for the tomato sauce – mix well and pour half of it into the slow cooker.

In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients for the turkey meatballs. Mix well and shape your meatballs and place them into the slow cooker.

Pour the rest of the tomato sauce over the meatballs. Cover and cook on med–high for 3 1/2  to 4 hours.

Serve over the cooked spaghetti, garnish with fresh sage.

Notes:

Recipes: Poultry, Ground Turkey, Spaghetti, Kosher

by Sarah Lasry, KosherStreet.com

What could be easier? Chicken and potatoes seasoned with a combination of spices, and either baked or slow cooked. The secret ingredient is the apple juice!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 package of chicken bottoms and legs or one medium roaster chicken
Spices you will need about 1 – 2 teaspoons of each (mix them in a bowl):
     Kosher salt
     Black pepper
     Ground ginger
     Parsley
     Rosemary
     Garlic powder
     Dried mustard
     Fennel seeds (optional)
2 tbsp fresh lemon zest
1 large white onion, julienne (I love the onions so I usually add one more onion to this recipe)
6 cloves fresh garlic
1 small bag of baby russet potatoes (you can keep them whole or cut into halves or quarters depending on how small)
1 1/2 – 2 cups Apple Juice

Directions:

Pre–heat oven to 400F

Add to the bottom of a Dutch oven or chicken roaster pan the olive oil.

Lay all your pieces of chicken in the bottom of your pan. Sprinkle over the tops of your chicken the entire spice mixture  – distributing the spices evenly over the chicken tops. Then add your sliced onions & garlic. Add the potatoes to your pot and place them on top of the onions. Sprinkle a little more kosher salt and pepper over everything. Pour in the Apple juice and bake the chicken covered in oven for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Check midway that your liquid has not evaporated totally – and adjust accordingly by adding more juice. Then uncover and cook for another 1/2 hour. Remove and serve hot.

For Slow Cooker: Only use about 1 cup of Apple Juice for your slow cooker. Set it at high for 6 hours.

Notes:

Recipes: Poultry, Chicken, Potatoes, Kosher

by Rabbi Zalman and Rebbetzin Miriam Lipskier,
Director and program director respectively of the Emory University Chabad Center.

This “rub” is great on just about anything! We keep a large jar of it and use it for just about everything. In summer, this chicken is good grilled.

Ingredients:

1 chicken cut into 8 pieces
Olive oil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Mix spices together,

Brush chicken with oil, rub spices into skin

Place in pan and bake at 350 for1 1/2 hours.

Notes:

Yield: 4 servings or more, depending on the weight of the chicken

Recipes: Poultry, Chicken, Spices, Kosher

by Susie Fishbein, Kosher by Design Cooking Coach

This recipe is a perfect example of how your spice cabinet can be your ticket around the culinary world. Enjoy this tender, exotic, delicious dish with a side of couscous.

Ingredients:

12 dried apricots
10 dried pitted dates
1 red onion, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup pitted, sliced Spanish olives, without pimento
1 tablespoon olive oil    
1/2  teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 whole (3-4 pound) chicken, legs tied
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss  the apricots, dates, onion, olives, and oil into a 9 x 13-inche pan or casserole dish, mounding tin the center of the pan.

In a small bowl mix the coriander, turmeric, salt, cumin, ginger, pepper, and cinnamon. Rub all over the chicken.

Place the chicken in the pan, breast-side-up, on the fruit mound. Tuck as much of the fruit under the chicken as possible. Pour the white wine and broth around the chicken in the pan. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Baste with pan juices and bake for an additional 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Notes:

Yield: 4-6 servings

(Playbook symbol)

Playbook: Tonight's Moroccan Chicken can be tomorrow's Moroccan Couscous!
Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add 3 chopped shallots and sauté for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives. Toss in any of the leftover chicken, chopped into pieces, as well as any of the vegetables from the chicken. Add 3 cups chicken stock and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring the stock to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 cups couscous. Cover the pan and let sit for 10 minutes. fluff with a fork. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon each fresh chopped mint and fresh chopped cilantro. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 cup orange juice, and pinch of cayenne. Mix well.

Recipes: Poultry, Chicken, Kosher

by Esther Deutsch, CHIC Made Simple

When I prepared this dish at home, I asked my then two-year-old daughter if she wanted fire poppers. "No," she replied seriously, "It's dangerous." we all shared a laugh and then got on to the serious business of eating. By the end of the meal, I realized that these chicken poppers are indeed dangerous - once you start, it's hard to stop.

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 pound chicken cutlets, cut into bite-size (1 1/2-inch) pieces*
Cornflake crumbs
Oil for frying

Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup hot sauce (I use Frank's)

Sliced chives, to garnish (option)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl , beat the eggs with the garlic powder and onion powder. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg mixture, then coat with cornflake crumbs.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Fry the coated chicken pieces in the oil on both sides until golden and crispy. Let drain on paper towels for a few minutes, then transfer the chicken to a baking pan.

In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients. Pour the sauce over the fried chicken. Bake the chicken, covered, for 20 minutes (do not over-bake). Spoon the sauce from the bottom of the pan over the chicken, garnish with the chives, if desired, and serve warm.

Notes:

Yield: serve 4-6

When preparing these poppers, use chicken cutlets that are not thinned so there's a substation bite.

Recipes: Poultry, Chicken, Kosher