CHICKEN TARRAGON
I grow my own tarragon along with a lot of other spices and herbs. But fresh tarragon, now that is a plant that keeps going and going and going. Kinda like that bunny you know. But fresh tarragon, there's nothing like it. This is an easy outstanding French recipe that will knock your socks off.

Serves 2 to 4
1- 3 pound fresh chicken
1 bunch of tarragon FRESH
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 TBS butter
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
and yes, salt and white pepper

Cut the chicken up in four portions and season with that salt and white pepper. Set aside 2 sprigs of tarragon and place the remainder in the white wine and pepper and simmer gently for about 8 minutes. Melt the butter in a shallow frying pan and brown the chicken over a low heat till browned and golden. Just a bit crispy. Turn it a few times. Cook for about 40 minutes sprinkling from time to time with a little of the tarragon wine. Wait until it has evaporated each time before adding more wine. When the chicken is cooked, remove and keep warm. Pour the cream into the pan juices and using a whisk beat that cream and turn that heat up pretty high, but not high enough to scorch anything. Do this for about 2 minutes and the sauce should be gold in color. Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the rest of the tarragon and serve.


CHICKEN WITH MANDARIN ORANGES AND ALMONDS

Serves 6
2 ounces seedless raisins
2 ounces Madeira
2 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. White pepper
1 large chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, cut into serving pieces
5 TBS oil
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup hot beef broth
1 TBS cornstarch
1 TBS soy sauce
1/2-tsp. good powdered ginger
1/2 cup heavy cream, lightly beaten
1 TBS butter
2 TBS sliced almonds

Cover the raisins with the Madeira and soak. Mix paprika and pepper and rub the chicken pieces good Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over med-high heat and fry the chicken on all sides till browned. Drain the oranges and save the juice. Pour 1/2 cup orange juice over the chicken and add the garlic. Pour in the beef broth; cover and simmer 30 minutes. Drain the raisins; add to the chicken and cook another 5 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and arrange on a pre-heated platter and keep warm. Blend the cornstarch with a small amount of cold water and add to the sauce. Stirring constantly till thick and starting to boil. Season with the soy sauce and ginger. Add the oranges and cream and heat through but not to a boil. Heat the butter in a small skillet and add the sliced almonds and cook till golden brown. Pour over the chicken and top with the almonds and serve.


Roasted Garlic Chicken

HAVING AN INFORMAL DINNER PARTY~~~~AND WANT TO KEEP IT SIMPLE, FUN, AND DELICIOUS, THEN THIS IS IT. First and foremost to making this a successful dinner, make sure everyone loves garlic! I said LOVES garlic, if they just tolerate garlic, and sorta like it, this will change their way of thinking of garlic. But keep in mind, they have to eat garlic. If they eat garlic, we will have them hooked.

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4 to 6
1 large roasting chicken
4 large heads of garlic (at least)
3/4 pound UNSALTED butter (I use the whole pound)
2 - 4 loafs of French bread
PRE HEAT YOUR OVEN TO 450

First, wash that chicken good. The only time consuming thing to this whole dinner is getting the garlic separated and ready for the roast. You do not want any of those flaky white skins anywhere in this dinner, so, start working on that while the chicken is draining. Pat the chicken dry and put it in a deep roasting pan with about 2 inches of extra room around the chicken. Now add your garlic all around the chicken outside of it. You will want to put about 10 cloves inside the chicken, but don't try to eat those when you serve it, they are never fully cooked. Cut your butter up into pieces and put it inside the chicken and on top and oh EVERYWHERE. Once the oven is good and hot, throw that chicken in and let it cook for about 15 minutes at 450, then turn it down to 300 degrees and let it slow cook for a few hours (depending on how large a chicken you got) Now all you do from now on is baste that chicken with the butter and juices about every 15 to 20 minutes. Now heat that bread up and let me tell you how I like to do this. I make mashed potatoes and corn on the cob and then I serve wine with it. I take the chicken in pot and place it in the middle of the table and let the guest's just tear off the bread to dip in the juices and butter and squeeze out the garlic on the bread and there you have it. Oh, the potatoes can have the butter from the chicken drizzled over it and the corn on the cob can also be dipped into the juices. You will like this and its fun and easy



CHICKEN VERONIQUE

This dish needs to marinade over night.

Serves 2 to 4
1- 3½ pound chicken
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup flour
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound seedless white grapes
Salt and pepper

MARINADE

1 Tbs. Oil
1 cup grape juice
1/2 cup sweet white wine
1 sprig of thyme
freshly ground white pepper

The day before place the chicken, cut up into pieces ( you know, you can go and buy a chicken already cut up). Sprinkle the chicken with the grape juice and the oil and the wine. Add the thyme and pepper and leave covered overnight. The following day, drain the chicken and lightly brown them in about 6 Tbs. Butter. Strain the marinade through a conical sieve and pour over the chicken. Season, cover and cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes. Drain the chicken again and flambe' in a different pan with the brandy. Transfer to a serving dish and keep warm in the oven. Add the flamed brandy to the marinade stock. Prepare the sauce. Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour to make the roux. Add the marinade stock and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and mix in the cream and the grapes. Heat though for about another 2 minutes stirring, without allowing to boil. Pour over the chicken and serve.




CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN WINGS

5 lb. will serve about 4
First of all, get you oil really hot, but not to where it is smoking. You have to let the oil stay hot for at least 10 to 15 minutes before you add the wings. Do this in a deep pan and do not fill the oil past half way, or your going to have some problems with it coming over the edge. Fry those wings for at least 20 minutes each batch to get them really crispy.
Now, for a nice HOT SAUCE to coat the wings in.

12 oz. Jar of chili sauce
2 tsp. Garlic powder ( I use 3 tsp. At least of roasted garlic paste) YUM!!!!!!
1 tsp. Lime juice
1/2 C BBQ sauce of your choice (I like spicy honey BBQ sauce)
1 TSP. Sharp paprika
1tsp. Cayenne pepper
2 tsp. Onion powder
2 tsp. Chili powder
And of course a good HOT sauce, Tabasco, or something with more flavor and is hotter!

Make this up a few hours before you fry the wings and let it sit. This is a pretty mild sauce, I think, but now that you have the ingredients, you can play with it to your taste.


CHICKEN SANTERAY

A simple easy dish that feeds 4. Anybody can make this.
3 pounds frying chicken cut up
Salt and pepper
4 TBS. Butter
2 TBS. Minced onions
1 cup red burgundy wine
1 cup chicken broth
Chopped chives

Heat the butter in a large skillet and season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Fry the chicken till good and brown and ready to eat. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep covered and warm while you finish the dish. Add 2 TBS. Butter tot he skillet and brown the butter, DO NOT BURN IT ! Now add the onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and the broth and cook just too a boil and scrap the pan getting all the good stuff. Cook until you have about 1 cup liquid left and remove it from the heat. Stir in 1 TBS. Butter and when that is mixed good and melted, pour it over the chicken and sprinkle with the chives and serve.


CHICKEN MARENGO

If you have never had chicken Marengo, you're going to love this, and if you have, then your going to spit at what you have had. This is pretty easy and will serve between 4 and 8 people. Depending on large of chickens you get.

2 - 3 pound chickens, skinned and quartered
1/4 cup veg.oil
1 large or 2 onions, thinly sliced
3 TBS. Brandy
2- 1 pounds can Italian tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 to 4 cloves garlic pressed
1/2 tsp. Dried thyme
2 bay leafs
4 sprigs fresh parsley
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Fresh ground black pepper
1 cup small bay shrimp, rinsed well
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms sliced
1/4 cup butter, half a cube
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS. Fresh minced parsley

Pour oil in a large heavy skillet and place over medium heat until hot. Add the onions and sauté, stirring a lot till golden. With a slotted spoon, remove the onions, and keep to the side. Add the chicken to the hot oil and brown on all sides. Heat the brandy in a small pan and pour over the chicken then ignite the brandy and shake the skillet till the flame dies down. Puree the tomatoes and add to the skillet. Add the wine, garlic, thyme, bay leaf's parsley, chicken stock, tomatoes, salt and pepper and the sautéed onions. Cover and simmer 1 hour till chicken is tender. Now remove the chicken from the sauce and keep it warm. Add the shrimp to sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Sauté the mushrooms in another pan till tender and stir in the lemon juice and then add it to the sauce and heat through. Arrange the chicken on a heated platter, pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley and serve.


CHICKEN IN RED WINE

Serves 4
1 3-4 pound chicken quartered into serving pieces
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cognac
2 medium onions
2 cloves garlic
3 cups Burgundy wine
1/4 tsp. Thyme
1/2 TBS. Tomato paste
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
3 pieces of good bacon, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 4 oz. Can button mushrooms, drained, or 1 cup small fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 TBS. Soft butter
1 TBS. Flour
2 slices good white bread
2 TBS. Oil
1 TBS. Butter
2 sprigs parsley

Brown the chicken in hot oil in a large dutch oven. Drain the fat. Pour in the cognac and heat, then ignite. Once the flame is gone, add onions, garlic, wine, thyme, tomato paste, bay leaf's and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1 hour. Discard the bay leaf's. Put bacon in a frypan and fry till done (you know how you like it). Take the bacon out and saute the mushrooms. Keep both the mushrooms and bacon warm. Blend 1 TBS. Butter with the flour and make into a smooth paste, now add this to the chicken liquid and stir and simmer for a few minutes. Trim the edges of the bread and cut into triangles or something cute and fry in the oil until crisp. Arrange the chicken in the casserole or other serving dish and cover with the sauce. Garnish with the bacon and mushrooms and fried bread and serve.


CIRACASSIAN CHICKEN

Serves 4
1 chicken 4 pounds, cut into pieces
5 onions
3 cloves
3 stalks of celery, chopped
Parsley
1 bay leaf
8 black peppercorns
2 cups shelled walnuts
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 TBS. Butter
2 or 3 or more garlic, crushed
2 TBS. Paprika
3 TBS. Oil
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Put the chicken in a deep pan and just cover it with water. Add 3 onions, each one stuck with a clove, celery, herbs, pepper, and your salt. Bring to a boil and simmer about 1 hour. Take chicken out of broth and keep it warm. Don't throw away the broth. Grind walnut finely in a blender or processor and mix in the breadcrumbs. Melt the butter and cook 2 chopped onions and garlic till golden and soft. Add to the walnut mixture and mix till smooth then cook till just boils and add more stock if sauce become too thick. Season with salt and pepper. Mix oil and cayenne together and when oil is red, strain it. Add enough oil to walnut sauce to make it a light pink. Put a layer of the sauce in the bottom of a serving dish and lay chicken pieces on top. Spoon remaining sauce over chicken and re heat. Sprinkle the red sauce over the top and serve.


CHICKEN & ROCK LOBSTER KABOBS

With summer being here, everyone like to BBQ. So, lets do this one a bit different and very tasty. If you have gone threw any of my recipes you will know that I do nothing like others. This is one of those. Shall we start!

6 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, halved
6 (4 oz. Each) rock lobster tails
1 small navel orange, cut into 6 wedges
Salt and Pepper (why, I have no clue)
1 cup peach preserves
1/3 cup chopped chutney
1 TBS. Soy sauce
1 TBS. Wine vinegar

Cut each chicken breast into 4 pieces. Now cut the lobster tails crosswise into 4 pieces. Spear the chicken, lobster, orange wedges, chicken, lobster, orange wedges, chicken, lobster, orange wedge, got the picture? Fill 6 servings, that means 6 different skewers. Add the remaining ingredients in a bowl and stir it good. Place kabobs about 6 inches from the hot coals and grill for 5 minutes, turn and grill for 2 minutes. Serve the kabobs garnished with chopped scallions and pineapple slices grilled over the coals on foil after brushing with the sauce.. Spoon the sauce over the kabobs or serve on the side and eat.


CHICKEN AND CLAMS VALENCIA

This dish serves 4 and an easy one to fix. It calls for wild rice, and this should be cooked about half way or more before you make this dish. Another thought, this is also good made with oysters, RAW! In a jar! With oyster juice! If you go with the oyster, make sure when you buy them, they are as fresh as possible! Oh and one more thing, going with oysters means you have to cook them in the rice a bit longer! That is unless you like RAW oysters with cooked chicken! Not me!

Serves 4
3 or 4 pound chicken cut up
Vegetable oil
4-TBS. butter
1 green or red bell pepper diced
1 med. To large white onion chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed and minced
2 large bay leaves
1/4 tsp. Saffron
1/4-cup dry white wine plus 1 Tbls
3/4 cup white rice
1/2 cup half cooked wild rice
1~11 1/2 oz. Jar clams in juice
Salt and white pepper

Wash the chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Heat 1/4 inch of the oil and when it has heated, add some butter, about 1-teaspoon and let that melt and get good and hot. Now brown the chicken on all sides and set it aside. In a large heavy pot with a good tight lid, melt the 4 TBS of butter and add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and bay leaves. Sauté for about 6 to 7 minutes till onion is just about cooked. Now add the chicken to the onion and stuff and add the wine and sprinkle the saffron on top. Drain the juice from the clams and add enough water to make it equal of 2 cups of liquid, 2 1/2 is better if you like your rice moist. Oh, pour that into the chicken. Salt it to taste and cover and let cook on medium low heat for about 30 minutes. Now add the rice and stir it well into the liquid and cover and cook over very low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how long it takes to fully cook the rice. Once the rice is done, add the clams and heat to make sure they are warmed. Now spoon the rice on a serving platter and put the chicken on top and eat.


CHICKEN TARRAGON IN BURGUNDY

This serves 4. I like this dish with rice or noodles. But if you really want to go all out, serve it with garlic potatoes and sour cream. WOW. This is a very simple dish to make.

Serves 4
3 pound chicken cut into pieces
1 cup red Burgundy wine
1/2 cup stout chicken broth
1/4 cup really fine minced red onion
2 Tbs. Tomato past
3 cloves garlic, fine minced
4 sprigs fresh tarragon

Soak the chicken in the wine for at least one hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Take chicken out of wine and place skin side up in a shallow baking pan or casserole. DO NOT use a deep-dish pan or the chicken will not brown. Salt and pepper the chicken. Add al the rest of the ingredients to the wine and mix well. Pour over the chicken and bake for 1 hour and baste about every 10 minutes. If the chicken browns too fast, put foil over it while baking. Serve on rice, noodles or potatoes.





Page last updated Oct. 27, 2007

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