Synopses & Reviews
Chicken Fricassee with Dumplings
A tough oId bird or stewing hen traditionally used for fricassee or soup is getting harder and harder to find, but a good butcher might help you out. If you are lucky enough to be able to obtain one from a local farmer, the cooking time should be increased by about 45 minutes. This is a wonderful old-fashioned dish that almost nobody makes anymore. It's so filling and full of rich goodness, and it makes the house smell like Grandma is in the kitchen. A perfect meal for a chilly fall family dinner. Unfortunately, we never have any leftovers.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
One 6-pound stewing hen, cut into serving pieces, or 6 pounds chicken parts, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 cup diced onion
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 large carrot, sliced
3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Pinch of saffron threads
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening or lard or 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 large egg, beaten
Approximately 1 cup milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water, optional
Instructions
Place the chicken pieces in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot and add the onion, celery, carrot, parsley, thyme, and saffron threads. Pour in the chicken broth and wine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cold water to cover by about 1 inch, place over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat to a simmer, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender. Remove from the heat.Using a slottedspoon, lift the chicken pieces from the cooking liquid and place them on a large platter. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve back into the Dutch oven, discarding all of the solids. Bring to a boil over high heat.Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt to taste in a medium bowl. Cut in the shortening to make a crumbly mixture. Stir in the egg and just enough milk to make a soft dough.Drop the dumpling dough into the bubbling cooking broth by the heaping tablespoonful (use a wet tablespoon to keep the dough from sticking). Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes without removing the cover. Remove from the heat.Meanwhile, carefully remove and discard the skin and bones from the hot chicken, keeping the meat in pieces that are as large as possible. Place the meat in the center of the platter and tent loosely with the foil to keep warm.Using a slotted spoon, carefully lift the dumplings from the broth and place them around the chicken on the platter. Generously cover the chicken and dumplings with the cooking broth, which should be as thick as a gravy. (if the broth is not thick enough to serve as gravy, whisk in the optional cornstarch mixture over medium heat until thickened.) Pass the remaining gravy at the table.Pineapple Upside-down CakeWhen winter has set in and the supermarket bins are laden with rock-hard, tasteless fruit and even the apples and pears are no longer appealing -- it is time to pull out that can of pineapple that's been sitting on the shelf for just such a moment. Upside-down cakes are easy, last-minute desserts for weekdays and weekends. They are bestmade in a cast-iron skillet, but a 9-inch round or square cake pan will also do the trick.
Makes one 9-inch cake
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
7 canned pineapple slices (one 20-ounce can), well drained
7 candied, dried, or maraschino cherries, optional
1/2 cup walnut or pecan halves
3 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F.Melt the butter in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet (or a 9-inch round or square cake pan) over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar and stir until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is well combined. Remove from the heat and quickly arrange the pineapple rings in a neat pattern in the pan. Place a cherry in the center of each ring, if desired, and scatter the nuts over any empty spaces. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.Beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and lemon colored. Beat in the vanilla. Sift the flour and baking powder together and alternately add to the egg mixture with 1/2 cup water, beating until very well blended.Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form, then fold the beaten whites into the batter. Pour the batter over the pineapple in the prepared pan.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto a cake plate and gently tap the cake out. (It should release easily with the pineapplepattern in place.)Serve hot or warm, with whipped cream or vanilla yogurt, ice cream, or frozen yogurt, if desired.
Synopsis
What does Aureole's award-winning chef whip up for his family and friends when he has to do all the shopping and cooking just like the rest of us? Food that's easy, delicious, and casual.
Charlie Palmer shows how to make comfort foods that are comfortable, but with a new level of taste and sophistication. Sunday supper suddenly becomes sensational. And those quick mid-week meals are still quick to prepare; they just don't taste that way. Corn chowder is heartier, more intense. Traditional tuna melts become untraditional with fresh tuna, tapenade, and Fontina. That childhood favorite, Waldorf salad becomes a modern classic with apple cider, walnut oil, and a pinch of curry powder.
Baked Lemon Chicken with a pile of garlic bread, a bowl of cheesy orzo or rice and a big salad of romaine will become a Saturday night favorite, just as it is in Charlie's house. Turn Sunday's leftover Perfect Roast Chicken into Monday's Chicken Noodle Soup or Aioli Chicken Salad.
When company comes calling and you're looking for something a bit more sophisticated, try Charlie's Whole Roasted Salmon with New Potatoes and Leeks and Baked Wild Mushroom Salad or Lamb Shanks with Tomatoes, Lentils and Olives. Or, if you want to treat company just like family, feed them Charlie's Mom's Barbecued Chicken, Perfect Pot Roast or a heaping platter of Linguini with Eggplant Ragu.
And what about desserts? Charlie has something to bring out the kid in everyone. Try his Brownie-Ice Cream Sandwiches or Apple Pizza with Cider Sorbet. His Pumpkin Custard is so easy and versatile, it can be baked family-style in one large dish or in individual souffle cups when company is expected. Serve the custard with a plate of Ginger Cookies.
So what does one of New York's most celebrated chefs cook for his family and friends? Exactly what you can cook for yours with Charlie Palmer's Casual Cooking.
About the Author
Charlie Palmer is the chef-owner of Aureole, Alva, Lenox Room, Metrazur, and Astra in New York City and Aureole Las Vegas (in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino) and Charlie Palmer Steak (in the Four Seasons Hotel) in Las Vegas. He has been awarded the 1998 James Beard Award for the "Whos Who of Food & Beverage in America," the 1997 James Beard "Best Chef" in New York, and the 1996 Restaurants & Institutions "Ivy" Award. Charlie lives in New York City with his wife, Lisa, and four sons.
Judith Choate is an award-winning writer, chef, and pioneer in the promotion of American food. A member of Womens Chefs and Restaurateurs, she is the author of sixteen cookbooks and the co-author of a great many more.