Chicken & Other Fowl

Apricot Chicken

Servings: 4-6
Time: about 1 hour
Difficulty: Very easy
Cooks delight. Steps 1 and 2 can be done the day before and kept in the fridge. The rest can be done in 10 minutes allowing for you to entertain without mess or rush. Serve it with crusty French bread or Italian bread sticks for impact.

2 lb Chicken pieces
1 can French onion soup mix
1 clove garlic (sliced)
1 cup celery diced
2 cups fresh Apricot diced
1 1/2 lb Apricot halves
Flour (plain)
Parsley or optional herb (chopped)

1. Boil water. When boiling take off heat and drop in chicken pieces until cooked. Remove, drain and reserve (should be until the chicken is cool to the touch).
2. Lightly stir fry the garlic and celery for about a minute. Add to it the diced apricot and stir for another 30 seconds. Add to this the can of soup and reduce flame to very low.
3. Dust chicken in flour. Heat oil until fairly hot. Fry until it starts to brown (do not worry about it being cooked as this was already taken care of). Place chicken in a casserole dish. Cover with sauce and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Just before the dish is complete, take out and place apricot halves on the top. Replace in oven and turn heat to maximum for 5 minutes.
5. may serve with a sprinkling of chopped parsley or other green herb.

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Apricots & Roasted Chicken in Pasta

Servings: 4
Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Simple
For those evenings when you are late, tired and irritable. Great dish for card games, TV etc. very little washing up as well!

1 package bow-tie noodles
2 chicken fillets (any part), sliced
1/3 cup chopped green onion or spring onions
salt & pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. Butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups fll cream milk
Apricot halves (as many as you like)

1. Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and mix in some butter so that the bow-ties do not stick.
2. Whilst cooking, in a medium saucepan, simmer the milk for about 4 minutes. Add the butter, onion, chicken & apricots; continue simmering 2 minutes.
3. Arrange the pasta as a ring on a plate.
4. Pour the sauce over the pasta, garnish with a spring of a herb or a some sunflower seeds and serve immediately.

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Apricot Stuffed BBQ Chicken

Servings: 6
Time: 20 minutes to prepare, 15 minutes on the BBQ
Difficulty: Simple
Made for Australia and our BBQs. Great with that stubbie and so very healthy.

- for the chicken
4 whole chicken breasts, boned with skin on
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
4 slices of bread (any type – stale bread is very good for this)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
½ + ¼ tsp. fresh or ground ginger
4 fresh apricots – thickly sliced

- for the Glaze
1/2 cup apricot jam
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1. In electric blender place bread and blend until you get course or rough breadcrumbs. Reserve.
2. In same blender add in onion, garlic and ½ ginger, coarsely blend (you want the onion to be finely diced only as in this form it keeps the moisture in and thus will keep the chicken succulent.
3. Combine steps 1 and 2.
4. Place chicken skin side down and pound with a mallet to flatten slightly until the piece is flat.
5. On one half of the chicken breast place a layer of stuffing and a layer of apricots. Wrap the other unlayed chicken breast over the first and tie with string every 2 inches.
6. Mix apricot jam, vinegar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon ginger to make glaze.
7. Barbecue on rack about 5 1/2 inches above medium-hot coals for 15 minutes brushing the glaze continually until cooking is done.
8. Slice each chicken roll into 3 parts at a slanting angle. Serve 2 slices on an opened piece of pita bread with a crisp salad on the side.

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Caribbean Ginger Turkey

Servings: Not applicable
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Not challenging
The ginger sharpness against the sweet-tart apricots makes for a stunning contrast. The marinade can be used in other dishes as well such as for grilled chicken. If you add some chili powder and some white vinegar and blacken the marinated chicken, you can get the Cajon version.

2 lb Turkey breast, skinned
1/2 cup Water
1/4 cup Soy sauce
1/4 cup Brown sugar
1/4 cup Dry sherry
2 tbsp Vegetable oil
2 tbsp Apricot jam
2 tsp Lemon juice
1/2 tsp Ginger
2 Cloveas garlic, chopped

1. Carefully bone turkey breast. Remove fillet from underside of breast by detaching the feather-shaped piece of boneless meat beside the breast bone. Cut remaining breast meat into 3 equal portions.
2. In a mixing bowl combine water, soy sauce, sugar, sherry, oil, apricot jam, lemon juice, ginger and garlic. Mix well to dissolve the sugar.
3. Add turkey and allow to submerge in the marinade.
4. Marinade for at least 4 to 6 hours or preferably overnight.
5. Remove meat from marinade and reserve marinade.
6. Broil or bbq the turkey for 12 to 15 minutes, turning and brushing meat with marinade.
7. take remaining marinade and place in heavy bottomed pan. Reduce to get concentrated sauce.
8. Serve on a bed of rice (if cooked in saffron it would give you wonderful contrasting colours).
Dribble on some of the concentrated sauce on the turkey just before serving and garnish with sliced apricots and sunflower seeds.

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Fruited Turkey Roll

Servings: 4-6 persons
Time: 80 minutes
Difficulty: Moderately fussy
The fruited roll can keep for 48 hours and thus is an easy recipe for parties particularly for a buffet. Its stronger flavours make the dish stand out and thus adds significantly to the complexity of a buffet plate.

1 lb Ground Turkey
1 Egg
1cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Sage
2 tbsp Apricot Preserves
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
8 oz Mushrooms, Sliced
1 Onion, Medium - diced
1 tsp Tarragon
2 tbsp Cheddar Grated
1 can chicken Broth
3/4 cup Apricot nectar
1/4 cup Water
6 Dried Apricot slices
1 tbsp Raisins
2 tbsp Garlic, minced
1 tsp Ginger root, peeled/minced
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp Sweet Vermouth
Fresh ground pepper

1. Mix egg, turkey, breadcrumbs, and next three herbs.
2. Between two sheets of plastic wrap (or waxed paper) roll out the ground meat to appx. 8x12in.
3. Remove top sheet. Mix mustard and preserves (heat if necessary) and spread over one side of meat.
4. In a heayy bottomed pan, saute Mushrooms in some olive oil till lightly brown. Add tarragon during last minute. Layer over 3/4 of meat.
5. Saute onion till tender & place on top of mushrooms.
6. Scatter cheese over 1/2 meat.
7. Roll up jelly roll fashion to make 8" log.
8. Transfer to lightly greased oven proof shallow baking pan with seam down.
9. This can be made ahead to this point and kept covered in the refrigerator for several hours.
10. Bake @ 350 -375 40 minutes.
11. In same pan used to saute onions & mushrooms saute ginger root and garlic over high heat for about 30 seconds to 1 minute - do not brown garlic. Add flour, pepper & instant chicken broth. Cook the roux for1 min stiring constantly. As it thickens, immediately thin by slowly adding in nectar & water.
12. Add vermouth & fruits and cook till fruit plumps and sauce thickens slightly.
13. Transfer meat to serving platter & spoon on fruit sauce.

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Grilled spicy chicken with curried cellophane noodles & crispy apricot-nut won-tons

Servings: 6
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderately difficult
The complexity or flavours means that if you need to make substitutions, within reason, the dish is unlikely to be affected. It is not an easy dish but one of the most impressive Asian-European fusion dishes I have come across.

-for the marinated chicken breasts
3 each Whole chicken breasts, boneless, skin off, cut in half
1/4 cup Red curry paste
3 tbls. Fresh lime juice
2 tbls. Scallions, minced

-for the lemon grass vinaigrette
1 each Shallot, peeled and minced
1 stalk Lemon grass, white core only, minced
1/4 each Red jalapeno pepper (or ordinary not too hot chili), seeds removed, minced/chopped
1/4 cup Rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup Brown rice vinegar
1 cup Peanut or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

- for the romaine salad (may use baby spinach as substitute)
2 each Hearts of romaine
1/2 each English cucumber
2 each Shallots
2 inches Daikon radish (optional)
4 each Red radishes

-for the curry noodle salad
1/2 pkg. Cellophane noodles (ie Chinese or Vietnamese mung bean noodles)
4-1/2 tsp. Curry powder
1-1/2 tsp. Cumin seed
1-1/2 tsp. Coriander seed
1/2 cup Peanut oil
1/2 cup Fresh lime juice
2 tbls. Rice vinegar
1/2 cup Fish sauce (Thai num pla) or soya sauce
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 bu. Scallions, sliced
2 each Red jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, sliced
1/2 bu. Fresh shiso leaves, julienned (may use coriander leaves instead)

-for the apricot-nut wontons
1 Tbl. Butter
3 apricots diced
1/2 cup walnuts, almonds or pistachios (quickly roasted in a pan and light crushed)
Salt and pepper to taste

18 each Wonton wrappers

Preparation
-for the marinated chicken breasts
1. Separate the chicken breasts into six pieces and trim to remove any bones, fat or skin. Combine the curry paste, lime juice and scallions in a bowl and mix well. Toss the chicken breasts well and allow to marinate for at least half an hour.

-for the lemon grass vinaigrette
2. Combine the shallot, lemon grass, red jalapeno pepper, rice wine vinegar and brown rice vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.

- for the romaine salad
3. Chop the hearts of romaine across the leaves into 3/4" pieces. Peel the cucumber, shallots, daikon and red radishes and slice into julienne on a mandolin using the fine blades. Toss together and reserve.

-for the curry noodle salad
4. Soak the cellophane noodles in boiling water for two minutes. Drain and place into a large bowl.
5. Combine the curry powder, cumin seed and coriander seed in a saute pan and toast lightly. Add the oil and simmer for two minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Combine the lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl and mix until sugar is dissolved. Add the scallions red jalapeno and shiso leaves and combine with the noodles. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.

-for the apricot-nut wontons
6. Stir fry the apricots in the butter for about 30 seconds then add the nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill and reserve.
7. Lay the wonton wrappers out on a flat work surface and spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of filling into the center of each wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wrappers and fold over to seal. Bring the two opposing points to meet and press together. Reserve until ready to cook. Deep fry at 350 F. just before serving.

-to complete the dish
8. Grill the chicken breasts over medium-high heat until cooked through. Toss the romaine salad mixture in the lemon grass vinaigrette and place into the center of a large plate (if you do not have a big enough dish can arrange them in several dishes on individual trays) in an oval shape. Create a well in the center and open one end. Place the curried noodle salad into the center of the romaine and let it tail out creating the image of controlled chaos. Slice the chicken at an angle and place one piece half on top of the other just below where the romaine oval breaks. Arrange the deep fried peanut wontons in a tallish small cup (like a Chinese tea cup) and place at other end of dish away from the chicken. Place a second smaller lower dish next to the wonton filled with the Thai chili sauce. Garnish the noodles with finely diced tomato and sweet basil or coriander leaves.

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Roast Turkey With Grand Marnier Apricot Stuffing

Servings: up to 12 pax
Time: 4-5 hours including cooking time
Difficulty: Requires attention
A turkey with a difference. The stuffing is much richer with the apricot providing the tartness against the sweetness of the onion and moisture of the celery. The liver provides the smooth mouth texture whilst the Grand Manier counters the tartness of the apricot with sweetness and, through its ability to tickle the upper palate, makes the liver taste very rich. The bake steam method also tends to ensure that the meat will not be dry even if you are not using butter-ball turkeys. If you have the time, debone the turkey to allow for more of the wonderful stuffing.

Turkey, about 21 pounds
2 oranges, cut in half
1 tsp dried thyme
1 clove garlic
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 x Sticks of butter (at room temp)

- for the Grand Marnier apricot stuffing
1 cup diced fresh apricots
½ cup diced dried apricots
1 1/2 cups Grand Marnier
1 Turkey liver or several pieces of chicken liver
2 x Sticks unsalted butter
4 sticks celery
large yellow or white onion
4 cloves garlic
1 lb bulk pork sausage or forced meats
8 slices of bread
1 cup fresh herbs (sage, oregano, basil etc.)
1 cup slivered almonds
2 eggs
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry.
3. Rub white pepper, salt and garlic over the outside.
4. Squeeze the juice of the oranges all over the turkey and in the neck and body cavities.
5. Leave to marinate whilst you make the stuffing
6. Place in the food processor the onion, garlic and celery. Process until they are coarse cubes (do not blend). Put in a large bowl.
7. Place the bread crumbs and fresh herbs into the food processor and make into coarse breadcrumbs. Place into same large bowl as 6.
8. Place the liver into the food processor with the force meats and butter. Blend quickly. Place into same large bowl as 6.
9. Mix in all the other stuffing ingredients expect for the fresh apricots.
10. When everything is well mixed gently fold in the fresh apricots (you need the apricots to not go mushy as this releases the liquid slowly during cooking to keep the turkey moist.
11. Spoon the stuffing into the turkey’s cavities. Sew up the cavities or close with small trussing skewers.
12. Sprinkle the turkey all over with the dried thyme. You may squeeze a little honey over the top if you want it slightly sweet.
13. Wrap the whole turkey in foil and place in a baking dish. Place some water (about an inch) into the bottom of the dish (this creates a baked steam effect – do not try to bake any other foods in the oven during this time if such foods need a dry oven e.g. roast potatoes).
14. Roast at 300o F for 4 hours.
15. Take out and leave to cool for 15-20 minutes prior to wanting to eat (makes carving much easilier). Prepare all other compliments and when ready to eat increase oven to maximum and open the foil at the top so that the skin will brown.
Can serve on a giant platter surrounded by various roasted vegetables.

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Sticky Chicken

Servings: 4
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Not challenging
Another great easy to pre-prepare dishes that are great for casual entertainment after a long day. Make the sauce the day before and place over the meat (but not cook it) – the marinade will actually make it taste better. You can also pre-cook the rice but remember to refrigerate well or bacteria will breed rapidly. Heat the rice in a microwave when the bake is ready.

8 Half chicken breasts without bone (half)
12 oz Jar apricot preserves
1 can cream of celery soup (condensed)
Milk
1 onion (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (sliced)
vegetable oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 cup diced fruit apricots

1. Cook the rice and reserve.
2. Place chicken in baking dish that fits the breasts without too much overlapping.
3. In a heavy bottomed pan sauté onion and garlic quickly. Before they glaze add vinegar and then allow mixture to reduce slightly.
4. When the mixture as reduced slightly take it off the heat and add the condensed soup and dribble in milk until the whole mixture is thick but easily stir-able.
5. Pour mixture evenly over chicken. Bake in 325 oven for 45 minutes. Check after 35 minutes and add the diced apricot evenly over the top. If the chicken is getting too brown, place foil tent over it.
Serve within a rice ring sprinkled with paprika.

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Turkey Waldorf Salad

Servings: 4
Time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: Not challenging
Stunning lunch dish very suitable for outdoor or ‘natural’ dining.

1/3 cup Apricot preserves
1/2 cup Non-fat yogurt
2 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tbsp Chopped chives, parsley or curry powder
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tsp Lemon zest
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
1 lb Turkey breast tenderloin
1/4 cup Water
1 Red apple with skins, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 Green apple with skins, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 Apricots sliced
2 Celery ribs, cut into 1/4" pieces
1/4 cup Raisins
½ cup of mini croutons

1. Make the salad dressing by combine the preserve, yogurt, lemon juice, chives, mustard, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Reserve in the fridge.
2. Boil water and salt it. When bubbling lower to simmer and add a touch of white vinegar. Gently lower the turkey in. Should be cooked in about 10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
3. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2" cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.
4. Add apples, apricot slices, celery, raisins and croutons. Toss with salad dressing.

Serve on lettuce leaves garnished with chopped chives or black olives