t. Chicken, Duck, Other poultry

Chicken

Let us start with the Supermarket king!

This most ubiquitous bird is very different in the U.S. than in France. First, it has been bred to offer huge breasts, in keeping with a global cultural tendency. Secondly, it is processed differently after slaughtering and plucking: water-chilling in the US (which can add 10% of the weight in water) vs. dry air-chilling in France. Thirdly, emphasis was put on production costs in order to achieve record low prices on the supermarket shelf. Results are predictable: bland at best, slightly nauseating in most cases.

In the U.S., whether I pick organic or free range, I will use sautéing much more, using the permeation process to enrich the final dish. I either buy several pieces of my favorite cut, or a whole chicken, which I will cut-up into pieces myself, rather than subcontracting this task to a distracted butcher.

In France, I can find “artisanal” chickens, older, better fed and much more active, which translates into bigger animals (up to 7 pounds) that are tougher to chew and more gamey in taste. Roast one of these, serve with golden French fries, and you can rave for days. (1)

Chicken with Garlic and Lemon

This very simple recipe makes for a fresh tasting moist chicken. You just need :

×           Chicken pieces

×           6 or 7 garlic cloves

×           2 lemons

×           ½ glass of white wine

×           Salt and pepper

Salt the chicken pieces and brown them on medium heat.

Transfer them to a bowl.

Deglaze with the wine (or cognac if you do not have wine) on high heat.

Add the unpeeled garlic cloves and the lemons cut in quarters.

Transfer the chicken back into the dish and cook 90% covered on low heat for about 30 minutes.

Check if the chicken is cooked (you can check this by looking at the legs and thighs and observing how much the meat has retracted from the end of the bone).

Mash the cloves and reduce to a thick, almost creamy sauce.

Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

You can make a drier but richer version of this dish (Apply the Pork Chop recipe below, with a shorter cooking time).

Chicken with Verjus (Poulet au Verjus)

This would be the same spirit but with a different acidic ingredient.

The verjus is made from unripe grapes pre-harvested in July to optimize the quality of the final grapes in September. Sharply acidic, it is also uniquely flavorful.

The recipe before could very well apply, although I would tweak it by adding verjus at the end, with minced raw garlic and parsley, which will offer the best aromatic result.

Chicken Basquaise

We have already seen this combination with green beans in the Vegetable section. Beyond your chicken, cut into the usual pieces, you will need:

×           2/3 lb. bell pepper

×           ¼ lb. sweet onion

×           1 lb. ripe tomatoes

×           1 garlic clove

×           1/8 lb. prosciutto or pancetta, sliced and chopped

×           ½ tsp. ground Espelette pepper (2)

×           Parsley

×           Salt, pepper

Brown the chicken pieces for 10 minutes in a pan until golden. Transfer to a bowl.

Chop the bell pepper and the onion.

Sauté them in the pan for 5 minutes.

Transfer the chicken back into the pan.

Add the tomatoes, cut in fourths, the beans, and add a cup or 2 of water.

Cook for 20 minutes on low/medium heat, checking from time to time if the chicken is cooked (you can check this by looking at the legs and thighs and observing how much the meat has retracted from the end of the bone).

When you are satisfied, fish the tomato skins out of the dish.

Salt and pepper to taste. Check that there is some “sauce” left in the pan. If not, add a tiny bit of water.

Add the Espelette pepper.

Throw in the prosciutto and some parsley.

Stir on high heat for 2 minutes and serve.

This can be served with steamed rice. 

 Moroccan Sautéed Chicken with Vegetables (Inspired from Tagine)

Traditional Moroccan tagines are prepared in earthenware covered pots that bear the same name. They combine poultry, meat or fish with a variety of ingredients - fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, herbs and spices. These are braised at low temperature until the broth becomes very concentrated and all ingredients melt. They are served as a stand-alone dish with traditional bread. We have found that our American guests will be reluctant to eat bread but eager to eat couscous: this tweaked recipe offers enough broth left to be served with couscous. (3)

You will need:

×           3-4 lbs. chicken pieces

×           1 sweet onion

×           6 carrots, cut in 1 ½ inch long pieces

×           2 tomatoes (if available)

×           1 turnip, cut in 8 parts

×           2 zucchini, cut in 1 ½ inch long pieces

×           1 bunch cilantro

×           1 or 2 tsp. ras-el-hanout (see Spice section)

×           Salt and pepper

Salt the chicken pieces and brown them for 5 to 10 minutes in olive oil.

Add the onion and carrots and brown them for 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, some water and the ras-el-hanout.

Cook it, covered, for 20 minutes on low heat.

Add the turnip and zucchini and cook again for 20 minutes.

Chop the cilantro and add it to the dish. Salt and pepper to taste.

You can now serve with some steamed couscous.

Variations: add olives, use lamb instead of chicken.

Potatoes or string beans can also be added to that dish.

Moroccan Sautéed Chicken with Prunes and Almonds

This dish transports you to the sweet side of Moroccan cuisine. You will need:

×           3-4 lbs. chicken pieces

×           1 chopped sweet onion

×           1 minced garlic clove

×           4 tbsp. chopped parsley

×           4 tbsp. chopped cilantro

×           ½ tsp. ground ginger

×           1 tsp. ground cinnamon

×           1 pinch saffron powder

×           1 cup roasted blanched almonds

×           ½ lb. prunes

×           Salt and pepper

Salt the chicken pieces and brown them for 5 to 10 minutes in olive oil.

Add the onion slices and brown them for 5 to 10 minutes.

Cover the contents with some water. Add the herbs and the spices.

Cook, covered, for 20 minutes on low/medium heat.

Add the prunes and cook again for 10 minutes, without stirring to preserve the prunes.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Roast the almonds in a separate pan in some olive oil.

Serve.

Variations: use rabbit or lamb instead of chicken. Rabbit meat goes well with any recipe that includes prunes or fruit.

Oriental Chicken Brochettes

This dish was originally designed to extend the “shelf life” of chicken after purchase. It uses the properties of lemon and spices to preserve food more safely. The marinade also alters (improves) the taste of the chicken, which can be a blessing sometimes.

The marinade is made in a bowl from the following ingredients:

×           1 tsp. ginger

×           1 tsp. coriander seeds (ground)

×           1 tsp. paprika

×           1 tsp. chili flakes (optional)

×           1/3 tsp. salt

×           Juice of 1 to 2 lemons

×           2 tbsp. oil

De-bone the chicken and cut it into skewer-sized pieces.

Mix it in the marinade.

Cover with olive oil and a plastic film on top, making sure there are no bubbles and all the air is out.

This will keep very well in the refrigerator for a few days until it is time to make the brochettes and grill them over a barbecue or fry them in a skillet.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Ginger

I do not really have a set recipe for this, other than using fresh ginger, chicken, Asian ingredients, and the stir-fry technique for a quick delicious meal.

For example, you can use the following combination:

×           2 lbs. of chicken pieces

×           1 tbsp. minced ginger

×           ½ lb. sweet onion

×           ½ or 1 lb. snow peas

×           ½ lb. mushrooms, sliced.

×           1 tbsp. minced garlic

×           2 tbsp. minced Vietnamese coriander or Thai basil or lemon grass.

×           1 tsp. chili flakes (optional)

×           Salt and pepper

De-bone the chicken and cut it into skewer-sized pieces. Salt them.

Chop the onion.

Prepare the snow peas by breaking the ends away and eliminating the string which runs through the pod. Chop in 2 or 3.

Pour oil into the wok, on your hottest burner.

Throw in the chicken pieces and brown them for 3 minutes, stir-frying constantly.

Add the snow peas, the mushrooms, and the ginger.

Add the onion after 2 minutes.

Continue stir-frying, add some water if needed to accelerate the cooking process. Vegetables should remain crisp and colorful.

Add the garlic, the herbs of your choice, pepper, possibly the juice of ½ lemon, some soy sauce, and 2 drops of sesame oil.

Serve steaming hot with some rice.

Guinea Hen

This is a smaller, gamey version of chicken which has become harder to find in the U.S.. Try it if you ever find it in the store.

Duck

Most of the ducks you will find in the US have been through a lot, including freezing and defrosting. Nevertheless, this bird has kept its original taste far better than chicken has (it is also more expensive). It goes well with glazed vegetables and fruits. Orange, ginger, anise flavors complement its gamey taste beautifully.

Roasted Duck

This is a nice way to experience duck, just oven-roasted at 450°F for about 1 hour and a half. Check readiness by sticking a skewer in the meat. When no liquid drop comes out of the pierced hole, the duck is cooked. I propose that after about one hour, you empty the dish from its fat into a bowl and add a cup of water before putting it back in the oven. You can put the fat in your refrigerator for future use, with sautéed potatoes, for example.

To make your dining experience more festive, you can stuff the duck with an olive-based stuffing. You will need:

×           ¾ lb ground pork meat

×           3 cups of chopped bread

×           1 egg, beaten

×           1 minced garlic clove

×           ½ cup minced parsley

×           1 ½ cup olives, pitted and grossly chopped (4)

×           Some milk

×           Salt and pepper

Just mix all the ingredients

Add milk until the mix is moist.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Salt the bird’s inside and stuff it. Close the opening with a needle and thread or a bamboo skewer.

Duck Breasts with Green Peppercorns

You can find duck breasts already prepared for you in many markets. They look like steaks and can be prepared the same way, grilled or pan-fried, rare or well done. Each breast can serve two persons. In France, the only breasts you will find are called “magrets” and come from fattened ducks. They are, of course, extremely rich.

You can surprise your guests with a festive dish using a natural harmony between duck meat and green peppercorns. For this easy to prepare feast, you will need:

×           2 duck breasts

×           ½ cup white wine

×           4 tbsp. cognac or brandy

×           4 tbsp. green peppercorns

×           ½ cup whipping cream

×           Salt

Duck breasts come with their skin, which means that from the start, you have to make a decision: will you want to present the breasts with their skin (the traditional way) or not (not as exciting visually but healthier).

If you keep the skin, you will cook the steaks on the skin side first for 8 minutes and use the rendered fat for cooking the other side for 5 minutes. If not, you have to peel off the skin and use butter instead.

Salt and pepper, wrap in aluminum foil or paper, and keep warm in the oven at 200°F.

Empty the pan of its fat and deglaze with cognac and wine.

Crush the green pepper and throw it in the skillet

Add the cream and let it boil and thicken for a minute or two.

Salt if needed.

Serve as a steak, whole or cut in ¼ inch thick slices that you can lay down in strips on a serving dish or in each plate. This could go well with sautéed potatoes or string beans.

Goose

This is a more delicate, larger and much fatter version of duck, possibly too fat for modern times.

Squab

Squab is a young domestic pigeon raised to be sacrificed just when it has reached adult size and is close to flying. It can be found in the US today, and you can use it as an anchor dish for a good meal. Its meat is darker, more delicate and more flavorful than chicken. Its drawback for picky eaters is that it is small, the typical serving being half of the bird. This means that at one point, your guests will need to use their hands and gnaw on bones like true felines.

The easiest and most delicious way to prepare good squab is to just roast it for 30 to 35 minutes in a hot oven. But it can also be partially deboned (requires skill!) and sautéed.

Squab Pastilla

This recipe pays a dazzling homage to this bird, symbol for Moroccans of subtlety and smarts. It is a sort of phyllo pastry filled with salted and sweet ingredients. Almonds, cinnamon, cilantro, ginger, saffron and sugar all contribute. This dish requires too much time and dedication to prepare often, but even the following approximation can enchant you.

You will need:

×           2 nice squabs

×           1 sweet onion (about ½ lb)

×           ¼ tsp. ginger

×           ¾ tbsp. cinnamon

×           1 small pinch saffron

×           1 tbsp. orange blossom water (if available)

×           ½ bunch parsley

×           ½ bunch cilantro

×           4 eggs + 1 egg yolk

×           ½ cup sugar (may be a little less)

×           1 cup blanched almonds

×           ½ lb phyllo dough

Mince the onion.

Start sautéing it in a medium size deep pan with some butter on medium heat.

Cut the squabs in 2 or 4 pieces. Salt them and place them in the pan.

Add ginger, cinnamon, saffron, and cover with 1 cup of water.

Cook for 40 minutes.

Add minced parsley, cilantro, orange blossom water, and 1/3 cup of sugar. (5)

Continue cooking for 10 minutes.

Take the squabs out and debone them. Cut the meat in pieces small enough to be manageable under your fork and knife in the future filling.

Continue reducing the broth for about 15 minutes until it reaches the consistency of a syrup.

Beat 4 eggs and stir them in. You should obtain a moist mix.

Meanwhile, you have roasted the blanched almonds and crushed them.

You should now have 3 bowls in front of you: one with meat, another with the mix, and the last one with almonds.

You are now going to build the pastilla cake.

Brush a small round baking dish with some butter

Cover with one phyllo sheet and brush with some butter.

Place 4 more phyllo sheets on top, each one similarly brushed with butter.

Make sure all the phyllo sheets overlap the pans, because you will later fold them back up over the filling.

Now spread the filling: first the pigeon meat, then the mix, ending up with the almonds and the remaining sugar.

Start folding the pastry, brushing it up with egg yolk.

Cover with one last sheet of dough which will cover nicely the entire construction and brush it with the remaining egg yolk.

Place in the oven and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes until brown or golden.

Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle with some cinnamon and powdered sugar. Serve as is and cut it up at the table into individual portions. I consider this more an appetizer, with a well-defined share for each guest rather than a main dish, for which there would never be enough for seconds.

Rabbit

This meat is now available in the U.S. If you are adventurous enough to try it, please do so. I would advise that you cut it up yourself with a knife, even if takes time, rather than having it chopped up in the store. Your butcher would probably use a cleaver and may inadvertently leave some dangerous bone chips with the meat.

You can find many recipes everywhere. In any case, many of the chicken recipes apply. I would just comment that rabbit can dry out easily and you have to apply extra care to keep it moist.

(1)           Actually, there is a place in Berkeley where such original birds can be found. For a price of course, but it is worth it.

(2)           See Green Beans Basquaise in the Vegetables section.

(3)           Although this would be an aberration for this dish’s original inventors, it works quite well.

(4)           Olives are more flavorful with pits. To remove the pit, crush each olive with the bottom of a glass or a knife blade and the pit will be yours without effort. Just chop your olives coarsely.

(5)           If you do not have orange blossom water, you can replace part of the sugar with orange honey.