For many years Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey wrote a New York Times column called the “60-Minute Gourmet.” Neophyte cooks clipped the columns like mad, because the recipes were really easy and tasty.
Many of them called for chicken and had no more then three or four steps.
“The New York Times Chicken Cookbook,” a superb collection of recipes, will recall favorites for some, and make the remaining chicken-lovers very happy. All of the recipes have appeared on the Times’ pages over the years, so you can release those yellowed clippings as soon as you find them replicated in this new book’s pages.
Look for such golden oldies as Pierre Franey’s deviled chicken legs (which can also be made with thighs alone). Gardeners can give the recipe for chicken with end-of-season tomatoes to neighbors, along with the surplus. Or, as the football season swings into gear, hosts might consider serving up a platter of batter-fried chicken fingers.
Make room for this volume on your cookbook shelf. It’s a book you’ll refer to again and again. Best of all, most of the recipes still have no more than than three or four steps.
– Ellen Sweets
Chicken with End-of-Season Tomatoes
Brining enriches and intensifies flavor. For a successful dish, use only very ripe tomatoes. From “The New York Times Chicken Cookbook,” serves 4.
Ingredients
4 teaspoons sea salt, divided use
1 4-pound chicken, cut into 6 pieces
3/4 cup flour, for dusting
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 sprigs thyme
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup fino sherry (a pale, very dry Spanish sherry, such as Tio Pepe)
3 very ripe tomatoes (from a farmstand, if possible), coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon aged sherry wine vinegar
Directions
In the morning, pour 3 teaspoons salt into a bowl large enough to fit chicken. Add a cup of tepid water and dissolve salt. Add chicken pieces, then cover with water. Refrigerate 8 to 12 hours, until ready to cook
Preheat oven to 375.
Remove chicken from water and pat it dry. Place flour and about 1 teaspoon salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Add chicken pieces, two at a time, and shake lightly to coat them. Vigorously shake off excess flour and repeat with remaining chicken
Place a deep, ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter. When foam subsides, add chicken pieces, skin-side down. Brown well, adjusting heat as needed, then turn and cook for 3 minutes. Add thyme sprigs and transfer pan to oven. Roast chicken, basting every few minutes.
When chicken is cooked, about 20-30 minutes, transfer it to a platter and keep warm. Return pan to stovetop, over medium heat. Add shallot and saute 1 minute. Pour in a sherry and boil, scraping up any pan drippings. Reduce until pan is almost dry, then add tomatoes and increase heat to high. Cook until tomatoes have broken down and juices have condensed, about 10 minutes. Sauce should be pulpy, not drippy. Taste and adjust seasoning, sprinkle with vinegar, then spoon sauce over chicken.
Deviled Chicken Legs
A mild heat emanates from these chicken legs, which are coated with a mixture of mustard and chicken broth, then with shallots, garlic bread crumbs and parsley. From “The New York Times Chicken Cookbook,” serves 4.
Ingredients
4 chicken legs with thighs attached
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons fresh or canned chicken broth
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
4 tablespoons fresh fine bread crumbs
4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425.
Sprinkle the chicken legs with salt and pepper.
In a baking dish large enough to hold the legs in one layer, melt the butter, and add the olive oil. Add the chicken legs, and turn them in the butter mixture until well coated. Place the legs, skin-side down, in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, blend the mustard and chicken broth in a small bowl with a whisk. In another small bowl, blend well the shallots, garlic and bread crumbs, plus 2 tablespoons parsley. Set aside.
Loosen the chicken from the pan with a fork or spatula. Then with a pastry brush, brush the chicken on both sides with the mustard mixture. Arrange the legs skin-side up, return them to the oven, and bake for 10 minutes more.
Sprinkle the chicken evenly with the shallot mixture. Reduce the heat to 400, and bake for 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Serve immediately.
Batter-fried Chicken Fingers
The success of deep frying depends on the temperature of the oil and on the batter. A good fritter batter is one of the simplest things to make and its uses are countless. This batter-fried chicken is delectable when served with lemon wedges and a simple fresh-tasting tomato sauce of your choice. From “The New York Times Chicken Cookbook,” serves 4.
Ingredients
2 large, whole, skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 1 1/4 pounds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup peanut, vegetable or corn oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Fritter Batter (see recipe, page 141)
Oil for deep frying
Lemon wedges for garnish
Tomato sauce
Directions
Place the chicken breasts on a flat surface. Split each whole breast in half. Slice the meat on the bias into about 18 pieces.
Put chicken pieces in a bowl and add the salt and pepper, oil, lemon juice and parsley. Let stand for 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade, one piece at a time, and add them to a small bowl that contains the fritter batter. Manipulate the pieces in the batter so they are well coated.
Heat the oil for deep frying and, when it is quite hot, or 365, add batter-coated chicken pieces, one at a time. Do not crowd them in the oil. Cook, turning the pieces occasionally, for about 2 minutes, or until each piece starts to float. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Add the remaining chicken pieces to the oil and cook until done. When drained, sprinkle with salt to taste. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with tomato sauce.
Fritter Batter (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons peanut, vegetable or corn oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup water
Sift flour into a mixing bowl. Add oil and salt. Add eggs and stir with a wire whisk. Gradually whick in water.
