Cooking for Two - Bruce Weinstein [53]
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
teaspoon cayenne pepper
teaspoon ground cloves
Two 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 small white onions, quartered
1 lime, cut into quarters
2 metal skewers, at least 8 inches long (see Note)
1. Whisk the yogurt, chutney, paprika, salt, mustard, turmeric, ginger, pepper, cayenne, and cloves in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in the chicken pieces. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but no more than 2 hours, tossing occasionally to coat the chicken thoroughly.
2. Preheat the broiler. Thread the chicken pieces onto the metal skewers—do not wipe off the marinade but discard the excess in the bowl. Place the chicken skewers on a broiler rack or a lipped baking sheet. Either can be lined with aluminum foil, if you wish, for an easier cleanup. Lay the onion quarters and lime wedges next to the skewers. Broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat source for about 12 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and cooked through, turning everything once. Alternatively, you can grill the skewers for 12 minutes, turning once, on an oiled grill grate set over a grill preheated to medium heat or over medium-heat coals. In this case, skewer the lime wedges and onion quarters on a separate skewer before grilling. To serve, squeeze the broiled lime wedges over the chicken and onions.
NOTE: Metal skewers are available in most kitchenware stores and gourmet markets. If you use wood or bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes before skewering the chicken to prevent scorching. You may then also need to increase the cooking time by 5 minutes.
LEMON GARLIC CORNISH GAME HENS makes 2 roasted game hens
When flattened, these game hens resemble an Italian trattoria classic, chicken under a brick. You’ll need to start a few hours ahead, marinating the hens in the sauce for the best flavor. If you like, your butcher will gladly remove the backbone and flatten the hens for you. Serve this dish with a tossed salad of peaches and spring greens, dressed in a raspberry vinaigrette, or alongside a bed of arugula, dressed with some of the pan juices.
2 medium Cornish game hens (about 1 pound each), giblets removed, the hens rinsed under cold water
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon minced dried rosemary
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
1. To butcher the hens, place them breast side up on a clean, dry work surface. Insert a chef’s knife blade down in one bird through the neck opening (i.e., the larger hole of the bird). The knife’s tip should just touch the other end of the bird. Feel for the backbone below the knife blade, then cut down on one side of the backbone. Lift the blade slightly and cut down on the other side of the backbone, thereby cutting out the bone. Remove the knife from the hen and turn the bird breast side down on your work surface. Slide your hands inside the cavity through the opening where the backbone was; gently but firmly pry the hen open, flattening it with the heels of your hands. The wishbone may snap as you do this—if not, you’ll need to break it as you flatten the bird. Now push the hen open even further, thereby cracking the breastbone so that the bird can lie flat (thinking of it as cracking the spine of a book). Repeat with the second game hen.
2. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a medium roasting pan or baking dish until well combined, but not until emulsified. Place both flattened game hens in this marinade, turning once to coat. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 but no more than 4 hours, turning occasionally.
3. Preheat the broiler with the broiler rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. Remove the hens from the marinade and place them breast side down on the broiler rack. (You can cover the