Fix, Freeze, Feast - Kati Neville [23]
MEDITERRANEAN ROAST CHICKEN
MAKES 2 ENTRÉES, 4 – 6 SERVINGS EACH
1 TWO-PACK (8–10 POUNDS TOTAL WEIGHT) WHOLE CHICKENS
2 lemons 1 (16-ounce) container pitted Kalamata olives (about 1 cup), drained
4 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
2 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled
1. Zest the rind of both lemons. Cut one lemon into thin slices.
2. Rinse chickens under cool running water. Remove neck and giblets from cavity and discard. Pat chickens dry with paper towels.
3. Place chickens, breast side up, on a work surface. Gently loosen breast skin by working your fingers between skin and meat. Slide lemon slices under breast skin of each chicken. Put one chicken into each 1-gallon bag.
4. Divide the lemon zest evenly over the chickens. Juice the remaining lemon. Remove seeds and divide the juice evenly over the chickens. Into each bag measure ½ cup olives, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
5. Seal and freeze.
TO COOK ONE ENTRÉE
1. Completely thaw one bag of chicken in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
3. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a greased baking dish. Surround chicken with olives, capers, and marinade. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Roast for about 1½ hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 180ºF.
JUICING LEMONS
In his book What Einstein Told His Cook, Robert Wolke recommends first rolling the fruit on the counter and then heating it for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave. Try this method (but be careful, the lemon could get hot!) only if you’re squeezing the fruit by hand. If using an electric juicer or reamer, don’t bother. As Wolke notes, you won’t get any extra juice out of the lemon by using his method, but it will make squeezing out the lemon juice easier.
Many warehouses sell large fresh and frozen chicken potpies. Individuals who are sensitive to salt may appreciate this alternative to store-bought versions. Kids will have fun using a cookie cutter to cut the bread circles. —KN
MINI CHICKEN POTPIE
MAKES 5 – 6 ENTRÉES, 12 MINI POTPIES EACH
1 TWO-PACK (8–10 POUNDS TOTAL WEIGHT) WHOLE CHICKENS
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups sliced carrots (about 5 medium)
½ cup diced onion
cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups chicken juices, reserved from cooked chickens and cooled
3 cups half-and-half (or light cream)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (about 2½ cups)
6 one-quart freezer bags, labeled
ON HAND FOR COOKING EACH ENTRÉE
12 slices of sandwich bread, cut into 3½-inch circles
1. Clean and cook both chickens (see Cooking Methods, page 65).
2. Cool and pull meat from bones. Discard skin and bones. Reserve 3 cups chicken juices. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. (A whole chicken will yield about 1 cup of meat per pound.)
3. Melt butter in a large stockpot. Add carrots and cook, stirring, for 7 minutes. Add onion; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes longer, or until vegetables are soft. Stir in flour, poultry seasoning, and salt. Gradually add reserved chicken juices and half-and-half; stir constantly until sauce thickens. Cool sauce.
4. Add chicken and peas to cooled sauce. Spoon 2½ cups of chicken filling into each 1-quart freezer bag.
5. Seal and freeze.
TO COOK ONE ENTRÉE
1. Completely thaw one bag of filling in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
3. Gently press bread rounds into a greased 12-cup regular muffin tin, so that the bottom and sides are covered. The bread may not go all the way to the top of each form. Toast bread in the oven 8 to 10 minutes, or to desired firmness and color.
4. While bread is toasting, bring the chicken filling to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Do not boil.
5. Remove toasted bread cups from muffin tin. Fill each bread cup with chicken filling and serve.
OTHER FILLINGS
In The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest