Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times - Mark Bittman [52]
Fastest Bread Stuffing
MAKES 12 SERVINGS
TIME: 2½ HOURS
6 tablespoons butter
3 chicken livers or an equal amount of turkey liver (about ¼ pound)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 slices good-quality one- or two-day-old white bread, crusts trimmed
1. Chop together (by hand or in a small food processor) the butter, livers, and parsley; season to taste.
2. Spread half of the mixture on 4 of the bread slices; use the remaining bread to make 4 sandwiches. Spread the remaining mixture on the outside of the sandwiches. Cut each of the sandwiches into 6 pieces.
3. Stuff the turkey and roast as described in the preceding recipe.
Sherry Reduction Gravy
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
TIME: 15 MINUTES
1½ cups amontillado or oloroso sherry
3 tablespoons butter (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Remove the giblets and pour off all but a tablespoon of the fat from the turkey’s roasting pan; leave as many of the solids and as much of the dark liquid behind as possible. Put the roasting pan over 2 burners and turn the heat to high.
2. Add the sherry and cook, stirring and scraping all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, until the liquid has reduced by about half, 5 minutes or so.
3. Add 3 cups of water (or stock if you have it) and bring to a boil, stirring all the while. Turn the heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the butter if you like and, when it melts, salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve. Strain before serving if desired.
DEVILED CHICKEN THIGHS
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
TIME: 30 MINUTES
PREPARED MUSTARD IS about as underappreciated as a staple could be. After all, it’s fat-free, low in calories, and high in flavor. Despite these assets, its main role in most households is as a condiment for meat and, perhaps, as an occasional ingredient in vinaigrette. In this chicken dish, however—essentially broiled chicken smeared with a spicy mustard paste—it plays a leading role.
You can make this dish with chicken breasts if you prefer, but I recommend starting with bone-in breasts and following the same procedure. If you want to use skinless, boneless breasts (forget about crispness), smear the meat all over with the mustard mixture, then broil for just about six minutes, turning two or three times to prevent burning.
8 chicken thighs or a mixture of thighs and drumsticks, about 2 pounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup Dijon mustard
⅓ cup minced shallot, onion, or scallion
¼ teaspoon cayenne or Tabasco sauce, or to taste
Minced fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
1. Preheat the broiler to its maximum and set the rack about 4 inches from the heat. Season the chicken on both sides and place it in a pan, skin side up. Broil, watching carefully, until the skin is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the mustard, shallot, and cayenne. (If you have a small food processor, just throw them in there and pulse the machine on and off a few times.)
3. When the chicken has browned, remove it from the oven and turn it. Spread just a teaspoon or so of the mustard mixture on the underside of the chicken and broil for about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken and spread the remaining mixture on the skin side. Broil until the mustard begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
4. At this point the chicken may be done (there will be only the barest trace of pink near the bone, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat will read 160°F). If it is not, turn off the broiler and let the chicken remain in the oven for another 5 minutes or so. Garnish with the parsley if you like and serve.
VARIATIONS
• For extra crunch, combine the mustard and shallot with about 1 cup bread crumbs. Be especially careful in broiling, for the bread crumbs will burn very soon after they brown.
• For extra flavor, combine the mustard and shallot with about ½ cup chopped fresh parsley (or basil, cilantro, dill, or chervil). Proceed as directed.