Recipes From the Root Cellar_ 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables - Andrea Chesman [119]
4 cups water
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup Chinese rice wine or sake
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
6 garlic cloves
6 thin slices fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick or tangerine peel
4–5 pounds chicken, in parts or whole
4–6 turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Asian sesame oil
Hot cooked rice, for serving
1 Combine the water, soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, five-spice powder, garlic, ginger, and cinnamon stick in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
2 While the liquid simmers, remove any fat from and rinse the chicken. Transfer the chicken to the red cooking liquid (breast-side down if using a whole chicken) and simmer for about 1 hour.
3 Add the turnips. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally.
4 Turn off the heat and let the chicken and vegetables cool in the liquid for 15 minutes.
5 Remove the chicken and vegetables from the cooking liquid and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
6 Cut the chicken into small pieces, cutting through the bone. Arrange in a single layer, skin-side up, on a baking sheet. Scatter the turnips among the chicken pieces. Brush the chicken with sesame oil and drizzle the vegetables with a little more oil. Place in the hot oven for 10 minutes to crisp the chicken skin.
7 Meanwhile, skim the fat from the cooking liquid, strain out the solids, and return the liquid to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil.
8 To serve, place the chicken and vegetables on a platter and spoon a little cooking liquid over them. Pour the rest of the cooking liquid into a pitcher. Spoon the rice into individual bowls, passing the chicken, vegetables, and cooking liquid at the table.
Kitchen Note: If you prefer, you can omit the turnips and serve the chicken with a stir-fry of vegetables. In that case, the cooking liquid can be strained, frozen, and reused, with additional water and fresh spices added as needed.
Sunshine Turkey
Serves 4
Orange marmalade creates sunny flavors in a delicious dish that combines turkey breast cutlets with a nutrient-rich blend of orange-colored vegetables. This is a great dish for a busy weekend night if you use a food processor to grate the veggies.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 turkey breast cutlets (about 1 pound)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups peeled and shredded mixed carrots, golden beets, and/or winter squashes
1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
½ cup chicken broth (page 127)
½ cup orange marmalade
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1 Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper on each side, add to the skillet, and pan-fry until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the cutlets from the pan and keep warm.
2 Add the shredded vegetables and leek to the skillet and sauté until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
3 Stir in the chicken broth, orange marmalade, and wine. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
4 Serve the turkey cutlets with the vegetables mounded on top and the pan juices poured over all.
Kitchen Note: If you happen to have any leftovers, they make excellent sandwiches — just slap the turkey and some of the veggies in a hard roll and enjoy!
Only in dreams are carrots as big as bears.
— Yiddish proverb
Braised Turkey Breast with Winter Vegetables
Serves 6
White meat tends to dry out when roasted on a whole bird, but cooking it separately ensures that it will be moist and perfect. This easy dish can be the centerpiece of a holiday meal.
1 bone-in turkey breast (5–6 pounds)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken broth (page 127)
½ cup white wine
2 teaspoons mixed dried herbs
1 bay leaf
Paprika
6 cups peeled and diced mixed root vegetables (beets, carrots, celery root, parsnips,