Dayrecipe Food Community

I came across this amusing recipe in an old South African cookbook and could not resist the name. Not only are two kinds of white wine plus some brandy called for, but the drier wine that is used for a marinade is thrown away, testimony to the abundance of wine in the fertile Cape province. The chicken roasts surprisingly fast in less than an hour, turning to an even, glowing brown — indeed, my only caution is to avoid letting it color too much. The pearl barley, prune, and apricot pilaf is an appetizing brown, too, studded with the rich colors of the fruit. If you want to work ahead, the pilaf keeps well for several days in the refrigerator, but the chicken is best freshly roasted just before it is served.

Wine for Cooking South Africa’s recent political renaissance has prompted the reappearance of its wines in American markets at very attractive prices. For the marinade, any dry white will do but, for authenticity’s sake, it would be fun to start with a South African wine, perhaps a Cape riesling. For the sauce, a luscious sweet white is needed and a muscat from the Constantia or Robertson district would be ideal.

Wine to Drink Sticking to the South African theme at the table, I would suggest a sauvignon blanc or a chardonnay from Stellenbosch, one with sufficient fruit to match the muscat in the sauce and the prunes and apricots in the pearl barley.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• a 4- to 5-pound (about 2 kg) roasting chicken
• salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons (60 g/2 oz) butter
• 1 cup (250 ml/8 fl oz) sweet white wine
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup (250 ml/8 fl oz) chicken stockfor the marinade
• 2 cups (500 ml/16 fl oz) dry white wine
• 1/4 cup (60 g/2 oz) brandy
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 onion, grated
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 to 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 to 3 sprigs marjoram or parsleyfor the pilaf
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup (200 g/6 1/2 oz) pearl barley
• 2 cups (500 ml/16 fl oz) chicken stock, more if needed
• 1/4 cup (60 g/2 oz) slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup (60 g/2 oz) pitted prunes, chopped
• 1/4 cup (60 g/2 oz) dried apricots, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped marjoram or parsley

DIRECTIONS 1. Wipe the chicken inside and out with paper towels. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large heavy-duty plastic bag set over a bowl. Add the chicken and seal the bag with as little air as possible, leaving it in the bowl. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for a day, turning it from time to time; the bag ensures that all of the chicken is kept moist with marinade.

2. To roast the chicken, heat the oven to 425°F (220°C/Gas 7). Take the chicken from the marinade, pat it dry with paper towels, and sprinkle it inside and out with salt and pepper. Discard the marinade. Truss the chicken, set it on its back in a roasting pan; cut the butter in slices and set them on the breast. Roast the chicken, basting often, until it sizzles and starts tobrown, about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken onto one leg and continue roasting for another 15 minutes, basting often. Turn the bird onto the other leg and roast for 15 more minutes. And finally, turn it onto its back to finish cooking, allowing 50 minutes to 1 hour total cooking time. To test, lift the bird with a two-pronged fork and pour juice from the cavity; it should run clear, not pink.

3. Meanwhile cook the pearl barley: melt the butter in a heavy pan, add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it is soft but not brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the barley and sauté 2 to 3 minutes until the grains look transparent. Add the stock with salt and pepper, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, 30 to 40 minutes. Taste, and if the barley is not tender, add more stock and continue simmering.

4. Toast the almonds: Spread them on a baking sheet and brown them in the oven with the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully that they don’t burn. Let them cool. When the barley is cooked, sprinkle the prunes, apricots, and almonds on top and leave, covered, to keep warm. The barley pilaf can be stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days and reheated on top of the stove just before serving.

5. When the chicken is done, transfer it to a platter and cover it with foil to keep warm. Discard fat from the pan, leaving behind the cooking juices. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the sweet white wine and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve the juices. Add the stock and simmer again until the gravy is slightly thickened and reduced by half. Strain it into a saucepan, reheat it, taste, and adjust the seasoning.

6. If necessary, reheat the barley pilaf. Add the marjoram or parsley; stir to mix all the ingredients and taste for seasoning. Discard trussing strings from the chicken and spoon the barley pilaf around it. Moisten it with a little gravy and serve the rest separately.

Quick fix: Cut the chicken into 6 to 8 pieces, or use ready-prepared breasts or thighs (my recommendation). Marinate them for 1 to 2 hours. Drain and pat the pieces dry on paper towels, then coat them in seasoned flour. Melt the butter in a sauté pan or skillet and fry the chicken pieces until well browned on all sides. Cover the pan and roast in a 350°F (175°C/Gas 4) oven until the chicken pieces are very tender when pierced with a two-pronged fork, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer them to a platter and keep warm. Discard excess fat from the pan and make the gravy as directed.

Chinese chestnuts are quite common in the cuisine of northern China; they also appear in the food of Shanghai. These sweet meats, which are smaller than their European cousins, are used in many braised dishes and casseroles.

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Makes 4 servings (as part of a Chinese meal).

INGREDIENTS

• 3tablespoons coarsely crushed yellow rock sugar (sometimes labeled “yellow rock candy”)
• 3tablespoons chinese rice wine (preferably shaoxing) or medium-dry sherry
• 2tablespoons dark mushroom soy sauce
• 1/2tablespoon oyster sauce
• 2cups water
• 2 1/4lb whole chicken legs (including thighs; about 2 large)
• 2tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1(1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 1large garlic clove, smashed
• 16frozen shelled and blanched chestnuts (3 oz), thawed
• 1teaspoon asian sesame oil
• 2tablespoons chopped scallion

DIRECTIONS Stir together sugar, wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and water in a medium bowl, then set aside.

Cut chicken through bones into 1-inch pieces with a cleaver. Add chicken to a 4-quart pot of boiling water and simmer briskly, uncovered, 5 minutes. Drain chicken in a colander and when cool enough to handle remove any skin, excess fat, and tiny bone shards.

Heat vegetable oil in a wok over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then stir-fry ginger and garlic until golden, 1 to 2 minutes, and transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add half of chicken to wok and stir-fry until golden, about 2 minutes, then transfer to plate with ginger and garlic. Stir-fry remaining chicken with chestnuts until golden, about 2 minutes. Return chicken, ginger, and garlic from plate to wok, then add soy mixture. Cover wok and cook chicken over moderate heat until sauce is reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Remove lid and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened and just coats chicken, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil. Serve sprinkled with scallion.

While this recipe isn’t terribly difficult, it is labor-intensive. We recommend you break it up into a couple of steps: Make the filling, then enlist a friend or two to help you do the rolling the following day.

Makes 150 hors d’oeuvres.

INGREDIENTS

Cardamom is a spice not commonly used in the United States. A member of the ginger family, this warm, sweet spice is traditionally found in Indian cooking, flavoring a wide variety of curries, rice dishes, and Indian-style desserts.

It is best to purchase the pod and grind the seeds yourself; once ground, cardamom begins to lose its essential oils. You can also crush the pods lightly, then add them hearty stews and lentil or other bean soups. The outer pods will dissolve, but the little black seeds within will pleasantly spice the mix.

[This mix in used in the recipe for Carrot Cardamom Soup.]

Makes about 1/4 cup.

INGREDIENTS

Aromatic spice and herb blends can quickly turn an ordinary soup recipe into
something extraordinary. Here they transform a basic carrot soup into a
special concoction you’ll crave again and again. So start utilizing the “cook
once, eat twice” theory; just freeze half of the recipe or make a double
batch whenever possible.

Serves 4 to 6 as a main bowl.

INGREDIENTS