More Chicken....

And so, after a long discussion last week about having your chicken and eating it too, its time to dispense with the promises and start with the recipes. As of last week, you should have four roasted chicken looking for a simple meal to prepare around them.

To begin, you need to carve up two of the chickens after letting them rest at room temperature for 10 minutes and these will be served on a bed of leeks in a white wine braise, adding in a tossed salad. This will serve four people.

Store the remaining two chickens in the refrigerator and use for the chicken udon soup and finally for a warm chicken salad with a bacon vinaigrette.


Melted Leeks with a White wine Braise

 

Yield: 4 cups

 

8 large leeks (about 3 to 4 pounds)

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed.

 

1)     Preheat the oven  to 350 F. cut off and discard the tough green tops of the leeks. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse well to remove grit. Cut the leeks on the diagonal into ½ inch slices, transfer to a 13 by 9 inch baking sheet and toss with the salt and pepper. Drizzle with the wine, dot with the butter and cover the dish tightly with foil.

2)     Place the leeks in the oven and bake until very tender, about 60 to 70 minutes. Serve the leeks with the roasted chickens.

 

 

Chicken Udon Soup with Sea Weed and Spinach Leaves

 

Serves 4

 

1 ounce dried seaweed (available at Japanese and Chinese grocery stores)

1 roasted chicken

1 – 8 ounce package of udon noodles

½ cup miso (available at Japanese and Chinese grocery stores.

3 cups shredded fresh spinach leaves

1 cup green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

 

1)     In a small bowl, cover the seaweek with cold water by 2 inches and let soak until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the water and reserve the seaweed.

2)     Remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Shred the chicken meat with your hands and set aside.

3)     Cook the noodles according to direction. Rinse under cold water until cool and set aside.

4)     In a medium saucepan over a high heat whisk together the miso and 8 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil and set aside.

5)     Divide the chicken, noodles, seaweed, spinach and green onions among four large bowls. Return the miso to a boil and pour an equal amount into each bowl using a fork to stir the ingredients around each bowl. Drizzle ½ teaspoon of sesame oil into each bowl and serve immediately.

 

 

Warm Chicken and Frisee Salad with a Bacon Vinaigrette

 

½ cup raisins

½ pound sliced bacon

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 roasted chicken

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large heads of frisee lettuce (or a salad mix with some bitter greens), cored and trimmed.

 

1)     Preheat the oven to 350 f. Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with 1 cup of boiling water. Set aside to soak for 20 minutes. Drain the raisins and transfer them to a large bowl.

2)     Spread the bacon on baking sheets and bake until crisp, about 20 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels and pour ¼ cup bacon fat into a small bowl; discard the remaining fat. Add the garlic to the hot fat and whisk in the mustard and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

3)     Remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Tear the meat into small pieces and add it to the large bowl with the raisins. In a large saute pan over a high heat, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil. Add half of the frisee and cook, tossing, until wilted, about 30 seconds. Seaon with salt and pepper and add to the chicken and raisins. Repeat with the remaining teaspoon of oil and remaining lettuce. Add the vinaigrette and toss well.

4)     Crumble the bacon into the salad and season with salt and pepper to taste.

5)     Serve with crusty bread and cheese.

 

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