Crispy herb-flecked skin? Check. Tender juicy meat? Check. Rich full-bodied gravy? It's got that, too. Our foolproof take on the classic Sunday supper is so good — and so easy — you might be tempted to make it on weeknights.
Fool them once with a savoury crumble that looks just like apple. Fool them twice because there are parsnips and turnips in this dish – but the flavours are really mellow, so the kids won't complain. Serve with teacups of warm Beef Tea, otherwise known as beef broth.
Tinola, a favourite on Filipino dinner tables, is made in many variations. The most traditional vegetables used in this soup are green (unripe) papaya or chayote squash, but other green squashes and melons are used, too. Zucchini makes a fine substitute; just make sure to take out the seeds and soft core. The soup is traditionally finished with herbal leaves, such as those of the native malunggay tree, or with chili leaves, the small tender leaves of hot pepper plants, which are tasty but not hot; watercress lends a similar flavour. Use a free-range chicken; if you buy the poultry at an Asian market, you get the head and feet, too, which add lots of extra flavour to the broth.
Flattening (a.k.a. spatchcocking) a whole chicken makes it easier to carve and helps it cook quickly and evenly throughout. Once you become comfortable with this method, customize the recipe by switching up the herbs and seasoning.
The menu at Locanda Sandi, the Polegatos' country inn, offers this specialty of the town of Valdobbiadene. A variety of meats – chicken, duck, rabbit, pork and veal – cook on a spit over hot coals for five hours. This home version is slow-roasted in the oven to achieve the same melt-in-the-mouth quality. Don't be tempted to use lean cuts of meat – the fat keeps the spiedi succulent.
South American cuisine is famous for its grilled meat and herbaceous sauces. Here, a spicy buttermilk chimichurri marinade ensures that the chicken is moist and flavourful, while piquant onion slaw tempers the richness of the dish. To up the slaw's heat, replace the sweet red pepper with a thinly sliced jalapeño pepper.
As the winter darkness spills into day, the kitchen brightens with cold-weather favourites. But lest you think this means fiddling with pastry, read on for a pie with a new twist — an ever-so-easy scrunched-up phyllo topping. Chicken Pot Pie has never been more delicious.
Heat Rating: Medium The Chinese spice trio of star anise, cloves and cinnamon, along with Indian black mustard seeds and fragrant cardamom pods, spike this delicious curry. Serve it with lots of white rice to soak up the sauce. It is always nice to serve a spicy curry with sliced cucumber and refreshing, tart fruit, such as half-ripe mango (choose a firm one), starfruit or apple.
There's no single recipe for chicken pie, or kotapita, in Greece. Instead, this flaky pie is make with ingredients on hand, which often include a firm sheep's milk cheese, such as Kefaloteri or Kefalograviera. This mixture of Romano and feta cheeses has a similar flavour. Enjoy these individual turnovers with rice and salad.
Thighs work well in this new main-course take on a popular appetizer because they stay moist during cooking. Serve with Coriander Chutney.
