This cookbook rocks!

Denverdave

Denverdave

Resident Ragamuffin
I just bought it this weekend. Lots of extras besides the recipes - good explanations of the ingredients and the techniques. I usually put my own twist of the dishes once I understand them anyway, but this cookbook is a well deserved classic!

If you like Italian - buy the cookbook.

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I have seen this book favorably compared to Julia Child's 'Mastering The Art Of French Cooking' for its in depth look at a single countries cuisine in a manner that an untrained chef can follow. I actually spent a good hour just reading it on Saturday. I hope my family is ready for lots of Italian for the next six months.
 
Last nights dinner consisted of two recipes from the book.

Both went over really well.

The book is 3 for 3 so far.....
 
cfgsteak said:
Awesome...I wish my wife didn't hate Italian food...I swear she is an alien.
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There are a ton of non-pasta recipes in there. Italian goes way beyond pasta and gnocci.

Last nights dinner was baked lemon chicken (stupid easy recipe that tasted fantastic) and cheesy rice. Your wife would love either dish. The chicken was a huge hit with everyone.
 
Denverdave said:
There are a ton of non-pasta recipes in there. Italian goes way beyond pasta and gnocci.

Last nights dinner was baked lemon chicken (stupid easy recipe that tasted fantastic) and cheesy rice. Your wife would love either dish. The chicken was a huge hit with everyone.
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I'm not sure about the cheesy rice (although I am drooling). The chicken is sounds intriguing however.

Pasta is not the issue generally...my wife hates cheese. My life is difficult.
 
cfgsteak said:
I'm not sure about the cheesy rice (although I am drooling). The chicken is sounds intriguing however.

Pasta is not the issue generally...my wife hates cheese. My life is difficult.
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Tell ya what.....here is the chicken recipe gratis. It is stupid easy.

Ingredients...

1 - 3.5 - 4 Lb whole chicken
2 small lemons
salt
pepper

1. Rinse out the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Allow the chicken to dry off inside and out. Remove any neck/gizzards from the inside.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and fresh ground pepper all over the outside and the Inside cavity. Gently rub into the skin with your hands.

4. Wash the lemons in cold water and dry them with a towel. Soften each lemon by placing it on a counter and rolling it back and forth as you put firm downward pressure on it with the palm of your hand. Puncture the lemons in at least 20 places each, using a sturdy round toothpick, a trussing needle, a sharp-pointed fork, or similar implement.


5. Stuff both lemons into the cavity of the chicken (might be a tight fit) then close the skin flaps over the cavity and the lemons with a few toothpicks.


6. Cook the chicken breast side DOWN in a roasting pan for 30 minutes. No need to add any oil or fat over the chicken.

7. After 30 min flip the chicken without breaking the skin to breast side up. Cook for another 30 minutes. Then turn the heat up to 400 degrees and cook (no flipping though) for another 20 - 25 minutes (I did 22 minutes with a 3.4 Lb bird) .

Take it out and eat. That is it....


The chicken may puff up during the last cooking time. Mine didn't but the recipe said it might and that is OK. The chicken was great.
 
Denverdave, I used your lemon chicken recipe as a jumping off place for my Crock Pot chicken second try. I prepared a lemon as you described and stuffed it inside the chicken. I seasoned it with lemon pepper mix and froze it overnight (after first spraying it all over with olive oil). The next morning I laid slices of onion on the bottom of the crock pot and pressed some garlic over the chicken which went over the onion slices, and sprinkled in some rosemary. The result was a much less "heavy" tasting chicken when I came home from work.
 
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