Recipes: April '06

All original recipes provided here are courtesy and copyright
Chef Liza Connolly and the Lexington Farmers' Market

1 Free Range Chicken*
4 sprigs fresh rosemary*
4 sprigs fresh sage *
4 sprigs thyme *

4 cloves garlic*
2 lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 brick wrapped in tin foil

Remove backbone of chicken. This is easier than you think. Place chicken on cutting board as if it was sitting up. With your knife on one side of backbone cut down to bottom of bird. Repeat on other side. Now flatten out bird. Pop out breast bone (more like cartilage). I remove a few more of the surface rib bones, keeping main bones like thigh intact, producing a juicier bird.

Remove herbs from stems, reserve stems. Chop herbs and garlic together and rub into chicken and under skin. You can make a few little incisions into meat and press herb mixture into pockets for extra flavor. Season with plenty of Kosher salt and pepper. Put chicken, on top of reserved herb stems, in a large cast-iron skillet, if roasting, and drizzle with olive oil.

Squeeze juice of 1 lemon over bird as well. If grilling rub with oil and lemon before placing on hot grill.

To roast, place chicken in 425-degree oven for 45 minutes, skin side down. Place "brick" on top of bird. Weighing it down like this makes the meat juicy and the skin crispy. To check for doneness, prick a leg and watch to see if juices run clear. Squeeze juice of 2nd lemon over chicken before serving. Serve with the following greens and beans.

Versatile Braised Greens

* denotes product usually available at the Lexington Farmers' Market

Any combination of these heart-healthy greens works.
I always make a lot and use leftovers as suggested above.

1 head of Kale*	1/4 cup olive oil
1 head of Collard Greens *	4 cloves garlic, minced*
1 head of Swiss chard*	1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 head of Mustard greens*	Kosher salt, to taste
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth (or water)	1 Tbs. of tomato paste or a diced tomato
Cannelini Beans (optional)

Peel greens off stems; discard stems and wash leaves thoroughly. Tear or chop leaves into smaller pieces. Heat a large-heavy bottomed stewing pot on the stove. Add olive oil and garlic to pan. When garlic starts to sizzle, and you can smell it, add crushed red pepper and greens. Pour in broth and tomato paste. Season with salt. Once broth boils, put a lid on pan and turn down to a simmer. Let cook for 30 minutes. (If you are cooking with sausages, brown sausage meat before adding greens). Once the greens are tender you can add a can of rinsed cannelini beans or tofu. Warm and serve. I like to drizzle more extra virgin olive oil on greens for serving.

NOTE: I toss cannelini beans in at the last minute to serve with Tuscan Chicken. These greens are also great cooked with River Rock Sausages, removed from casing OR with Soya Food's teriyaki and spicy tofu. Leftover greens great on "Bruschetta" (toasted crusty Hi-rise Bread).

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