Split Roasted Chicken with Herbed Butter (pages 184-185)

I almost didn't try this recipe as I am hooked on the walk-away roast chicken (page 181) but I am glad I did.  I bought a 2-pack of whole chicken at Costco for a total of $8 but the chicken tasted like a million dollars! 

Some preparation tips:

• Kitchen shears are the only way to go for removing the backbone  They also work great for cutting the chicken into pieces after it is cooked.
• Use the backbone and the other organs to make the chicken broth for the sauce.  It is far superior to the canned stuff for this recipe. 
• This recipe is easy to double.  Because the chicken is flattened, you can fit two chickens in one oven without a problem.  One batch of sauce is sufficient for two chickens. 

The bottom line:  An easy, impressive and economical way to feed a crowd. 

Sear-Roasted Veal Chops with Capers and Cornichons (pages 223-224)

CAUTION:  Before preparing this recipe, visit these links:
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/
http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/farm/hsus-the-welfare-of-animals-in-the-veal-industry.pdf

If you still want to make this dish after reading the above, Costco often carries veal chops of the desired (1 1/2 to 2 inch) thickness at a great price.  The dish is classic Hamersley--the ease of preparation belies the taste of the end product.  He begins with a simple marinade.  While the chops are marinading, the oven is preheated to 425.  After 30 minutes in the marinade, the chops are seared on the first side on the stove top and then finished in the oven.  After removing from the oven, the chops rest while you prepare the sauce.  The total prep time is about 1 hour from pantry to table.

The bottom line:  If you don't mind supporting the veal industry, this is among Hamersley's best recipes. 

Pureed Beet and Ginger Soup (page 52)

I can't believe it has been more than 6 months since my last posting.  Not coincidently, this corresponds almost exactly with the length of time we've been remodeling our house.

It has been a cold winter so soup sounded particularly appetizing.  Unfortunately, this recipe did nothing for me.  The preparation is straightforward and fairly quick.  Basically you chop, simmer, blend and serve.  The result is a red broth with tiny bits of onion and ginger that don't get fully pureed--not a pleasing texture.  Also, I was expecting something thicker and hardier.  However, my husband--who is a beet lover--drank it out of a mug and said he enjoyed it. 

The bottom line:  If the idea of beet consomme' appeals to you, strain the broth before serving to remove the bits.

Wolfgang's Blue Cheese-Stuffed Burger with a Port and Green Peppercorn Sauce (page 216)

Although attributed to Wolfgang, this recipe is classic Hamersley--a few top quality ingredients, minimal prep and great results.  Hamersley is vague on his description of the meat, specifying only "ground beef."  Since there is no bun to soak up the grease, I used ground sirloin.  I also substituted very low sodium beef broth for the home-made version suggested by Hamersley but left out the salt to compensate.  Skillet cooked for 10 minutes according to Hamersley's directions, these burgers were succulent.  Hamersley suggests a salad on the side but I would opt for pomme frites to soak in the sauce. 
The bottom line:  Who needs a bun when you have this burger!?!

Whole Red Snapper with Shiitake Mushrooms, Water Chestnuts and Sugar Snap Peas (page 168)

I made this recipe in the Spring, when Costco typically offers two whole red snappers to Hamersley's specifications: 1 1/2 pounds each, cleaned and scaled, with heads and tails intact.  Costco also stocks fresh sugar snap peas--another essential ingredient--at this time.  After a trip to the Fresh Market for the other fresh produce (note: I substituted fresh shiitake mushrooms), I was ready to begin.

This recipe is not typical Hamersley.  The ingredient list is two columns long and considerable time is needed for all of the chopping and slicing.  After all that, I didn't love it. 

First, the appearance of whole fish is not aestically pleasing to my eye.  Instead, it makes me feel like a cannibal. Also, the broth is way too salty.  With half the country suffering from high blood pressure, a sauce with 1/4 cup of soy sauce per person seems unwise.  The vegetables and fish (head and tail removed) were just OK. 

The bottom line:  Whole fish creeps me out!  If that is not enough to scare you away, consider the salt content. 

Seared Chicken Livers with Angel Hair Pasta, Peanuts, and Cucumber (page 130)

The only reason I decided to try this recipe was the leftover chicken livers from the chicken liver mousse.  Reading the ingredient list did not make me salivate; it made me want to turn the page.  Angel hair pasta with peanut butter didn't sound the least bit appetizing. However, because I am committed to making all 150 recipes in this cookbook, I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised.  Think "spicy Thai noodles" not Angel Hair Pasta.

If you make this recipe, be sure to follow Hamersley's instruction to "have all the ingredients ready to go and  in front of you before you start cooking; once you turn on the heat, it comes together really fast."  Allow about an hour for the prep and cooking. 

I'm not sure if chicken livers are a Thai ingredient, but both the flavor and texture go well with the bite of the peanut sauce. I didn't love the cucumbers though.  If I made this again, I would use the whole Napa cabbage and leave the cucumbers out.  Also, I am not sure why it is necessary to make twice as much peanut sauce as you need for the pasta.  If you like this recipe, freeze the other half for another go round or use it as a grilling sauce to make a chicken sate. 

The bottom line:  Tasty but a lot of prep for what you get.  If you crave Thai noodles, take-out is faster and just as good.  However, the peanut sauce will become a staple at my house for grilled chicken. 

Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Potato Tart (page 119)

One rainy Sunday in search of ingredients for brunch, I peered into the frig and spotted two leftover baked potatoes.  With Hamersley's help, I was on my way to an inspired meal.

This isn't your eat and run breakfast. Even though I cheated and substituted a Pillsbury All-Ready Pie Crust for Hamersley's Bistro Tart dough and even though the baked potatoes were already cooked, this still took well over an hour to prepare.  My only criticism of the recipe is the usual:  "2 russet potatoes" is too vague although Hamersley does hedge by saying "you may not need to use all of the potatoes."   Unless you are using left over potatoes and don't care about waste, I would suggest using medium potatoes.

The bottom line:  A delicious use of left over baked potatoes.