Food Recipes

Tuscan-Style Peppered Chicken

• 2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, halved, backbones removed, excess fat trimmed
• 8 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• Coarse salt
• Lemon wedges

1. Rub each chicken half all over with 2 tablespoons oil, then 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Sprinkle generously with salt. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
2. Preheat broiler. Arrange chicken, skin side down, on broiler pan. Watching closely to avoid burning, broil chicken 5 to 6 inches from heat source until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove broiler pan from oven. Using tongs, transfer chicken to plate. Pour off any pan drippings. Return chicken, skin side up, to broiler pan. Broil until skin is crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over, skin side down again, and broil until cooked through, about 8 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to platter; let stand 5 minutes.
3. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over chicken.
   Serves 6 to 8.

Colcannon
An Irish side dish

• 1 medium cabbage, quartered and core removed
• 2 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and sliced, skins left on
• 2 medium leeks, thoroughly washed, sliced
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon mace
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 8 tablespoons butter

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and boil the cabbage until tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain off the water and chop the cabbage. Set aside.
2. Bring another pot of water to a boil and boil the potatoes until tender. Drain off the water and set aside.
3. Put the leeks in a saucepan, cover with the milk, bring close to boiling and then turn down to a simmer until tender. Set aside.
4. Add the mace, salt and pepper, and garlic to the pot with the potatoes and mash well with a hand masher. Now add the leeks and their milk and mix in with the potatoes, taking care not to break down the leeks too much. Add a little more milk if necessary to make it smooth. Now mash in the cabbage the butter. The texture that you want to achieve is smooth, buttery potato with interesting pieces of leek and cabbage well distributed in it.
5. Transfer the whole mixture to an ovenproof dish, make a pattern on the surface and place under the broiler to brown.
   Serves 6.