Eye for a Recipe

This recipe from Half Baked Harvest is a savoury and hearty one skillet meal. Cook ground chicken with spices and jalapeno, stir in enchilada sauce and rice and cook until the rice is tender. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and lime juice and top with cheese and tortilla chips. Bake until the cheese has melted and top with avocado, cilantro and yogurt or sour cream. Cooks’ note: I wasn’t able to find additive-free enchilada sauce, so I made my own; the recipe is below.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Imagine Organic broth and La Costena chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. No Name tomato sauce and tomato paste are additive free. Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used President’s Choice Kettle-Style tortilla chips, No Name pizza mozzarella cheese and No Name sour cream.

Cook chicken, onion and spices

Add enchilada sauce and rice

When rice is cooked, top with tortilla chips and cheese

Bake until cheese has melted

Ingredients:

Enchilada sauce

1 to 1 ½ cups (250 to 375 ml) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

1 ½ to 2 ½ tablespoons (22.5 to 37.5 ml) canned chipotle adobo sauce, divided

One  443-ml (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1/3 cup (83 ml) tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) mild chili powder

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon (5 ml) cumin

1 teaspoon (5 ml) oregano

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) onion granules (not powdered)

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Chicken tortilla enchilada bake

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 pound (454 g) ground chicken, beef, or turkey

1 yellow onion, chopped

1-2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped, use to your taste

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

2 teaspoons (10 ml) smoked paprika

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin

1 teaspoon (5 ml) kosher salt

2 ½ cups (625 ml) red enchilada sauce

1 chipotle chili in adobo, chopped (optional)

1 cup (250 ml) dry long grain rice

½ cup (125 ml) fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving

juice of 1 lime

2 cups (500 ml) tortilla chips

1-2 cups (250-500 ml) shredded Mexican cheese

Sliced avocado and yogurt or sour cream, for serving

Preparation:

Enchilada sauce

To begin, add all ingredients to your blender, starting with 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable broth and 1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) adobo sauce (You can add more broth and adobo sauce while the enchilada sauce is cooking to doctor the consistency and taste.) Blend, starting on low speed and working up to high speed, for about 30 seconds.

Pour the mixture into a medium-sized pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 12 to 18 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the flavours have deepened. Stir every few minutes ; cover the pot with a splatter screen if needed. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper as needed. (Salt amounts will vary depending on sodium in your broth.) Add more adobo sauce to your liking for a smokier and spicier flavour. If the sauce thickens too much, add more vegetable broth to thin it out.

Once the sauce is thick and flavourful, remove it from the heat. You can use it right away or store in the fridge. Makes 15 ounces (625 ml).

Chicken tortilla enchilada bake

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 C).

In a large oven safe skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the ground chicken and onion. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the jalapeños, garlic, paprika, cumin, and salt, cook 1 minute. Stir in the enchilada sauce, chipotle chili, if using, and 2 cups (500 ml) of water. Bring to a boil, stir in the rice. Place the lid on the skillet and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked into the rice, but not all of it.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over the chicken/rice. Add the tortilla chips on top, pressing them gently into the cheese. Evenly sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Serve topped as desired with avocado, cilantro, and yogurt. Serves 6.

From Half Baked Harvest

This recipe, adapted from Half Baked Harvest, takes about 15 minutes to cook, once you have assembled the ingredients. Toss chicken with cornstarch, turmeric, ginger and pepper, then stir fry until browned. Add shallots, broccoli and cashews and cook for another few minutes. Stir in the honey-soy-rice vinegar sauce and simmer for about five minutes. Serve over rice or rice noodles.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure your dried spices don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Use tamari instead of soy sauce. I use Marukan rice vinegar. Always use freshly squeezed lime juice.

Stir fry chicken and vegetables and then add honey-vinegar-soy sauce

Serve over steamed rice

Ingredients:

1 pound (454 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons (30 ml) cornstarch or flour

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground turmeric

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground ginger

1-2 teaspoons (5-10 ml) black pepper, using more or less to your taste

3 tablespoons (45 ml) sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup (60 ml) honey

¼ cup (60 ml) low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice vinegar

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes

2 medium shallots, sliced or chopped

2 small heads broccoli, chopped

½ cup (125 ml) raw cashews

Zest and juice of 1 lime

½ cup (125 ml) fresh basil or cilantro, roughly chopped

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, cornstarch, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil.

In a glass jar, combine the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, and ¼ cup (60 ml) water.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml( oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and brown all over, until it becomes crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots, broccoli, and cashews, cook another 2-3 minutes, until the broccoli is charring. Pour in the honey/soy sauce mix. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the sauce coats the chicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime zest, lime juice, and the basil.

Serve over cooked rice or rice noodles, with additional basil and lime wedges. Serves 4.

Adapted from Half Baked Harvest

This recipe from Canadian Living pairs baked salmon with orzo, snow peas and greens — all tossed with an orange-chive-mustard-honey dressing. And it’s ready in about 30 minutes!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed orange juice and pure honey. I use President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon mustard.

Spread parsley, mustard and orange zest over salmon before baking

Orange salmon and orzo salad

Ingredients:

Orange-chive dressing

½ tsp (2 ml) grated orange zest

3 tbsp (45 ml) orange juice

2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh chives

2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard

1 tsp (5 ml) liquid honey

1 clove garlic, finely grated or pressed

½ tsp (2 ml) each salt and pepper

1/3 cup (75 ml) vegetable oil

Salad

1 lb (450 g) skinless salmon fillet

Pinch each salt and pepper

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh parsley

4 tsp (18 ml) Dijon mustard

2 tsp (10 ml) grated orange zest

1 ½ cups (375 ml) orzo

2 cups (500 ml) snow peas, trimmed and sliced diagonally

8 cups (2 L) baby arugula

2 cups (500 ml) watercress leaves or living cress leaves

Preparation:

Orange-chive dressing

In small bowl, whisk together orange zest, orange juice, chives, mustard, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in oil. Set aside.

Salad

Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Stir together parsley, mustard and orange zest; spread over salmon. Place on lightly greased foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake in 400°F (200°C) oven until fish flakes easily when tested, about 15 minutes. Remove to cutting board; chop or break apart into large chunks.

While salmon is baking, in large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook orzo until almost al dente, about 8 minutes. Add snow peas and cook until orzo is al dente and peas are bright green and tender-crisp, about 30 seconds. Drain.

In large bowl, toss together orzo mixture, arugula, watercress and dressing. Gently fold in salmon. Serves 4.

If you’d like leftovers, set some salad and dressing aside before tossing together. That way, your next-day salad stays nice and crisp.

From Canadian Living

This recipe from Stacie Billis uses two great techniques for cooking a whole chicken quickly and ensuring the meat is moist and well seasoned. The first is to butterfly or spatchcock the chicken, which means removing the backbone and flattening the bird. The second is to sprinkle the chicken with salt and keep it uncovered in the fridge for up to a day before cooking, although even a few hours will make a difference. This recipe is a one-pot meal – the chicken roasts with potatoes and then olives and artichokes are added for a few minutes at the end of the cooking time. It’s named after Billis’s son, Oliver. Cook’s note: I didn’t cut the potatoes in half, because they were small.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and make sure the artichokes and olives do not contain preservatives. Check the label for the garlic powder to make sure it does not contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Arrange the potatoes around the butterflied chicken

Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before carving

Serve the chicken with the potatoes and the artichokes and olives, which are added toward the end of the cooking time

Ingredients:

1 whole (3 to 4 pounds/1.36 to 1.8 kg) chicken, butterflied

1 ½ pounds (680 g) new potatoes,

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt (5 ml)

1 teaspoon (5 ml) garlic powder

1 teaspoon (5 ml)  freshly ground black pepper

1 (14 ounce/396 g) can artichoke bottoms, drained and quartered

1 cup (250 ml) small, pitted green olives

Preparation:

If you have time, remove the chicken from your refrigerator up to 1 hour before cooking. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425°F (200°C) and prep the potatoes: Cut the potatoes in half. Add them to a medium bowl with the oil, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the garlic powder. Toss to coat well and transfer to a shallow roasting pan or a large sheet pan. Set the bowl, which should still have a little bit of the oil–lemon juice mixture at the bottom, aside.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and season it with the remaining 2 teaspoons salt (if you have dry-brined the chicken, don’t add more salt at this point) and the pepper, dividing them evenly between both sides of the chicken. Nestle the chicken skin side up between all of the potatoes on the roasting pan, making sure that the potatoes remain in a single layer and that none get stuck under the bird. Pour the remaining oil–lemon juice mixture from the bowl onto the chicken and rub it into the skin.

Place the pan in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, basting the chicken with drippings and shaking the potatoes every 10 minutes or so. If at any point there aren’t enough drippings to baste the bird, drizzle a small amount of oil onto the chicken and use that. After 30 minutes, baste the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add the artichoke bottoms and olives to the pan, scattering them all around the bird. Cook for another 5 minutes before checking for doneness: an instant-read thermometer should register 160°F (70°C) at the thickest part of the breast and 165°F (75°C) at the thigh. If the chicken is not cooked through, roast for 5 to 10 minutes longer until it is.

Allow the chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

From Stacie Billis

This recipe from Cook’s Illustrated is a quick and easy way to dress up the season’s asparagus. Cook garlic, tomatoes and olives in a skillet for a few minutes, then set aside. Cook the asparagus in the same pan until tender-crisp and bright green. Plate the asparagus, top with the tomato-olive mixture and serve.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for olives with no sulfites added and butter that does not contain colour. Genuine Parmesan cheese (check the rind for the lettering spelling out the name of the cheese) is additive-free.

Cook garlic in skillet for a few minutes

Add tomatoes and olives, cook for a few minutes and set aside

Pan roast the asparagus

Top asparagus with tomato-olive mixture, garnish with basil and cheese and serve

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

2 medium cloves garlic, sliced thin

1 pint (500 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

⅓ cup (83 ml) brine-cured black olives (such as kalamata), pitted and chopped

1 tablespoon (15 ml) unsalted butter

2 pounds (907 g) thick asparagus spears (see note), ends trimmed

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

4 tablespoons (60 ml) chopped fresh basil (optional)

1 ounce (28 g) grated Parmesan cheese (about ½ cup/125 ml)

Preparation:

This recipe works best with asparagus that is at least ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick near the base. If using thinner spears, reduce the covered cooking time to 3 minutes and the uncovered cooking time to 5 minutes. Do not use pencil-thin asparagus; it cannot withstand the heat and overcooks too easily.

Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil and garlic in 12-inch (30-cm) skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic turns golden around edges but does not darken, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and olives; cook until tomatoes begin to break down and release liquid, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl and cover with foil. Rinse skillet with water and dry well with paper towels.

Add the butter and remaining oil in the skillet. When butter has melted, add half of asparagus to skillet with tips pointed in one direction; add remaining spears with tips pointed in one direction. Using tongs, distribute spears in even layer (spears will not quite fit into single layer); cover and cook until asparagus is bright green and still crisp, about 5 minutes.

Uncover and increase heat to high; season asparagus with salt and pepper. Cook until spears are tender and well browned along one side, 5 to 7 minutes, using tongs to occasionally move spears from center of pan to edge of pan to ensure all are browned. Transfer asparagus to serving dish, top with tomato mixture. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper; sprinkle with basil and Parmesan. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

To Serve 2-3: Cut all ingredient amounts in half. Cook asparagus in 10-inch (25-cm) skillet over medium heat, covered, for 3 minutes. Remove cover and cook over medium-high heat until tender and browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not adjust heat when cooking garnishes; however, cooking times for garnishes should be reduced by 1 to 2 minutes.

From Cook’s Illustrated

This recipe from Real Simple combines chicken thighs with red onion, garlic and radishes, topped with a luscious sauce. Brown the thighs and set aside. Soften the garlic and onion, add the radishes, return the chicken to the pan and roast for about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and vegetables and make the quick pan sauce. Cook’s note: I used scallions instead of chives and omitted the baguette slices. Also, for juicier chicken, liberally salt the thighs up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate, uncovered. If you do this, omit the salt from the recipe. Let the chicken come to room temperature before beginning the recipe.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Imagine Organic broth and President’s Choice unsalted butter. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Brown chicken and set aside

Soften garlic and onion and add radishes

Set cooked chicken and vegetables aside

Make the pan sauce

Crispy chicken with roasted radishes

Ingredients:

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds/1.36 kg total)

1¼ teaspoons (6.25 ml) kosher salt, divided

½ teaspoon (0.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, divided

1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges

2 cloves garlic, crushed

12 ounces (340 g) red radishes, quartered

1 cup (250 ml) low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped fresh chives

4 baguette slices, toasted

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Season chicken on both sides with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt and the pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil in a large oven-safe skillet (not non-stick) over medium-high. Add 4 chicken thighs, skin side down; cook, undisturbed, until deep golden brown, about 8 minutes. Flip and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Pour fat out of skillet. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil and 4 chicken thighs; do not wipe skillet clean after second batch.

Add onion and garlic to skillet. Cook over medium-high, stirring often, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in radishes and nestle chicken into mixture. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F (74°C), 15 to 17 minutes.

Transfer chicken and radish mixture to a platter. Return skillet to medium-high. Add broth and cook, stirring and scraping bottom of skillet to loosen browned bits, until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, lemon juice, chives, and remaining ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt. Spoon sauce over chicken and radish mixture. Serve with baguette slices. Serves 4.

From Real Simple

This easy pasta salad with shrimp and green beans from Canadian Living is on the table in 30 minutes. Cook the pasta and green beans, rinse and cool, and place in bowl with tomatoes, shallot and olives. Cook the shrimp, cool slightly, add to the pasta mixture and toss with a lemon vinaigrette. Top with chives and serve.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Eden Organic brand vinegar and shrimp with only salt as a preservative. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Combine tomatoes, olives, shallots and beans in a large bowl

Add cooked pasta

Add cooked shrimp, toss with vinaigrette and serve

Ingredients:

Lemon vinaigrette

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar

½ tsp (2.5 ml) finely grated lemon zest

2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

Salad

2 cups (500 ml) short pasta, such as penne

1 cup (250 ml) chopped green beans

2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil

1 lb (454 g) large shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 cup (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

1 shallot, finely chopped

½ cup (125 ml) Kalamata olives, whole or pitted and sliced

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh chives

Preparation:

Lemon vinaigrette

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic. Set aside.

Salad

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, about 8 minutes; add green beans for last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain; rinse under cold running water for 1 minute and drain again. Transfer to large bowl. Set aside.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook shrimp, turning once, until pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Add shrimp, tomatoes, shallot and olives to bowl with pasta; add vinaigrette, mixing gently to coat well. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chives. Serves 4.

From Canadian Living

Sweet, spicy and hot — these delicious pork noodles from Bon Appetit are made from fridge and pantry staples and feed a crowd. Brown the pork and add ginger, garlic and sugar. Add tomato paste and basil, chili paste, soy sauce, vinegar and water. Cook the sauce down for about 30 minutes. Add cooked noodles, a little butter and pasta water to the sauce and serve.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

No Name tomato paste is additive free. I used Simply Natural Organic sriracha for the hot chili paste. Use tamari instead of soy sauce, because it uses alcohol as a preservative instead of sodium benzoate. I used Marukan rice vinegar and President’s Choice butter, which contains only cream.

Brown pork with garlic, ginger and sugar

Add chili paste, tamari, vinegar and water and simmer

Add cooked noodles to sauce and serve, garnished with basil

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 lb. (907 g) ground pork, divided

1 2-inch (5.08-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into thin matchsticks or finely chopped

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) sugar

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) tomato paste

2 sprigs basil, plus more for serving

⅓ cup (85 ml) hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek or sriracha)

¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce

¼ cup (60 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar

1½ lb. (680 g) fresh ramen noodles or 16 oz. (454 g) dried spaghetti

Kosher salt

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) unsalted butter

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium-high. Add half of pork to pot, breaking apart into 6–8 large chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook, undisturbed, until well browned underneath, about 5 minutes. Turn pieces and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until pork is browned on 2–3 sides, about 5 minutes longer. Add ginger, garlic, sugar, and remaining pork to pot and cook, breaking up pork into small clumps, until meat is nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.

Add tomato paste and 2 basil sprigs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until paste darkens, about 2 minutes. Add chili paste, soy sauce, vinegar, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened and flavors have melded, 30–45 minutes.

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until 1 minute short of al dente. Add to pot with sauce along with butter and a splash of pasta cooking liquid. Simmer, tossing occasionally, until sauce begins to cling to noodles, about 1 minute. Pluck out basil sprigs.

Divide noodles among plates. Top with torn basil. Serves 6-8.

From Bon Appetit

The ingredient list for this tasty dish from James Peterson may be long, but once you have them assembled, the actual cooking time is about half an hour. Cook onion, carrots and garlic, add spices and tomatoes and then add herbs, raisins, almonds and shrimp. Serve on top of rice or couscous.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure your spices don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Your butter should contain only cream. Saffron can contain colour, so I omitted it. Make sure your raisins and almonds are additive-free. Look for frozen shrimp preserved in salt only. I used Belazu Rose Harissa, which contains no preservatives and omitted the preserved lemon.

Cook onion, carrots and garlic

Add spices and tomatoes

Add herbs, raisins, almonds and shrimp and simmer for about 3 minutes

Shrimp tagine

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped fine

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons (15 ml) butter

One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated fine

1 teaspoon (5 ml) cumin

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground turmeric or 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric, grated

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon saffron threads, soaked for 30 minutes in 1 tablespoon water

6 tomatoes, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

1 small bunch cilantro, large stems removed

Leaves from 1 small bunch mint

3 tablespoons (45 ml) golden raisins (sultanas)

3 tablespoons (45 ml) slivered almonds, toasted

½ preserved lemon, cut into ¼ -inch/0.64-cm dice (about 2 tablespoons/30 ml

after dicing), rinsed in a strainer (optional)

30 large or 18 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

¾ to 1 cup (187.5 to 250 ml) bottled harissa sauce, for serving

Preparation:

In a heavy-bottomed pot large enough to hold the whole tagine, cook the onion, carrots, and garlic in the butter over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the carrots soft, about 15 minutes.

Add the ginger, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, and saffron with its soaking liquid to the carrot mixture. Gently stir the mixture—avoid breaking up the carrots—and cook over low to medium heat for about 2 minutes more.

Add the tomatoes, cover the pot, and simmer on low heat, covered, for 10 minutes more. Chop the cilantro and mint and stir into the sauce with the raisins, almonds, preserved lemon, if using, and shrimp. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with couscous or rice and harissa sauce. Serves 6.

From Cooking by James Peterson

For the past month or so, I’ve been roasting a whole chicken once a week. It’s easy to do, provides one dinner and two lunches for the two of us and then I make chicken stock from the carcass and get two more meals of soup. This recipe from Bon Appetit is simple — whisk together oil, lemon juice and honey and rub the mixture under the skin of the chicken and all over the outside. Place half a lemon and some rosemary inside the chicken and surround the chicken with shallots and lemon slices. Roast for about an hour. Cook’s note: To make stock, remove any meat on the carcass and set aside for another use. Put the carcass in a large deep pot and cover with cold water. Add a large celery rib, chopped, a large carrot, sliced, an onion, quartered (no need to peel), a handful of parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so the stock barely simmers. Partially cover and simmer for four hours, skimming off any foam that comes to the surface. Strain the stock to remove the bones and other solids. You can use the stock right away or refrigerate for use within a day or two (it’s easier to remove fat from the stock after it’s been in the fridge. You can also freeze it.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use fresh lemon juice, as concentrates contain sodium benzoate.

Rub chicken with oil, lemon and honey. Place lemon half and rosemary in chicken cavity and place shallots around the chicken.

Roast chicken with rosemary, lemon and honey

Ingredients:

3 ounces (85 g) rosemary sprigs (about 1 large or 2 small bunches), divided

1 4-pound (1.8 kg) chicken

¼ cup (60 ml) plus 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey

1 lemon, halved, one half sliced into eight ¼ -inch (0.6-cm) rounds

8 oz (226 g) shallots, peeled

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) Line a large roasting pan with ¾ of rosemary sprigs. Place chicken on top.

Whisk ¼ cup oil, lemon juice, and honey in a small bowl to blend. Using your hands and beginning at the neck end of the chicken, gently lift skin away from breast. Under skin of the chicken, rub 2 tablespoons lemon mixture into meat. Drizzle remaining lemon mixture all over outside of the chicken.

Place 1 lemon half and 1 shallot inside chicken cavity; stuff with remaining rosemary sprigs, dividing equally. Season chicken all over with salt and pepper. Place remaining shallots around chicken; arrange 4 lemon rounds on top of chicken. Drizzle shallots and lemon rounds with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil.

Roast chicken, basting frequently with pan juices, for 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425°F (218°C) and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F (74°C) and skin is deep golden and crispy, about 10 minutes longer.

Spoon pan juices over chicken, shallots, and lemon slices and serve in roasting pan. Serves 6-8.

From Bon Appetit