Eye for a Recipe

This excellent dish from Food and Drink is simple to make and yields terrific flavour. Place garlic, butter, brown sugar, orange zest and juice in a baking dish, add the chicken, rub the chicken with coriander and bake. The result is tender chicken and a delicious orange and garlic sauce.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Butter can sometimes contain colour, so look for a brand that contains only cream. Check the label on the coriander to make sure it does not contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Place ingredients in glass baking dish

Bake until chicken is done

Roasted chicken legs with orange and garlic

Ingredients:

8 whole cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed

2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter

1 tbsp (15 ml) brown sugar

1 medium navel orange

4 chicken legs, about 10 oz (300 g) each

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp (5 ml) ground coriander

3 tbsp (45 ml) water, plus more, hot, if needed

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).

In a large glass baking dish, add garlic, butter and brown sugar. Using a vegetable peeler, remove 4 large strips of zest from orange and add to dish. Halve the orange and squeeze juice into dish; add halves.

Place chicken legs in dish and generously season with salt and pepper. Divide the coriander between the 4 legs, rubbing it into the skin.

Cover dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and increase heat to 450°F (230°C). Remove foil, baste the chicken legs with cooking liquid, stir in 3 tbsp (45 ml) water and return uncovered to heated oven.

Continue cooking until chicken is golden, about 20 to 25 minutes, checking occasionally to avoid burning.

Remove chicken from dish. Carefully squeeze any residual juice from orange halves into cooking juices. Remove orange zest. Using the back of a fork mash up the garlic cloves. Stir the sauce to combine and pour over chicken legs. If needed add 1 tbsp (15 ml) hot water to dish to loosen sauce. Serves 4.

From the Winter 2017 issue of Food and Drink

This is another great recipe from Bonnie Stern’s More HeartSmart Cooking that is tasty and is only 167 calories per serving. You can serve this as a main course or as an appetizer, using the sauce as a dip.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use shrimp with only salt added and make sure the bread you use has no additives or preservatives. I used Ace bread. Use fresh lemon juice and a balsamic vinegar with only naturally occurring sulfites. I use Acetia la Bonissima Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, which is imported by Sarafino.

Toss shrimp with oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper

Assemble ingredients for hot garlic sauce

Lightly breaded shrimp with hot garlic sauce

Ingredients:

Shrimp

1.5 lbs (750 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh rosemary, or a pinch dried

¼ tsp (1 ml) salt

½ tsp (2 ml) pepper

2 cups (500 ml) fresh whole wheat or white breadcrumbs

Hot Garlic Sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

¼ tsp (1 ml) hot red pepper flakes

2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice

2 tbsp (30 ml) balsamic vinegar

¼ tsp (1 ml) salt

¼ tsp (1 ml) pepper

¼ cup (45 ml) chopped parsley

Preparation:

In bowl combine 2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Toss with shrimp.

Place breadcrumbs in large, flat dish. Dip shrimp in crumbs and pat crumbs in gently on both sides. Arrange shrimp in single layer on baking sheet(s) lined with parchment paper or non-stick foil.

In small saucepan, warm 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil with chopped garlic and hot pepper flakes. Add lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Just before serving, cook shrimp in preheated 425 F (220 C) oven for 6 to 10 minutes or until just cooked through.

Drizzle sauce over shrimp, sprinkle with parsley and serve. Serves 6-8.

From More HeartSmart Cooking by Bonnie Stern