Chicken Stuffed Under the Skin

The secret to this dish is to put something flavorful under the skin then get the skin crisp. In this version I use bacon but you can use butter, sauteed mushrooms or onions or carrots or just about anything. I will admit that when I made this for the blog I ate both portions one after the other. As I write this I am stuffed but it’s a good kind of stuffed. I’ll eat light tomorrow.

Oh man Oh man Oh man Oh man

If you don’t want the extra fat in the skin just take it off after cooking. It will help to keep the meat from drying out. Cooking with the bones adds a lot of flavor.


I know this looks long and difficult but it really isn't.

For 2 people:

2  Chicken breasts, bone in and skin on. You want a lot of skin.
1 slice of bacon (of course I used my home made bacon for extra incredibleness)
Hartman House Spice Mix or your favorite spice blend or rub
Olive oil
4 lemons

Put some olive oil in a bowl and add the spice rub. Add salt if you wish but don’t use pepper until after it’s cooked.

Slice the bacon in half width wise. Trim any extra fat or bones off the chicken.

Take each chicken breast and loosen the skin at the top and the bottom so you can slide the bacon right in there. Make sure it lays flat.

Dip the skin of the chicken into the spiced olive oil or rub it on the chicken with a spoon.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. You want the skin to brown and sizzle but you don’t want to burn the spices.

Put the chicken skin side down in the skillet. If the sides get hot lean the chicken against them so the most skin is touching the hot surface as possible.

Wash the lemons and cut them in half. Throw them in the bowl with the spiced oil and swish them around. Put them cut side down if possible in the skillet.

Turn the oven on to 375°.

When the chicken is brown put the pan in the oven in the middle rack or higher. Roast for 10 minutes then turn the chicken skin side up. Baste with juices from the pan. If there aren’t enough then add a tablespoon of water and swirl it around.

Bake for another 5 minutes and check to see if they are done. This is where experience helps because the best way to tell is by touching the chicken. When it is raw it feels mushy and soft, when it is overdone it feels hard. When it is just right it feels firm but springy.

When they are done take them out of the pan, blot them to dry the surface and let them rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with a grinding or two of black pepper.

Meanwhile squeeze all the juices from the lemons (a big spoon works well) and if you need to add a little water and scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom and pour this sauce into a bowl. Add salt and pepper and a bit of fresh lemon juice if you want. This is a dipping sauce for the chicken.

If all has gone well the skin will be flat and crisp and will have a smokey flavor from the bacon. The spice rub will add a lot of flavor and the sweet and sour lemon sauce is a great foil.

Clams and Celery with Vermouth

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 10 minutes plus an hour to soak the clams

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Cost per serving: $1.50

Useful leftovers: Good served cold with a flavorful sauce

Fast and easy and so tasty

Serves 1

4 clams
1/4 rib of celery
1/2 shallot
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of water
1 tablespoon of dry vermouth
Zest and juice of a lemon

Soak the clams in cold water for an hour. Scrub them to make sure they are clean and have no grit.

Finely chop the shallot and cut the celery into 1/2 inch pieces. Saute them gently with the zest in the olive oil.

When they are translucent and slightly browned take the pan off the heat and add the clams, the vermouth and the water. Cover the pan and put it on high heat.

Cook for two  minutes then peek to see if the clams are starting to open. If they are, remove the open clams to a bowl. Season the liquid in the pan with salt and lemon juice. Pour the liquid over the clams and serve.

Super Sauce

Difficulty: Very Easy

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: None

Cost per serving: $0.50

Useful leftovers: Yes

A sour cream based dressing. It really brings out the flavors of certain foods. Great with cucumbers.

I never measure anything so start out light and add more flavorings as you taste it. This sauce is amazingly low in calories and packs a flavor punch.

The light sour cream that I use has only 20 calories per tablespoon. Here is a great trick - before you add the other ingredients whip the sour cream with a wire whip until it lightens and thickens like regular whipped cream.

If you beat it until the volume increases 50% then it is only 13 calories per tablespoon! Amazing.

Start with a half cup of sour cream and whip it until it holds soft peaks. Add any or all of the following flavorings.

I use this combination of flavorings:

1 tablespoon of dijon style mustard
1 tablespoon mushed up blue cheese
1/2 tablespoon prepared or fresh horseradish
Zest of one lemon and half of the juice
1 teaspoon chopped shallot, rinsed
Salt and pepper

Also good:

Capers
Finely chopped olives
Anchovies or a little mashed up smoked fish
Parsley or cilantro or basil
Hot sauce or peppers
Sweet peppers
Finely chopped cucumbers

Be sure and gently fold the flavorings in so you don’t undo all the whipping.

Taste and add ingredients as you wish.

Chocolate Fool and Chocolate Charlotte

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Cost per serving: $0.50
Useful leftovers: Yes

A great recipe, hardly takes any time and everyone who has tasted it loved it. So simple and so good!

2 oz of good chocolate
A tablespoon of coffee or water
A pint of heavy cream
A tablespoon of powdered sugar
A pinch of salt
A couple of drops of vanilla.

Melt the chocolate with the water or coffee in a double boiler.

Add the pinch of sugar and the vanilla to the cream and whip until it it has slightly firm peaks. Set aside 1/4 of it to garnish.

Take the chocolate off the heat. Mix 1/4 of the whipped cream with the chocolate, then fold that mixture into the rest of the cream.

Refrigerate and decorate with the extra cream.

If you want to be really fancy make a charlotte. Line a mold (I use a pyrex dish) with plastic wrap then line that with cookies (vanilla wafers are fine, as are ginger snaps or mint Milanos). Pour the fool mixture in. Refrigerate for several hours.

When it is set put a serving plate on top and flip. Take the plastic film off and decorate with the reserved whipped cream and some berries.

This is one of those desserts you make an entrance with. Take a bow and accept the applause!

Hartman House Spice Mix

I never measure anything so the amounts are, well, variable. If I am out of something I leave it out or use something else.

4 parts sweet paprika
1 part smoked paprika
Pinch of chipotle powder
Pinch of ancho chile powder
More pinches: garlic powder, dried thyme
Ground cumin seeds
Celery seeds

Note that there is no salt or pepper. This way I can control each for each dish.

Note that this mixture can burn so you have to be careful.

Buy your garlic powder carefully. Sometimes it is dehydrated at too high a temperature and has a bitter taste.

I use this mixture as a general seasoning and as a rub for barbeque or smoking meat.

Curried Shrimp

A great way to cook shrimp; fast, easy, low in calories and YUMMY!


Shrimp
Curry powder
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Pour a bit of olive oil in a bowl and add enough curry powder to make a loose paste. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Add the shrimp and mix.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan and add the shrimp. Cook until almost half done then turn over. Cook just until they are barely done.

Remove the shrimp, add more lemon juice and a little water to the pan if necessary. Scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan and pour the sauce over the shrimp. Salt and pepper to taste.

You can use orange or apple juice instead of water and lemon juice.

This is a favorite picnic food of our and we have eaten it at many a baseball game!

Hartman House Pasta Salad basic recipe

1 lb small pasta such as acini di pepe or orzo
1 large cucumber
1 bunch of herbs (cilantro, basil or flat-leaf parsley)
1 tablespoon of whole cumin, ground
1 teaspoon of celery seeds, crushed between your fingers
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Lemon zest and juice


Boil the pasta in salted water until just done. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain very well.

Crunchy cashews added a salty crunch. Yay!

We want to use all of the skin of the cucumber (if it hasn't been waxed) so cut it like this: cut two strips off either side to get a lot of the skin off. Slice the skin into tiny pieces. Cut the rest of the cucumber into 1/4" dice.

Chop the herbs.

Add the herbs and cucumbers to the pasta along with the seeds and the lemon zest. Dress with oil and vinegar and lemon juice to taste. Salt and pepper.