The Perdue Chicken Cookbook · Chapter 5Preface Why I Chickened Out (4)
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I was also surprised to learn how complicated it is to make ground chicken. If I weren't connected with the industry, I would have thought that to get ground chicken, you just put it in a grinder the way you do to get hamburger, and that would be it. Ah, but it's not so! The fibers of chicken meat are shorter and more delicate than beef. To get the right texture took a full year of experimentation and fine tuning at Perdue. The skilled and knowledgeable food scientists working on the project had to discover which parts of the bird tasted best in hamburger, what size holes the meat should be forced through in the grinding machine, what temperature would be best, and so on. A difference of a mere 2 degrees in the meat's temperature meant the difference between a desirable texture and one that was merely passable.
I remember when the food scientists were first developing the ground chicken, that hundreds of people, including me, were involved in the taste testings. I also remember the first time Frank and I tried ground chicken outside of the laboratory. It happened at a barbecue at his son's house. Jim and Jan Perdue had chicken hamburgers and beef hamburgers grilling side by side, and Frank beamed like a kid with a new toy when he saw how the chicken burgers stayed plump and didn't shrink. Meanwhile the hamburgers, being 20% fat, were dwindling into hockey pucks. Basic Cooking Guide for Burgers: Saute: Shape one package fresh ground chicken into patties. Saute in a small amount of oil over high heat, 1 to 2 minutes on each side to brown. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked and springs back to the touch. Broil: Shape one package fresh ground chicken into patties. Broil on a rack 4-inches from heat 5 to 6 minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked and springs back to the touch. Grill: Shape one package fresh ground chicken into patties. Place burgers on hottest area of lightly oiled grill 1 to 2 minutes on each side to brown. Move burgers toward the outside of the grill and continue to cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked and springs back to the touch. CHICKEN STROMBOLI Serves 4 I've had this at a restaurant, made with bread dough, but I liked it better using this recipe with pie crust dough. The day I made it, I was late (as usual), and took a short cut: I used prepared pie crusts, the kind that come frozen and already shaped in aluminum pie pans. 2 tablespoons olive oil 1-1/2 cups thinly sliced onion 1 large green pepper, thinly sliced 1 package (about 1 pound) fresh ground chicken 1/4 cup tomato paste 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon salt 1 prepared recipe pie crust mix 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onion and pepper and saute 3 to 5 minutes. Add chicken, tomato paste and seasonings and cook 8 to 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Preheat oven to 375oF. Roll out prepared pie crust into a round 1/8 inch thick. Cut circle in quarters to form 4 wedge shaped pieces. Place 1/4 of filling on the wide rounded end of each wedge; fold in sides and roll up. Place stromboli seam-side down on baking sheet, brush with butter and bake 30 minutes until pastry is lightly browned. CHICKEN BURGERS BORDELAISEServes 4 These are good just as they are, but I've also found that they're wonderful made into little cocktail sized meat balls to pass during parties. By the way, at one of my parties, I tried to determine whether it was better to use the maximum amount of pepper and mustard in this recipe or the minimum. Some guests liked the meat balls highly seasoned, and others preferred them mild, so I guess one isn't better than the other; it's just what your family or guests like. 1 package (about 1 pound) fresh ground chicken 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional) 1-1/4 cups red wine 1/4 cup minced shallots or scallions 1 tablespoon sugar 2-3 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley Form chicken into 4 burgers. Press pepper into both sides. In a large, non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add burgers and brown for 2 minutes on each side. Salt burgers lightly and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking 5 to 6 minutes per side until thoroughly cooked through. While burgers are cooking, combine wine, shallots, sugar, mustard and thyme in a saucepan. Cook over high heat 5 to 6 minutes until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup. Remove burgers from skillet and keep warm. Add wine mixture to skillet and stir over medium heat to combine with pan juices. Whisk in butter and parsley. Spoon sauce over burgers and serve.
RECIPES WITH THIGH & DRUMSTICKS If you haven't liked dark meat up until now, try these recipes with an open mind. Thigh meat, drumsticks, or the meat from any well-exercised muscle, has more flavor and is apt to be juicier. If Frank were going by taste alone and forgetting about calories, he would always choose thigh meat. I was present at a taste testing at Perdue when Teri Benson, a Food Technician, asked the dozen or so participants to rate the flavor of various parts of a chicken. The chicken was ground and fried in patties so none of us could identify which parts we were eating. We also couldn't be influenced by what our neighbors thought because each patty was coded and the breast meat or the thigh meat on my plate was in a different position from what they'd be on my neighbor's plate. The test was replicated with many different groups, but the results were fairly uniform: people prefer the flavor and juiciness of thigh meat. Try a few of these recipes; you may discover some new family favorites. WALDORF SALADServes 4 You could use other apples in this recipe, such as Red Delicious or Granny Smith, but the McIntosh with its characteristic crispness, juiciness, and mildly tart flavor works particularly well in this recipe. You can tell a McIntosh by its two-toned red and green skin. 1 quart chicken broth 4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley Salt and ground pepper to taste 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced 1 to 2 McIntosh apples, unpeeled in 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 cup) 1/2 cup walnut halves 1 head Bibb or Boston lettuce In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add chicken and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, uncovered. Drain thighs and cut into bite-size pieces. Reserve broth for other use. In a mixing bowl blend together lemon, mustard, oil, parsley, and salt and pepper. Toss warm chicken with sauce and allow to cool. Toss with remaining ingredients and serve on beds of Bibb or Boston lettuce. DRUMSTICKS WITH HERB SAUCEServes 2 When serving this recipe, take a tip from Bev Cox, a woman who not only is responsible for many of my favorite Perdue recipes over the years, but who is also famous for being one of the best food stylists around. She likes to have the garnishes mirror the seasonings, so if she had, for example, this chicken recipe with basil in it, she'd be apt to garnish it with fresh basil. She also believes that garnishes should be edible. These chicken drumsticks with new potatoes and green beans would be a simple dinner, but sprinkle the new potatoes with chopped chives, stick a red pepper ring around the green beans and you have something that looks special as well as tastes special. 5 roaster drumsticks salt and ground pepper to taste 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons olive oil Sauce: 1/4 cup minced fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried 1/4 cup minced, fresh parsley 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions 2 tablespoons white vinegar 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried 1 tablespoon capers 1/4 cup olive oil Preheat oven to 375oF. Place drumsticks in a baking pan and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl combine garlic and olive oil and baste drumsticks generously. Bake drumsticks for 60 to 75 minutes until tender and cooked through, turning and basting once. Meanwhile, in a bowl make sauce by whisking together remaining ingredients. Serve drumsticks, passing sauce separately. DRUMSTICKS ZINGARAServes 2 The word "zingara" is from a French sauce with mushrooms, ham, and truffles. In this version, I've skipped the truffles. 5 roaster drumsticks 3/4 cup (3-ounces) minced fresh mushrooms 3/4 cup (1/4 pound) minced ham 1/2 cup minced shallots or scallions 3 tablespoons Madeira or brandy, divided 1 1/2 teaspoons minced, fresh tarragon, or 1/2 teaspoon dried 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened, divided salt and ground pepper to taste Preheat oven to 375oF. Pull back the skin of each drumstick and cut lengthwise slits in the meat in 4 places. Pull skin back into place In a mixing bowl, combine mushrooms, ham, shallots, 1 tablespoon Madeira, tarragon, 3 tablespoons butter and salt and pepper. Stuff mixture under the skin of each drumstick and secure with toothpicks. Melt remaining butter and baste drumsticks. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Remove to a serving platter and remove toothpicks. To drippings in pan, add 2 tablespoons Madeira and bring to a boil, stirring. Pour sauce over drumsticks.
CHILI THIGHS RELLENOS If you're making this recipe and you're not sure how old the eggs you have in your refrigerator are, the chances are that they're still good. As long as they're clean, dry, have been kept cold and have no cracks, and weren't cooked, they'll last for months in your refrigerator and still be suitable for cooking in dishes like this. Eggs that are several months old won't have the quality of a perfectly fresh egg, and I wouldn't use them for frying, but they're still edible. Do be sure they've been kept cold and have no cracks and are clean. 4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 1 can (4-ounces) whole, mild green chilies, seeded 1 egg, beaten salt and ground pepper to taste 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 can (8-ounces) tomato sauce 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese Open thighs and lay flat. Divide chilies in four equal amounts and place in the center of each thigh. Roll up and secure with toothpicks. In a shallow bowl, combine egg and salt and pepper to taste. Dip thighs in egg and roll in bread crumbs. Refrigerate 15 minutes. In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt butter with oil. Add thighs and cook, turning, 10 to 12 minutes or until brown on all sides. Spoon tomato sauce over thighs. Reduce heat to medium-low reduce heat and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until thighs are cooked through. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and cook 2 minutes longer. INDONESIAN STIR-FRY THIGHSServes 4 This recipe originally called for much more ginger, but I like a milder flavor, so I reduced it. You may want to increase the amount suggested here if you like highly seasoned food. To store fresh ginger, keep it in the refrigerator in a plastic bag along with a dampened paper towel to keep it from drying out. 4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1/3 cup soy sauce, divided 3 tablespoons molasses 3 tablespoons rice wine or white distilled vinegar 2 teaspoons minced, fresh ginger or to taste 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or ground pepper pinch ground cloves 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 cup carrots, cut in match stick strips 1 cup peeled cucumber, halved, seeded and cut into match- stick strips 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions Cut thighs into 1/8-inch strips. In a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes Add 4 tablespoons soy sauce, molasses, vinegar, seasonings, garlic and ginger; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and steam chicken 5 minutes, stirring once, until tender. In a small bowl dissolve cornstarch in remaining soy sauce and reserve. Add carrots and steam, covered, 2 minutes. Stir in cucumber, scallions and cornstarch mixture and stir until liquid comes to a boil. Serve over hot fluffy rice. ISLAND THIGHSServes 4 One of the best money-saving tips I know for buying food is one you can use in this recipe. A Pennsylvania mushroom grower told me that when you see slightly browned mushrooms on sale$and they're often a fraction of the price of the cosmetically perfect mushrooms$buy them. The mushroom flavor will be more intense since the mushrooms are older; they'll have dried slightly so you won't be paying as much for water; and you won't see the discolorations anyway if you're using the mushrooms for cooking. I've tried his recommendation many times, and I think he's right. 4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (4 ounces) 1 cup thinly sliced scallions 1 cup chicken broth 1-1/2 cups fresh snow peas or 1 package (6 ounces) frozen snow peas, thawed 3/4 cup seedless, green grapes, halved 2 teaspoons slivered lemon peel 1 teaspoon minced, fresh ginger, or 1/4 teaspoon ground Cut thigh cutlets into 1/4" by 2" strips. Toss with cornstarch to coat well. In a wok or large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and saute until browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and scallions. Saute, stirring until mushrooms are golden, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and smooth. Reduce heat and simmer 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over rice. POJARSKI STYLE THIGHSServes 4 Pojarski style dishes use ground meat. They are typically made from beef, veal, salmon, or chicken. One of the most famous Pojarski dishes is salmon shaped to look like a pork chop. Doing the same thing with chicken tastes and looks delicious and costs a lot less. 1 package fresh ground chicken (about 1 pound) 1/2 cup sour cream, divided salt and ground pepper to taste 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 cup flour 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (4 ounces) 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley Mix ground chicken with 1/4 cup sour cream, plus salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes. Form mixture into four "chop" shaped cutlets and coat each lightly with flour. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add cutlets and saute for 7 to 8 minutes on each side until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove to a serving dish and keep warm. Add mushrooms to skillet and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining sour cream and mix well. Spoon sauce over cutlets. Sprinkle with fresh dill. STIR-FRIED THIGHS WITH BEANSPROUTSServes 4 Stir frying isn't more difficult than regular frying, but one big difference is that the pan is kept hotter than would be usual for American-style frying. To tell if it's hot enough, place your frying pan$or wok if you have one$over high heat. The pan or wok is hot enough if a drop of water dropped onto it sizzles and then evaporates. Add the oil, and let the oil heat until it's almost at the smoking point. When adding the ingredients, stir them constantly until done. 4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 egg white, slightly beaten salt to taste 2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil, as needed 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 red, sweet, bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions 1/4 pound (2 cups) snow peas, sliced diagonally 1/2 pound (4 cups) beansprouts, washed and drained 1/4 cup soy sauce few drops Tabasco, to taste Cut thighs into 1/4" strips. In a shallow bowl, combine cornstarch, egg white and salt. Add chicken, turning to coat well. Cover and refrigerate one hour. In a wok or large skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add thighs and garlic and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. Add additional oil to wok, if necessary. Add pepper strips and stir-fry one minute. Remove and set aside. Add scallions and snow peas and stir-fry one minute. Add beansprouts and cook, tossing, 2 minutes. Return chicken and pepper to wok and toss. Add soy sauce and Tabasco. Heat thoroughly. Serve over hot cooked rice. SWEET AND SOUR THIGHSServes 4 Cornstarch yields a more transparent sauce, and has roughly twice the thickening power of flour. The transparency makes it appropriate for oriental recipes like this one. 4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 2 tablespoons peanut oil 1 1/2 cups sliced green pepper 2/3 cup sliced celery 1/2 cup sliced scallions, stems included 1 can (8-1/2-ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained 6 ounces fresh or frozen (thawed) snow peas 1 can (8-3/4-ounces) pineapple chunks in syrup 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground 2 tablespoons vinegar 2 tablespoons soy sauce Cut thighs into bite size pieces. In a wok or large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add thigh pieces and stir-fry 5 minutes. Add green pepper, celery, scallions and water chestnuts. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Add snow peas, pineapple and syrup and chicken broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. In a small bowl, blend together cornstarch, sugar, ginger, vinegar and soy sauce. Add to wok and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice. SZECHUAN STIR-FRY THIGHSServes 4 The woman in charge of supervising the entire Perdue recipe program, says that this is her personal favorite. 4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1 cup carrots, cut into matchstick strips 1/2 cup cashews 1 teaspoon hot chili pepper, finely chopped, or to taste 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup dry sherry 1 tablespoon cornstarch Cut boneless thighs into strips (about 1/4" x 2"). In a wok or large skillet over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add chicken and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove chicken and reserve. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to wok and add carrots, cashews, chili pepper, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry 3 minutes until carrots just begin to soften. Return chicken to wok. In a small bowl blend together soy sauce, sherry and cornstarch. Add to wok and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce boils and thickens. Serve over hot cooked rice. THIGH CHILIServes 4 This is a healthy, low-cholesterol chili. 4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped 1 can (16-ounces) tomatoes, chopped, with liquid 1 can (16-ounces) kidney beans, drained 1 tablespoon chili powder salt and ground pepper to taste Tabasco, to taste Cut chicken into bite size pieces. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken, onion, garlic and green pepper and cook, stirring until chicken loses its pink color. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Adjust seasonings according to taste. THIGH FLAUTASServes 4 You can tell if your avocado for the guacamole in this recipe is ripe by whether it yields to gentle pressure when you hold it between your palms. If there's some "give" to it, it's ripe. If it feels hard, like a baseball, it's not ripe. Wait a few days, and it will have a richer, creamer texture and flavor. You can speed the ripening by keeping the avocado in a paper bag, at room temperature, along with a banana or pear or apple. These fruits give off a ripening factor and the paper bag concentrates the ripening factor. 4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets 1 quart chicken broth 1/2 pound Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 cups) 1/4 cup red or green chili salsa salt to taste 8 flour tortillas Vegetable oil, for frying 1/3 cup sour cream, optional Guacamole: 1 large ripe avocado 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice 1/2 cup chopped tomato 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon red or green chili salsa In a large saucepan over medium-high heat bring chicken broth to a boil. Add boneless thighs, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove thighs, reserving broth for other use. Shred meat and place in a mixing bowl. Toss with 1-1/2 cups cheese, salsa, and salt to taste. Divide mixture among tortillas and roll up, securing with a toothpick, if necessary. In a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2-inch oil. Fry flautas in hot oil, turning to brown lightly on all sides. Transfer to serving dish and keep warm. To make guacamole, scoop out avocado flesh, chop and toss with lemon juice. Combine lightly with remaining ingredients. Serve flautas topped with guacamole, remaining cheese and sour cream, if desired. Chapter Two. Chicken for the Microwave
When I was organizing this chapter, I was tempted to include all of these microwave recipes in the "Cooking for Everyday" chapter. After all, the microwave is certainly becoming part of our everyday life.
The reason I didn't is$well, there are two reasons. First, if I put all the microwave recipes in one chapter, you won't have to waste time hunting for them. Second, there are a number of tips on using the microwave successfully, and I thought you might like to have them all in one place, also.
The microwave is a wonderful convenience, but in my case, I used to use it for reheating foods or for boiling water and not much else. Are you the same? Ah, but there's so much more to it than that! Having spent time with the Perdue food technologists and home economists, and especially after studying the techniques and recipes from Rita Marie Schneider, the home economist who developed the majority of the Perdue microwave recipes, I'm a convert now. I've come to appreciate the versatility of the microwave as well as the speed.
There's a reason I happen to have spent time with the Perdue experts. Once when Frank was microwaving nuggets for himself at HIGH, he found that by the time all of them were heated, one of them was badly overcooked and therefore, dried out and$what a dirty word this is in the Perdue household!$tough. Frank didn't know that the microwave was the problem and instead assumed it was his product that was at fault.
How can I even tell you about the crisis that one tough "tender" caused! Frank didn't seem as upset when a whole processing plant burned down the year before. Because of that one tough tender, he called the plant manager, the quality control people, the packaging people, the man who wrote the cooking directions, the food technologists, the woman who runs the tasting lab, and probably half a dozen other people as well. It didn't matter that it was the weekend$the situation had to be addressed immediately! He kept repeating disconsolately, "I have no right to sell a product like this."
Eventually, one of the Perdue food technicians came out to our house and checked the microwave and suggested that we'd get more even cooking if we used MEDIUM HIGH. She said that at this setting, the microwaves reach an equilibrium so heating is much more even. And when there are no hot spots and no cold spots, the chicken gets uniformly warm with no dried out tough parts.
While she was there, she had a number of other tips for me as well, and as I talked with other Perdue people, I collected still more. By now, knowing a few little tricks about the microwave, I know how to make much better use of it. Because of the time it saves in cooking, and the time it saves in clean-up (no baked on bits of food to scrub), I use the microwave about as often as my oven.
Tips for Using Your Microwave
_The best microwave tip I know is, learn about the "cold spots" in your microwave so you don't end up with unevenly cooked chicken. To learn your microwave's "cold spots," line the bottom of your microwave oven with wax paper and then spread an eighth-inch layer of pancake batter over it. Turn the oven on HIGH, and then check it at 30 second intervals. At some point, (in my case after a minute and a half), you'll see that in some places the batter is dried out and hard, while in others, it's still soupy, as if the heat hadn't touched it. Once I made this check, I gained an immense respect for the fact that microwaves don't necessarily cook evenly, and I've made sure to compensate ever since by stirring or turning foods as directed in microwave recipes.
_Do not use utensils with metal trim (including the gold trim on fine china), handle clamps, or fastening screws. Metal trim can cause arcing (sparking). Aluminum foil, in small amounts on the other hand, won't cause arcing in most microwaves as long as it doesn't touch the sides of the oven.
_The coverings used in microwave cooking have definite purposes: use plastic wrap to steam and tenderize; use wax paper to hold in heat without steaming; use paper towels to absorb moisture, yet hold in heat.
_To obtain a crisp, crunchy crumb-coated chicken, first cook covered with wax paper, then switch to a paper towel covering and, finally, complete cooking with chicken uncovered.
_If the bony parts of your chicken are overcooking before the meatier parts are done, shield the bony parts by placing strips of thin aluminum foil over them.
_If you're microwaving chicken livers, prick each one to allow steam to escape. Before I knew this tip, I've had them explode in the oven.
_Microwave recipes usually call for smaller amounts of seasonings than conventionally cooked dishes. Microwaving tends to intensify flavors, so you won't need as much seasoning.
_Don't ignore the standing time called for in some of these recipes. In microwave cookery, standing time allows further cooking to occur after you have removed the food from the microwave oven. Covering the food holds heat in and speeds this final, important step. When I've cheated on this step, I've found the chicken hard to carve and undercooked.
_When possible, arrange food in a circular or donut shape; without corners, food cooks more evenly from all sides. For example, if you're cooking drumsticks, arrange them like a wagon wheel with the meatier portions at the outer edge, and the drum stick end in the center.
_Thin foods cook faster than thick foods because microwaves lose power after they penetrate food.
_Ingredients also affect cooking time. Foods higher in sugar or fat heat faster and to higher temperatures than do those with lower sugar or fat content.
_When the recipe says "70% power," or MEDIUM HIGH, don't be tempted to get things done faster by going for 100% power. At 70% power, the microwaves cook the product more slowly but also more evenly, so there's less worry about cold spots.
ROASTED CHICKEN WITH ALMOND SAUCEServes 4 Of course you can serve the pre-cooked chicken just as it comes from the store, without doing anything else to it at all. I've done this many times with our Perdue Done It! roasted chicken when I've been in a hurry. But this recipe only takes a few extra minutes and you'll have a show piece at the end. As you're making it, be glad for a moment that you're not making this recipe in the year 1911. A typical recipe in a the December issue of The Wisconsin Farmer assumes that you've already plucked the bird and removed its head and feet. It directs you "to singe the bird over a burning newspaper on a hot stove." The stove would probably have been a wood-burning one, and in all probability, it would have been up to you to get the wood for the stove. When I think of then and I think of now, I'm glad that "We've come a long way, baby". 1 roasted chicken 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons Amaretto or other almond liqueur 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds Heat pre-cooked roasted chicken in its own microwave tray following package directions. In 2-cup glass container, combine cornstarch, broth, liqueur and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave at HIGH (100% power) 3 or 4 minutes until bubbly and thick; stir twice during cooking. Add almonds. Slice chicken onto a platter and top with sauce.