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Spanokopitta
Roast Chicken with Lemon
Menu Plan for the week of Oct. 18, 2013: Saturday's Recipes
Spanokopitta
Roast Chicken with Lemon
Potatoes Lyonaise
Cauliflower with Butter and Herbs
Cooking time: 80 minutes for menu (30 min. break) Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
If phyllo is frozen (try to get fresh) remember to thaw earlier. It keeps a week in the fridge, well-wrapped or refreeze. This is the easiest (and one of the best) Roast Chicken recipes you'll find anywhere. You can save the leftover chicken for the risotto (or eat it and use a chicken breast).
Spanokopitta Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes
This classic Greek pie is similar to a strudel. Made with cooked spinach, feta and herbs; baked to a golden brown; it is a lovely first course. They can be made smaller for finger food and the recipe easily expands to serve more.
6oz (180gr) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 sheets of phyllo dough
4oz (120gr) feta cheese
1 tbs dried parsley
1 tbs dried dill (weed)
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce, room temperature
Thaw spinach, squeeze dry and put into a bowl. Add feta, mash it with a fork and mix into spinach. Add herbs. Mix well and divide in half.
Remove 1 sheet of pastry and re-wrap the rest. It's important to keep filo covered at all times or it will dry out very quickly. Lay the sheet out flat and lightly brush all over with olive oil. Fold filo in half the long way. Brush top layer with oil. Take one corner of the filo and lightly fold it so that the corner touches the opposite side. Do not actually make the fold. We just want to determine the placement of the spinach. It will form a triangle. Unfold it and place half of the spinach on the half of the triangle that will be the 'bottom'. Now make the fold, taking the corner to the opposite side. Continue to fold over and over, maintaining the triangle, like a flag. (It will make sense when you are doing it) You will end up with a nicely sealed triangle. Brush the top and bottom with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the spinach. Bake at 400F (200C) for 15 - 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
To serve: Spoon half the tomato sauce (2 tbs) onto each of 2 plates. Lay a Spanokopitta next to the sauce, garnish with some olives if you have them and serve.
This is the easiest chicken recipe I have ever seen; and also one of the best. The skin puffs up, away from the chicken which is rather interesting. The chicken is moist, tender and lightly flavored with lemon. The gravy is excellent!
1 whole roasting chicken
2 small lemons, preferably thin-skinned and juicy
for a thicker sauce:
1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
1 - 2 tbs cornstarch (maizena)
Clean the chicken. Roll the lemons on the counter with your hand a few times, pressing lightly. With a toothpick prick the lemons all over, 20 - 25 times. Put the lemons inside the chicken. With kitchen string (or whatever) tie the legs together. Twist the wing tips around so they are tucked under the back, supporting the chicken. (If you don't do these last two it won't affect the recipe - only the appearance.) Do not salt, butter, oil or anything else.
Put breast side down in a roasting pan and roast at 350F for 30 minutes.
Turn the chicken over and roast for 30 minutes.
Turn the oven to 400F and roast for 20 - 25 more minutes. Skin should be golden brown and puffy. Remove, let rest for 5 - 10 minutes, then carve and serve with pan juices.
For a thicker sauce/gravy: Pour 1/2 cup chicken stock into the roasting pan. Scrape up any brown bits and pour it all into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Dissolve 1 tbs cornstarch in 1/2 cup chicken stock. Slowly pour into saucepan, stirring until clear and thickened to your liking. Serve with chicken.
Potatoes Lyonaise Preparation and cooking time: 40 minutes
These are incredibly easy and delicious, and pair well with flavorful fish and chicken. They absorb the chicken stock at the end, giving them a bit of a syrupy glaze.
2 medium potatoes
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
2 tsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) chicken stock
Peel onion, cut in half and slice thinly. Peel and chop garlic. Sauté onion and garlic in medium nonstick skillet in 2 tsp butter until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Cut potatoes in quarters lengthwise, then slice thinly.
Remove onions and garlic from pan. Add 2 tsp oil, potatoes and sauté until golden, turning often with spatula, about 20 minutes. When potatoes are golden, return onion and garlic to pan, add chicken stock, cover and simmer until stock is absorbed, 5 - 10 minutes. Serve.
Often, simple is best! The first time I tasted cauliflower (my mother never fixed it) I was convinced it tasted just like sweet corn. Plain, with butter, is still my favorite way to eat it.
1/3 head cauliflower enough for 2 persons
2 tbs butter
1 tsp dried basil
Cut cauliflower into pieces, put into a steamer and steam over water for 15 - 20 minutes until fork-tender. Remove and drain water from pan. In same pan melt butter. Add herbs, sauté lightly. Pour over cauliflower and serve - adding salt & pepper if desired.
Cooking Schedule: 80 minutes for menu |
Repeat for other Spanokopitta |
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