leg up
perfecting the done before they arrive dinner party- a work in progressHere’s one to wrap up and put under your tree. A scrumptious supper where the prep is practically done the night before. Having family friends over to take in the lights and exchange a gift or two. The best present for the hostess is spending time in front of the fire rather than with her head in the oven.
Before the new year heralds all its resolutions why not go to the dark side and have your chicken show a little leg. Skinless boneless thighs marinated overnight in a zippy apricot orange glaze.
Shallots and ginger sautéed, vinegar reduced. Add soy sauce and apricot preserves, simmer.
Puree sauce, cool to room temperature.
Place chicken thighs and marinade in a zip loc bag. Store in the frig overnight (or for a minimum of eight hours). Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with two sheets of foil, or better yet one sheet of extra wide heavy duty foil.
Roast in a 425 degree oven, turning once, about 30 minutes until deep brown and cooked through.
Parsnips get a bad wrap. This delightful pale carrot thrives in a little chicken broth and a dollop of butter. And because cliques tend to stick together why not pair up this misunderstood root vegetable with an equally maligned one- the Brussels sprout. (Don’t scoff this one off; pureed parsnips with brussels sprout leaves is seriously one of the best sides I’ve ever made.)
Simmer the parsnips in chicken broth. Drain, reserving the liquid.
Puree parsnips with butter, milk and pepper in the bowl of a food processor until smooth.
Place in an oven and microwave safe serving dish.
Separate the Brussels sprout leaves, coring center as necessary.
Leaves can be sealed in a Ziploc bag and refrigerated one day ahead.
Heat a tablespoon of olive in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
Toss in Brussels sprout leaves, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and flash sauté. Sprinkle on top of warm parsnip puree.
An unexpected gift- Some of those frozen chocolate crepes are still in my freezer!