Ultimate Samosas Chicken And Spinach Tyler Florence Food

THE ULTIMATE ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out. Pat it dry with paper towels. Divide the herbs, keeping 1/2 of them whole. Finely chop the other half. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the chopped herbs, until combined. Rub the herbed butter under the skin, as well as all over the outside of the chicken. Season the bird all over with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the orange, garlic, 1 onion, and the remaining herbs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan. Put the remaining onion into the pan, which will help color and flavor the sauce. Lay the strips of bacon across the breast of the chicken and roast for 25 minutes.
• Remove the bacon and baste the chicken with the drippings and cook for another 25 minutes to brown the skin. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (the legs of the chicken should wiggle easily from the sockets too.) Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, so the juices settle back into the meat before carving.
• Meanwhile, remove the softened onion from the roasting pan. Tilt the pan so the drippings collect in 1 corner, skimming off as much fat as possible, and leaving the drippings. Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium heat and take a wooden spoon to scrape up the flavor from the bottom of the pan. Stir the flour into the drippings to make a roux-like paste. Pour in the chicken broth in stages; continue to stir to dissolve the flour evenly to prevent lumps. Stir in the sherry and season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, carve the chicken tableside and squeeze the oranges from the cavity over the meat.
• Difficulty: Easy
• Serving suggestion: roast potatoes, watercress and gravy.

ULTIMATE SAMOSAS (CHICKEN AND SPINACH) - TYLER FLORENCE

Steps:

• Combine oil, cinnamon, curry powder, cumin and ground chili in a large skillet. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat until spices are hot and very fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the meat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and stir. Add chickpeas and spinach and stir again. Add salt and fresh pepper to taste. Cook until nearly dry, then cool to room temperature. Remove cinnamon stick and discard.
• In a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to distribute the salt. Add oil and pulse until it has the texture of wet sand. With the blades running, drizzle ice water through feed tube until the dough just forms a coherent mass. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Heavily flour a dry work surface. Cut dough in quarters. Working with one ball at a time, roll ball into an 8" circle. Cut in half. With a fingertip or pastry brush, spread water along the cut edge. Fold the half-circle so the cut edge overlaps itself to form a seam, and the whole thing forms a cone (the center of the cut edge forms the tip of the cone). Pinch the seam tightly. Stuff with about 2 tablespoons of filling, or until nicely full. Wet the remaining exposed edge of the dough, and crimp closed. Repeat with remaining dough to form 8 samosas. (Samosas can be frozen at this point for up to a month; fry while still frozen.).
• Heat 1 qt vegetable oil in a pot to 360°F Fry in batches until golden and puffy, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

CHICKEN AND SPINACH SAMOSAS

Steps:

• Begin by preparing the dough. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, salt and oil and mix with your fingers until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add water and mix with both hands until fully combined and mixture holds as a ball. Turn out onto a clean flat surface and knead for 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth. Flatten into a disc shape and set back in bowl and cover with plastic wrap to rest for 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.
• Set a large, heavy-based pot over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil. Add spices and stir until just fragrant - this lightly toasts the spices and forms the spicy base of the filling mixture. Add ground chicken and saute until slightly coloured. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and sweat. Add chickpeas and spinach then simmer for 10 minutes until liquid has evaporated and all the flavours have come together. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and allow to cool (you can pour it out onto a flat platter to speed up the cooling process.
• Return to the dough and divide it up into 4 equal parts. Working with one piece at a time roll into a nice ball then using a rolling pin roll out into discs. Cut in half down the middle to form two half-circles. Working with one half at a time, rub a little water around the edges using your finger. Form a cone by folding along the straight edge overlapping the seam. Gently pinch at the fold to secure. Holding the cone in your hand fill with 2 tablespoons of filling. Seal the top by bringing the edges together and crimping with your fingers or a fork. Do this with the rest to make 8 samosas. (note: you can freeze them at this point if you wish).
• Heat vegetable oil to 360 degrees F in a large heavy-based pot. Fry the samosas in batches (so as to not to over-crowd the pot) until puffy and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and serve with Raita.
• Combine ingredients in a food processor and pulse 3 times to just chop up the cucumber. The raita should be nice and creamy from the yogurt but still have texture from the cucumber.

CHICKEN MEATBALL AND TORTELLINI SOUP - TYLER FLORENCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare meatballs by combining loose ground chicken meat (discard casings, if using sausages), bread crumbs, milk, egg, parsley, and the 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then mix until fully combined. Using a small ice cream scoop, make balls and set on a roasting tray. Drizzle lightly with oil and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and caramelized.
• While the meatballs are roasting, prepare the soup. Set a large stockpot over medium heat. Add a 2-count of oil (about 2 tablespoons), the garlic, and thyme. Gently saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add carrot, onion, and celery. Season with salt and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and add peppercorns, the 2 tablespoons parsley, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
• Once meatballs are cooked, scrape them into the pot of chicken soup and add tortellini. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Remove peppercorns and bay leaf. Season with salt and peppers and serve in shallow bowls. Sprinkle with parsley and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Garnish each bowl with a parsley sprig and serve with some torn pieces of crusty bread.