All posts by LynnHoll

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About LynnHoll

I have been an artist and designer all my life incorporating graphic design for websites, gardens, publications, fabrics, interior design and cooking. I am now retired from my professional job, but still create artistic visions in all forms on a daily basis.

Leek, Fennel, and Squash Soup with Sausage

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Who doesn’t love a tasty homemade soup? Leek, Fennel, and Squash Soup with Sausage is a hearty, flavorful bowlful that blends sweet, aromatic vegetables with savory, spiced sausage for a comforting and satisfying meal.

This soup starts with sautéed leeks and fennel, which bring a mild onion-like sweetness combined with the subtle anise flavor of fennel. Both vegetables soften and infuse the broth with their delicate aromatics. Of course, using homemade chicken broth adds oodles of flavor and health benefits.

The squash—a winter variety like kabocha or butternut—adds a creamy, naturally sweet, and slightly nutty element once cooked. Its vibrant orange color makes the dish visually appealing as well.

Savory sausage—usually Italian, fennel, or spicy sausage—is browned and crumbled into the soup, infusing it with rich, meaty notes and a bit of spice and seasoning complexity. This soup is perfect for a cozy lunch or dinner, served with crusty bread on the side, if desired.

NOTE: Kabocha squash is worth seeking out in this soup, but if you can’t find it red kuri or butternut squash will also work.

Leek, Fennel, and Squash Soup with Sausage

  • Servings: 5
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. hot Italian sausage casing removed
  • 1 1/2 lbs. leeks white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and washed thoroughly
  • 1 fennel bulb halved, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled and sliced thin
  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp. table salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 lbs. winter squash (kabocha, red kuri, or butternut), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
  • 1 can cannellini beans (15-oz.) rinsed
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions

  1. Cook sausage in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to plate and set aside.
  2. Add leeks, fennel, garlic, oil, salt, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs to fat left in pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, about 7 minutes.
  3. Stir in squash, broth, beans, and reserved sausage, scraping up any browned bits. Cover pot, increase heat to high, and bring soup to vigorous simmer. Reduce heat to medium and vigorously simmer for 20 to 35 minutes, until squash is tender. Remove pot from heat, discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs, and stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

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Recipe courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen

Seared Tuna with Citrus, Tomato and Olive Sauce

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Imagine a beautifully plated dish that showcases the vibrant, fresh flavors of the sea and Mediterranean garden. At the center is a perfectly seared tuna steak, its exterior caramelized to a tender, golden-brown crust while the interior remains delightfully rare, melt-in-your-mouth pink. The tuna’s rich, meaty texture provides a luxurious base for the meal.

Resting atop the tuna is a bright and zesty citrus, tomato, and olive sauce. This sauce balances savory and tangy notes with a Mediterranean flair. Juices of fresh lemons and oranges mingle with ripe, sliced plum tomatoes and briny black olives, enhanced by a touch of garlic. The acidity and complexity of the sauce perfectly cut through the richness of the tuna, creating a harmonious blend of flavors in every bite.

On the side, a serving of fluffy couscous complements the dish with its light, grainy texture. The couscous is cooked to a tender consistency, each tiny granule separate and airy, and acts as a gentle flavor absorber, soaking up the juices from the citrus sauce and adding a satisfying, hearty component to the meal.

Together, this dish offers a balance of textures and flavors—tender, rich tuna; vibrant, tangy sauce; and delicate, comforting couscous—making a meal that’s fresh, elegant, and nourishing.

With just the two of us for dinner, we simply cooked one large tuna steak (keeping the amount of the other ingredients intact) and shared it along with couscous cooked in homemade shrimp stock, and a small side salad. Healthy eating at its best!

Seared Tuna with Citrus, Tomato and Olive Sauce

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 medium plum tomatoes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium lemon
  • 2 medium navel oranges
  • 2 Tbsp. coriander seeds
  • 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns
  • 4 tuna steaks 1 inch thick (6 to 7 oz. each)
  • 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 anchovy fillets rinsed and patted dry
  • 1 large clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives (about 18)
  • Optional sliced scallions for garish
  • Lemon wedges for serving

Directions

  1. Cut each tomato into four wedges, cut out the cores, and remove the seeds and pulp. Slice the tomatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips. In a colander, toss them with 1/4 tsp. salt and let them drain for 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, finely grate the zest of the lemon. Put the zest in a medium bowl. Working over the bowl, segment the lemon and the oranges. In a spice grinder or mortar and pestle (or with a meat mallet; put the spices in a zip-top bag), coarsely grind the coriander and peppercorns. Press the spices into both sides of the tuna steaks.
  3. Gently heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies and mash them into the oil with the back of a spoon until nearly dissolved. Turn the heat to low, add the garlic, and cook until softened but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  4. Add the drained tomato strips, the orange and lemon segments (with the zest and juice), and the olives to the pan. Toss very gently to warm through, being careful not to break up the citrus segments. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and keep warm.
  5. Wipe out the skillet, set it over medium-high heat, and pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Generously salt the tuna steaks on both sides. Working in batches if necessary, sear the steaks, pressing on them while cooking to help a crust develop, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the tuna and continue to cook until golden brown, another 2 to 3 minutes for medium rare to medium. Transfer the tuna to dinner plates and serve with the warm citrus sauce.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Arlene Jacobs

Filipino Pork Adobo

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In this Milk Street recipe (that all reviewers rated 5 stars), there is a slow and fast version. Here, we made it using the fast method (with a pressure cooker, not an InstaPot). The final result is fork tender meat with deeply satisfying flavor, all done from start to finish in one pot.

Adobo varies from household to household across the Philippines, with some versions being more sour, others sweeter or with a thicker sauce. It’s considered the unofficial national dish of the Philippines due to its popularity, ease of preparation, and flavorful, comforting taste. The defining flavors are vinegar, garlic, black pepper, bay and salt in some form (often soy sauce). For this version of pork adobo, instead of the oft-used pork belly, boneless shoulder is the meat choice because it is easier to find in supermarkets, but still is rich and flavorful.

Honey, or any type of sweetener, is an unconventional ingredient in adobo, but is used here to balance the salty and sour flavors in the dish. The serranos give the braise a gentle spiciness; if you prefer, use just one chili or keep both whole. Serve this over rice to soak up the sauce.

NOTE: When cooking the scallion whites, garlic and bay, don’t over stir; the goal is to develop deep browning, which builds flavor in the dish.

Filipino Pork Adobo

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil
  • 2 bunches scallions, white and light green parts cut into 1-inch pieces, green parts thinly sliced, reserved separately
  • 8 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • 3 bay leaves
  • ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • 2 serrano chilies, stemmed and halved
  • Ground black pepper
  • 3 lbs. boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Directions

  1. On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select More/High Sauté. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the scallion whites, garlic and bay, then cook without stirring until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes.
  2. Stir and continue to cook, stirring only once or twice, until darkly browned, about another 2 minutes. Press Cancel, then stir in the soy, vinegar, honey, serranos and 1 teaspoon pepper, scraping up any browned bits. Add the pork; stir to combine, then distribute in an even layer.
  3. Lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 30 minutes.
  4. When pressure cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then release the remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.
  5. Using a large spoon, skim off and discard the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Remove and discard the chilies and bay.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid, then stir into the pot. Select Normal/Medium Sauté and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook, stirring, until lightly thickened, about 1 minute.
  7. Press Cancel to turn off the pot. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled generously with the scallion greens.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe from Milk Street

Sweet-and-Sour Cranberry Chicken Stir-Fry

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During our childhood, most families undoubtedly served canned cranberry jelly at Thanksgiving dinner. The ribbed, “cylindrical beauty plops out of the can like a gavel marking the start of the holiday”, retaining its signature shape so guests can slice off just the right amount. OK, I admit, I was NOT a fan favorite then, nor am I now. But in this recipe it works!

While slicing is a perfectly acceptable (if not somewhat encouraged) way of serving, here the jelly is used as a weeknight dinner shortcut, transforming into a quick stir-fry sauce that coats chicken and green beans in a glossy sweet-and-sour sauce reminiscent of orange chicken.

Just make sure to grab a can of jellied cranberry sauce, not the whole-berry kind. While they might look similar, the former will result in a smooth and glossy glaze (the berries in the other will clump it up). BUT, it contains high fructose corn syrup.

High-fructose corn syrup is a liquid sweetener made from corn. When corn starch is broken down into individual molecules, it becomes corn syrup, which is 100% glucose, a simple sugar. Enzymes are added to convert some of this glucose into fructose. High-fructose corn syrup is cheaper than sugar, with better flavor enhancement and longer shelf life. It’s more stable and consistent, especially in acidic foods and drinks. It works well in this recipe and is up to you on whether or not it fits your life style diet. We can honestly say, it was darn-right delicious!

All-in-all, most of the other ingredients are healthy for you…

Sweet-and-Sour Cranberry Chicken Stir-Fry

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup jellied cranberry sauce (from a 14-oz. can)
  • 3 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided
  • 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise, thinly sliced against the grain
  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 4 Tbsp. (or more) vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 lb. green beans, trimmed
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 ½” piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
  • Kosher salt
  • Thinly sliced orange zest and toasted sesame seeds (for serving)
  • Steamed white rice (for serving; optional)

Directions

  1. Whisk 1 cup jellied cranberry sauce (from a 14-oz. can), 3 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar, 2 tsp. finely grated orange zest, ¼ cup fresh orange juice, 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil, and 2 Tbsp. soy sauce in a small bowl until jelly is mostly dissolved (some lumps are okay); set sauce aside.
  2. Toss 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise, thinly sliced against the grain, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, and remaining 1 Tbsp. soy sauce in a medium bowl until chicken is well coated; set aside.
  3. Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over high. Cook 1 lb. green beans, trimmed, tossing very occasionally, until tender and deeply browned in spots, 6–8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to a large bowl.
  4. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in same pan. Arrange reserved chicken in a single layer and cook, tossing very occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with green beans.
  5. If pan is dry, add more vegetable oil (up to 2 Tbsp.). Add 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped, and one ½” piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add reserved sauce; cook, stirring, until thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Return green beans and chicken to pan; toss to coat.
  6. Remove stir-fry from heat; season with kosher salt. Top with thinly sliced orange zest and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with steamed white rice if desired.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Jess Szewcyck for Bon Appétit

Pork Chops with Bourbon-Cherry Sauce and Sweet Potatoes

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Just a WOW!! Pairing pork with fruit is most definitely a win. Fruits often bring aromatic compounds (floral, citrusy, or spicy notes) that complement the mild, savory flavor of pork. This layering of aromas adds complexity and depth. The gorgeous caramel color alone is enough to make me swoon.

For this recipe, pumpkin pie spice adds warmth to pan-seared pork chops; while using an immersion blender whips the sweet potatoes into an ultra-creamy mash, DELISH! A quick sweet and savory pan sauce—inspired by the flavors of an old-fashioned cocktail—ties the dish together in an unforgettable way.

For an herbal note in the sauce, we included about a teaspoon each of chopped fresh sage and rosemary. To round out the meal and add a pop of color, we accompanied the dish with steamed broccoli. We are already planning on creating this fabulous meal again in the near future, with increasing that to-die-for sauce by 50%.

At 6 minutes per side, our chops would have been too-well done for our liking. We suggest a minimum of 5 minutes per side. The ingredients list and directions below include our changes—which increases the sauce. (If saucy dishes are not your thing, cut back the sauce ingredients by 50%.)

We practically died and went to heaven while enjoying this meal!

NOTES: You can substitute ground cinnamon for the pumpkin pie spice. In lieu of frozen cherries, we used rehydrated dried cherries. In the realm of cooking, apple juice or cider reduced with spices can serve as a non-alcoholic substitute for bourbon in sauces.

Pork Chops with Bourbon-Cherry Sauce and Sweet Potatoes

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
  • 1 1⁄2 cups chicken broth, divided
  • 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 tsp. table salt, divided
  • 1 ¾ tsp. pepper, divided
  • 4 (8- to 10-oz.) bone-in pork rib chops, ¾ to 1 inch thick, trimmed
  • ¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon
  • 1 1⁄2 tsp. cornstarch
  • 12 oz. frozen sweet cherries, quartered
  • ¼ cup bourbon, plus 2 Tbsp.
  • 1 1⁄2 Tbsp. orange marmalade
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh sage

Directions

  1. Combine potatoes, ½ cup chicken broth, 4 tablespoons butter, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Process with immersion blender until smooth.
  2. Meanwhile, pat pork dry with paper towels and sprinkle with pie spice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until well browned and registers 140 degrees, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer pork to platter and tent with foil.
  3. Whisk cornstarch and remaining ¾ cup chicken broth together in bowl. Combine cherries, bourbon, orange marmalade, chicken broth mixture, chopped fresh herbs, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper in now-empty skillet. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until mixture turns thick and translucent, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Serve pork chops and sweet potatoes with sauce.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Jessica Rudolph for America’s Test Kitchen

Mushroom Minestrone with Beans and Farro

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A healthy homemade soup in one hour! A fiber-rich spin on minestrone, this hearty soup is packed with vegetables and beans in a tomatoey broth. Sautéed mushrooms, piney rosemary and nutty farro give the dish richness and umami.

You can substitute other white beans, such as Great Northern, navy, or chickpeas; and other mushrooms in place of the creminis. As I always mention, when broth or stock is listed as an ingredient, homemade is your best choice, but if that is not an option for you, we suggest the Better-Than-Buillon brand for the most flavor.

NOTES: Refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. The farro will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so you may need to add more broth or water to thin it out as needed. Do not use quick-cooking farro.

Mushroom Minestrone with Beans and Farro

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion (8 oz.), diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 3/4 tsp. fine salt, divided
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
  • 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 (15-oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 (14-oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1/2 cup pearled or semi-pearled farro
  • 5 oz. baby kale or spinach, lightly chopped
  • Grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

  1. In a medium-to-large (4-to-6-quart) pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and it evaporates, 4 to 5 minutes.
  2. Add the celery, onion, carrot and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables slightly soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, rosemary and tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 1 minute.
  3. Stir in the beans, then add the broth, tomatoes, the Parmesan rind (if using), and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the pepper, then increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in the farro, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until the farro is al dente, 30 to 35 minutes.
  4. Stir in the kale and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust according to taste. Remove from the heat, ladle into bowls, sprinkle with parmesan, if using, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and serve hot.

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Adapted from a recipe by Ellie Krieger

Russ’s Braised Pork and Sauerkraut Revisited

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I first posted a blog on this recipe four years ago. Each year for New Year’s Day, we traditionally make an evolving version of The Hubs pork and sauerkraut recipe. We now use his own fermented sauerkraut which seems to elevate the dish, but is not a requirement.

Serve with mashed potatoes or pureed celery root. It’s traditional to serve apple sauce with this dish as well. We like the sugar-free natural varieties with a light sprinkle of cinnamon.

In this instance, we only used 3 pounds of pork shoulder and 2 pounds of sauerkraut, but the written recipe below is based on a larger amount of both. And in lieu of rosemary, we used 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh sage because that’s what we had on hand.

NOTE: You can substitute hard cider for the beer to lend an apple flavor to the dish.

Russ's Braised Pork and Sauerkraut Revisited

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. table salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano ground finely
  • 1 5-6 lb. pork shoulder, bone in or boneless
  • 3 large onions peeled and sliced
  • 8 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
  • 4 lbs. sauerkraut preferably homemade, OR (refrigerated, not canned) drained
  • 3 cups amber beer or hard cider
  • 2 stalks rosemary leaves removed and finely chopped
  • 6 stems thyme tied in a bunch
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns
  • 6 juniper berries (optional) lightly crushed
  • Olive or other vegetable oil for browning the meat
  • Cheesecloth for making the bouquet garni

Directions

  1. At least 8, but preferably 24 hours before cooking the pork, combine the first five ingredients and rub it all over the pork. On a rack in a sheet pan, refrigerate. Remove meat from refrigerator and allow to warm at room temperature about an hour before you plan to cook it.
  2. Make a bouquet garni with the peppercorns and the juniper berries (if using them) and set aside. Be sure to double or triple the cheesecloth.
  3. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a large Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium high flame until shimmering. Unwrap the pork shoulder and brown on all sides, about 15-20 minutes. Remove meat from pot and set on plate while you complete the next steps.
  4. Add the sliced onions to the pot and saute until they be come translucent. Add the chopped garlic and saute for about one minute. Add the drained sauerkraut, then the beer or hard cider. Mix everything together well, making sure to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
  5. Add the bay leaves, thyme bundle, chopped rosemary and the bouquet garni. Mix well again with the sauerkraut and onions.
  6. Return the pork shoulder to the pot, nestling it into the sauerkraut. Place a sheet or parchment of aluminum foil over the pot, then put on the lid ensuring that it fits tightly. Place the pot in the preheated oven and cook for 2 hours. Turn the roast, then return it to the oven for another 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
  7. To serve, remove the pork shoulder from the pot to a platter to carve. Remove the bay leaves, thyme bundle and bouquet garni and discard. Give the sauerkraut mixture a good stir and serve with the pork and mashed potatoes or celery root mash.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Slow Roasted Duck with Orange-Sherry Sauce

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A very interesting combination, with amazing results! Now you might say this takes a lot of time and effort to only get two to three servings—and we would have to agree. But sometimes when we have a long non-scheduled afternoon ahead of us, we find a culinary challenge fits our MO. Plus, we love duck! OK, maybe “masochist” might be an appropriate adjective?

Typically a duck is scored in order to render the fat properly. However, in this recipe, there is no need to prick the skin beforehand due to the long cooking time. Plus, après roasting, the skin of the breast is removed from the meat and is fully crisped at a higher temperature just prior to serving.

Under the Ingredients category, we made a few changes, starting with the fact that our bird was 7 pounds instead of 5 — providing 3 full servings. Also, unable to buy 4 ounces of loose creminis, we had to purchase an 8-ounce package and decided to use them all. Finally, we garnished our dish with diagonal slices of scallion (already had on hand) as opposed to 1-inch pieces of chives.

The original Directions were a bit wonky and unclear in places, so we altered them for clarification. For instance, instead of draining the fat every hour (the duck roasts for 4 1/2 hours), just place the bird on a rack in the roasting pan, then at the end of cooking you can remove the fat all at once. (Of course it is liquid gold, so save for future culinary endeavors. We ended up with about 3 1/2 cups worth!)

Ducks and chickens belong to the avian family, yet their anatomical structures exhibit some significant differences. The texture also differs; duck tends to be denser and more succulent, while chicken can be more delicate and prone to shredding.

Ducks possess dark meat, which has a higher fat content and a more robust flavor. This fat contributes to the bird’s juiciness and tenderness. However once you pick it from the carcass, make sure to wrap the meat tightly in tinfoil and keep warm while you finish making the dinner, so that it won’t dry out.

This dish gives a huge nod toward the New Orleans’s legendary street food tradition of gravy-soaked po’ boys laden with French fries; usually NOT my go-to option. Home cooks can substitute shoestring potatoes, mock frites or hash browns. Either way, it’s told, the interplay between the moist meat, luscious sauce and crisp potatoes is nonpareil.

Slow Roasted Duck with Orange-Sherry Sauce

  • Servings: 2-3
  • Difficulty: moderate
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • ½ stick unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 5-lb duck, rinsed and patted dry
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 2 large rosemary sprigs
  • 2 cups fresh orange juice
  • 1 cup dry sherry
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned
  • 4 oz. cremini or white button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 17-oz. jar roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained and cut into strips
  • 2 fresh chives, cut into 1-inch lengths
  • Hash browns, OR French fries

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 500 degrees. In a large bowl, toss onions with melted butter. Season duck inside and out with salt and pepper. Place rosemary sprigs inside duck’s cavity and then tightly pack with buttered onion mixture.
  2. Place duck in medium-size roasting pan, and roast for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and cover pan loosely with foil. Roast for about 4½ hours, draining fat every hour.
  3. Remove pan from oven and carefully discard as much fat as possible with a ladle. Add orange juice, sherry and soy sauce. Return pan to oven and roast uncovered for 30 minutes. Transfer duck to a platter and let cool slightly. Pour pan juices (about 4 cups) into a saucepan, discarding any pieces of skin. Skim off fat and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  4. Add carrots and reduce to 1½ cups, strain and keep on the side. In same pan, sauté mushrooms with 2 tablespoons butter until brown. Add red peppers and briefly sauté, then add reduced sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.
  5. Remove onions and rosemary from duck’s cavity and discard. Remove meat from bones. Place skin from duck breasts onto rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until skin starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes. (Ours took 13 minutes to crisp up.)
  6. Cover bottoms of individual plates with sauce and top with either pasta, shoestring fries, hash browns or unsalted potato chips. Place a generous amount of duck meat on top, then garnish with crispy skin, vegetables and chives or scallions.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted by a recipe from Greg Sonnier; originally by Pableaux Johnson

Quick Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Dijon

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The main basis for this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen is a flavorful, yet quick, weeknight stew. Therefore the cut of meat is important. Sirloin steak tips (also known as flap meat or bavette steak) is essential if wanting a tender beef stew in less than an hour’s time. Yes, it is more expensive than chuck, but well worth it.

Quick-cooking sirloin steak tips have a beefy flavor and tender texture, so they are perfect for this speedy stew. Cutting the meat into small pieces allows it to get tender even faster. Smaller chunks are also easier to eat IMHO.

This stew tastes great after only 10 minutes of simmering but gets even better when cooked for longer; you can simmer it for up to 1 hour if time allows. Serve with mashed potatoes, polenta, egg noodles, rice, or crusty bread and sprinkle with additional chopped rosemary or fresh chives.

If you are simmering closer to an hour, you could consider adding in sliced carrots or parsnips.

Quick Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Dijon

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1½ lbs. sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1½ tsp. table salt, divided
  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  • 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ oz. dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and chopped fine
  • 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Directions

  1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Melt butter in Dutch oven over high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to plate.
  2. Add cremini mushrooms, onion, garlic, tomato paste, rosemary, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften and tomato paste darkens, 4 to 7 minutes.
  3. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth and water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in porcini mushrooms, mustard, and beef, along with any accumulated juices, and bring to boil.
  4. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until beef and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes (or up to 1 hour if time allows; the meat will get more tender the longer it’s simmered. Add extra water if stew gets too thick). Season with salt to taste. Serve.

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Adapted from a recipe by Jessica Rudolph for America’s Test Kitchen

Seafood and Chorizo Stew

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This stew is started by cooking Spanish-style chorizo and onion together to infuse a bold flavor combination into its base. A mix of shrimp and cod are added at the end of the process to ensure that they are not overcooked.

The Hubs had made homemade seafood stock earlier in the day, so in place of the bottle of clam juice, we incorporated the stock—which adds tons of flavor. Another flavor-amping choice was using fire-roasted diced tomatoes.

Unlike Mexican chorizo, which is fresh and uncured, Spanish chorizo is fermented, smoked, and aged for weeks, resulting in a deep, complex flavor and firm texture. Spanish chorizo has been part of Iberian cuisine for centuries. Its origins trace back to the Roman Empire, but it wasn’t until the arrival of pimentón from the New World that chorizo took on its signature red hue and smoky depth.

Seafood and Chorizo Stew

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 6 oz. Spanish chorizo sausage, skins removed, quartered lengthwise and sliced ½ inch thick
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
  • 2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup homemade seafood stock, OR 1 (8-oz.) bottle clam juice
  • 1 lb. extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per lb.), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
  • 12 oz. skinless cod fillet, 1 to 1 ½ inches thick, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chorizo and onion and cook until both are lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes.
  2. Stir in garlic and 1 teaspoon oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and their juice and clam juice, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
  3. Pat shrimp and cod dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Gently stir seafood into stew and cook until opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in remaining 2 teaspoons oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Portion stew into individual bowls and drizzle with extra oil. Serve.

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Adapted from a recipe by America’s Test Kitchen

Braised Chicken Thighs with Fennel, Orange and Cracked Olives

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Awesome sauce—literally!! Of course using your own homemade chicken stock amps up the depth of flavor tremendously, and The Hubs had recently made a double batch. This stove-to-oven method produces well-rendered skin, meltingly-tender meat, and a savory ready-made sauce.

The braise is started by searing bone-in, skin-on thighs to crisp the skin. The thighs are then transferred to the oven where they simmer, skin side up, in a flavorful mix of chicken broth, orange juice, fennel, and Pernod until they reached 195 degrees and turned tender and juicy.

To finish that incredible sauce, the braising liquid is reduced to concentrate its flavors before whisking in a cornstarch slurry to thicken it to a luxurious, velvety consistency. Last-minute additions of olives, orange zest, and minced fennel fronds make for a deliciously fragrant finish.

French Pernod is made with star anise, fennel, and other herbs and botanicals. The anise or black licorice flavor is strong, though not quite as potent as liqueurs like absinthe and pastis. Not having any Pernod on hand, we substituted Greek Ouzo, a dry anise-flavored aperitif.

NOTES: Other brine-cured green olives such as Cerignola or Picholine can be used for the Castelvetrano. Sambuca or Ouzo can be substituted for the Pernod. Serve with your favorite potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles and a vegetable side dish.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Fennel, Orange and Cracked Olives

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 1⁄2 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
  • 1¼ tsp. table salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 small fennel bulb, 2 tsp. fronds minced, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and chopped fine
  • ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup chicken broth, preferably homemade
  • ½ teaspoon grated orange zest plus 1 cup juice (2 oranges)
  • 2 Tbsp. Pernod, OR Sambuca, OR Ouzo
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. water
  • 1½ tsp. cornstarch
  • 20 pitted Castelvetrano olives, cracked

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch ovensafe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook, without moving it, until well browned, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken and brown on second side, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate.
  2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add chopped fennel and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently, until fennel is lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broth, orange juice, and Pernod; bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Return chicken to skillet, skin side up (skin will be above surface of liquid). Transfer skillet to oven and bake, uncovered, until chicken registers 195 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes. Whisk water and cornstarch together in small bowl; set aside.
  3. Using tongs, transfer chicken to serving platter and tent with aluminum foil. Place skillet over high heat. Cook, occasionally scraping side of skillet to incorporate fond, until sauce is thickened and reduced to 1½ cups, 8 to 10 minutes. Adjust heat to medium-low. Whisk cornstarch mixture to recombine and then whisk into sauce and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in lemon juice, olives, and orange zest, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce around chicken, top with fennel fronds, and serve.

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Adapted from a recipe by Steve Dunn for Cook’s Illustrated

Mashed Potatoes with Roasted-Garlic Mascarpone

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These silky spuds are so rich, you can even skip the gravy! A mixture of brown butter, roasted garlic, and rich mascarpone levels up an iconic, otherwise-basic mashed potato recipe. Fold the rich garlic mixture into cooked potatoes before mashing (and then add add some more roasted cloves to the topping!). Any downside? There probably won’t be any leftovers.

Even though the fried sage leaves are optional, they add not only visual impact, but a nice herby texture. Additionally, we used roasted garlic paste in the potato mixture, and topped them with roasted garlic cloves along with the crisped sage leaves and cracked black pepper. A perfect accompaniment to our Reverse-Sear Prime Rib.

Mashed Potatoes with Roasted-Garlic Mascarpone

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 medium garlic bulb
  • 3 lb. Yukon gold or red potatoes, peeled, if desired, and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half
  • Melted butter or olive oil and cracked black pepper (optional)
  • Frizzled Sage (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut 1/2 inch off top of garlic bulb to expose ends of cloves. Leaving bulb whole, remove any loose, papery outer layers. Place bulb, cut side up, in a small ramekin or custard cup. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cover ramekin with foil. Roast 25 to 35 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze bottom of roasted bulb to release garlic cloves onto a cutting board; lightly sprinkle with additional salt. Use the side of a chef’s knife to mash the garlic into a paste. (Garlic paste can be made ahead and chilled up to 3 days.)
  2. Meanwhile, in a 4- to 6-qt. pot cook potatoes, covered, in enough lightly salted boiling water to cover until tender, 20 to 25 minutes; drain. Return hot potatoes to hot pot.
  3. In a small saucepan heat butter over medium until it starts to brown, 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in mascarpone cheese and garlic paste until cheese is melted. Add mascarpone mixture to potatoes in pot. Let stand, uncovered, 2 minutes. In another small saucepan, heat milk over low until very warm.
  4. Mash potatoes with a potato masher or beat with a mixer on low just until light and fluffy. Stir in 1/4 cup of the warm milk, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper. Gradually stir in additional warm milk if needed to make potatoes desired creaminess. If you like, serve topped with melted butter, cracked black pepper, and Frizzled Sage.

How to Make Frizzled Sage

Pour enough vegetable oil into a small saucepan to cover bottom of the pan; heat over medium. Add fresh dry sage leaves, a few at a time. Cook until lightly browned and starting to crisp, 2 minutes. Remove to side dish until ready to adorn the potatoes.

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Recipe By Sarah Martens and Carrie Boyd for Better Homes and Gardens

Celery Root Soup with Lemony Crab

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This velvety soup, made with roasted celery root and apple, is finished with a mound of bright and briny crab salad. It’s versatility allows you to serve it as an appetizer, a side for a festive dinner, or simply as a light meal with slice of crusty bread.

Celery root is an unsung hero in the root vegetable world, but we love it. The gnarly-looking root vegetable has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor with a taste that’s sometimes compared to a combination of celery, parsley, and parsnip. To bring out the natural sweetness of celery root and concentrate its flavors, Food & Wine recipe developer Nicole Hopper roasts the celery root along with shallots, apple, and garlic, then purées them into a silky-smooth soup.

Now that’s a combination that worked for us—and our dinner guests!

Celery Root Soup with Lemony Crab

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 8 oz. fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, drained and picked
  • 1 large celery root, trimmed, peeled, and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces (about 3 3/4 cups)
  • 2 large shallots, peeled and quartered
  • 1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 3 Tbsp. finely chopped mixed tender fresh herbs (such as chives and parsley)
  • 1 apple (such as Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 6 Tbsp.crème fraîche, divided
  • 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth, warmed
  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 3/4 tsp. black pepper, divided, plus more for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss together celery root, apple, shallot, garlic, oil, thyme, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, 35 to 40 minutes, stirring once after 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, stir together crabmeat, tender herbs, lemon zest and juice, 2 tablespoons crème fraîche, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  3. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves into a blender; discard peels. Transfer celery root mixture to blender, and add stock. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening; process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup crème fraîche, and process until just combined, about 10 seconds.
  4. Divide crab mixture among soup bowls. Pour soup evenly around crab mixture. Drizzle with additional olive oil, and garnish with black pepper. Serve hot.

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Recipe developed by Nicole Hopper for Food & Wine

Brussels Sprout Pasta

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This weeknight Brussels sprout pasta dish is bursting with autumnal flavors. Leaving some of the outer Brussels sprouts leaves whole before roughly chopping the centers ensures you get different shapes and textures in every bite; hot Italian sausage adds heft and spice (add more red pepper flakes if you like—which of course we did!); pecans toasted in nutty brown butter are rich, cozy, and crunchy; and using Pecorino gives the dish a salty, sharp punch.

Now here is where we part from the original recipe. The amount of butter and oil to sauté the pecans seemed like overkill. We believe you could cut the amounts of butter and oil in half, although the original amounts are listed below.

Any type of medium pasta will work with this dish, such as mezze rigatoni, short tubes that will trap small bits of sausage and pecan for full-flavored bites. But you could consider orecchiette, conchiglie, or regular old penne. To get a luxurious, glossy sauce, cook your pasta until just shy of al dente (2 minutes less than package directions) so you can finish it in the sauce, with starchy water and butter helping bring everything together.

TIP: Get your pasta water on to boil first. As it warms up, use the prep time to assemble the rest of your ingredients.

In the end, it was quite luxurious and we were both surprised how much we liked it better than we thought we would. Instead of 1 pound of pasta, we used 12 ounces and felt it was a better balance with the other ingredients.

Brussels Sprout Pasta

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Brussels sprouts
  • 1 lb. mezze rigatoni or other medium pasta
  • Kosher salt
  • 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped raw pecans
  • ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed if needed
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 oz. Pecorino, finely grated (about ½ cup), plus more for serving
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Directions

  1. Trim root ends from 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, letting any larger outer leaves fall off. Place leaves in a medium bowl. Coarsely chop remaining sprouts and transfer to same bowl as leaves; set aside.
  2. Cook 1 lb. mezze rigatoni or other medium pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
  3. Heat 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter and 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high until butter is melted. Add 1 cup coarsely chopped raw pecans and cook, stirring constantly, until nuts are darkened in color and fragrant and butter mixture browns (it will be slightly darker than plain brown butter because of the pecans), about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, stir in ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, and season with salt. Wipe out pot.
  4. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in same pot over medium-high. Cook 1 lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed if needed, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, and reserved Brussels sprouts; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until Brussels sprouts are slightly wilted, 2–3 minutes.
  5. Add pasta, 1 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid, 1 oz. Pecorino, finely grated (about ½ cup), and remaining 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter; season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until pasta is coated and sauce is glossy, 2–3 minutes. Remove pasta from heat and stir in 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
  6. Divide pasta among shallow bowls and top with buttery pecans, dividing evenly, and more Pecorino.

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Adapted by a recipe from Kendra Vaculan for Bon Appétit

Roasted Orange Chicken

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Over the course of 12 years of writing this food blog, every time I post one on roasted chicken with citrus, it brings back fond memories of Sunday Supper as a child. I was a pretty fussy eater back then, but I did love mom’s Orange Juice Chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. The following recipe has a more intense and complex flavor profile, and it is delicious!

Whole tangerines, peel and all, roast alongside chicken in a sweetened soy sauce that thickens into a glaze and lacquers the bird. The fruit wedges soften in the syrupy sauce while infusing it with their floral bittersweetness. Reminiscent of savory Cantonese soy sauce chicken and tangy American Chinese orange chicken, this dish also combines the warmth of ginger with the bit of heat from ground hot chiles. You can eat the tangerine wedges along with the chicken, which is delicious with its sauce over steamed rice or boiled noodles.

Excerpt from chef/author Genevieve Ko: “Peeling an orange releases a spritz of natural oils that coats fingers with a citrus perfume, teasing at the fruit inside. The floral zest and juicy segments are easy to love, but the pith in between, not so much… Whole tangerines, which season every element of the dish and have thin skins that lose their bitterness more quickly than oranges. After some fruit is juiced for the gingery soy glaze, their spent peels are stuffed into the chicken. More tangerine wedges cook alongside the bird in the same pan, their piths softening in the sauce that lacquers the bird.”

How can you not want to make this dish after reading that?!

TIP: If the breast starts getting much darker than the rest of the bird early on, place a piece of foil over the top to keep it from burning and to allow the skin of the rest of the chicken to continue to glaze.

After reading numerous reviewer’s comments, we doubled the sauce (increased amount are NOT indicated below), but only increased the sugar at maybe a third. Doubling gave us a good amount of sauce to cover the meat and the rice accompaniment. And, at our discretion, we included 6 large shallots which became all nice and jammy mixed in with the tangerine wedges. Now considered a must-have element. Finally, we did NOT feel a need to peel the ginger slices since they were going to be discarded anyway.

The second time we made it, we definitely doubled the sauce again (but NOT the brown sugar) and paired it with rice and Chinese broccoli. The chicken took a good 20 minutes longer to come to temperature this second time, so make sure you test the bird with an instant meat thermometer throughout the end process.

Roasted Orange Chicken

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 5 small tangerines or clementines
  • ½ packed cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1½ tsp. rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • 1 tsp. ground cayenne or other hot red ground chile
  • 1 (4-lb.) whole chicken
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 8 slices peeled fresh ginger
  • 5-6 large shallots, peeled and halved

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Squeeze ¼ cup juice from 2 to 3 tangerines into a small bowl; reserve the spent peels. Cut the remaining tangerines into wedges with their peels intact, and set aside. Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and cayenne to the tangerine juice and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Generously season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Tuck the wingtips behind the body. Stuff the tangerine peels and 6 ginger slices into the cavity, then tie the legs together using kitchen twine. Place in a large ovenproof skillet, and scatter the tangerine wedges, shallot wedges and remaining 2 slices ginger around the chicken.
  4. Slowly pour the juice mixture all over the chicken, then slide the skillet into the oven. Roast for 30 minutes.
  5. Using a large spoon or baster, quickly and carefully coat the chicken with the pan sauce. Continue roasting, basting every 10 minutes, until the chicken is browned and cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast should register 155 degrees and, in the leg, 170 degrees. The chicken will continue to cook while it rests.
  6. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the tangerines and shallots to a serving platter, and cover while the bird rests and is carved.
  7. If the pan sauce isn’t already syrupy, (ours was not), bring it to a boil over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Be sure to wear oven mitts or use a kitchen towel to hold the skillet (the handle is hot). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bubbles grow larger and paler brown, and the sauce is the consistency of syrup, about 5 minutes. Discard the ginger.
  8. Place the the chicken pieces on the platter with the tangerines and shallots. Pour the glaze all over the meat and fruit. You can eat them, if you’d like—we did.

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Adapted from a recipe by Genevieve Ko for NYTimes Cooking