Whether inspired by the North or the South, Columbus

Day is a time to wave the flags, both our red, white and

blue and the Italian red, white and green, and to salute

Christopher Columbus with a meal to remember.

REGIONAL ITALIAN COLUMBUS DAY MENU

Antipasto

*Brodo Genovese

*Chicken and Eggplant Agrodolce Siciliana

*"Rice Birds" Piedmontese in Wine and Cream Sauce

Broccoli Florets Parmigiano

Crusty Italian Bread

*Coppa Cristoforo Colombo

Cafe Espresso

*Recipe follows

BRODO GENOVESE:

CHICKEN BROTH WITH PASTA, CHEESE AND BASILServes 6-8

7 cups homemade chicken stock or 4 cans (13-3/4-ounces

each) chicken broth

1 cup small pasta such as tubetti (tiny tubes), farfalle

(bow ties) or conchiglie (shells)

1/4 cup minced fresh basil or Italian parsley

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In large saucepan or Dutch oven over high heat, bring

chicken stock to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender,

stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. To serve,

ladle hot soup into bowls; sprinkle with basil and pass

grated cheese.

CHICKEN AND EGGPLANT AGRODOLCE SCICILIANAServes 6-8

1 large eggplant (about 1-1/2 pounds), cut into 1-1/2 inch

cubes

8 roaster boneless thigh cutlets

Salt and ground pepper to taste

1/2 - 3/4 cup olive oil, divided

2 cups sliced red onions

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons honey

Grated rind of 2 oranges

1 can (16-ounces) whole plum tomatoes, drained and cut into

thin strips

Minced, fresh parsley and basil (optional)

Sprinkle eggplant with salt; let stand 30 minutes to

extract liquid; rinse and pat dry. Trim off any fat from

thighs and cut into 2-inch pieces.

Preheat oven to 350oF. In large heavy skillet over

medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add chicken, half at

a time; saute 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned, adding

more oil if necessary. Remove pieces with slotted spoon to

large, covered casserole or baking dish. Add 2 to 4

tablespoons oil to skillet; stir in eggplant and cook 5

minutes until golden, adding more oil if necessary. Add to

casserole.

Pour vinegar into skillet, scraping and stirring to

remove pan glaze; add garlic, cinnamon, honey orange rind,

and salt and pepper to taste. Pour vinegar mixture into

casserole. Cover and bake 15 minutes. Stir in tomato

strips, re-cover and bake 15 minutes longer. Garnish with

minced parsley and basil, if desired. Serve with hot

crusty Italian bread.

PHOTO: Roaster Thigh "Rice Birds"

"RICE BIRDS" PIEDMONTESE IN WINE AND CREAM SAUCEServes 6-8

8 roaster boneless thigh cutlets

Salt and ground pepper to taste

4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided

2 tablespoons chopped onion

3/4 teaspoon minced, fresh rosemary or sage, or 1/4

teaspoon dried

2 ounces chopped prosciutto or ham

1 cup cooked rice

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup (2-ounces) grated or diced Italian fontina or

mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chicken or beef broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon minced, fresh parsley

Trim off and discard any fat and sprinkle chicken with salt

and pepper. Place between 2 moistened pieces of plastic

wrap; pound until about 1/4 inch thick.

In large heavy, oven-proof skillet over medium heat,

melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion and 1/8 teaspoon

rosemary; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes,

until tender but not brown. Stir in prosciutto; cook 1

minute longer.

In small bowl, combine onion mixture, rice, and

cheeses; season with salt and pepper to taste. Place 1

heaping tablespoon rice stuffing 1 inch from end of each

pounded thigh. Roll up thighs into neat "packages",

folding edges in over stuffing; tie packages with kitchen

string.

In same skillet over medium heat, melt remaining

butter with oil. Cook Rice Birds in butter-oil on all

sides until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover

skillet and simmer 35 minutes. Transfer "birds" to serving

platter; cut strings and keep warm.

Add broth, wine, and remaining rosemary to skillet,

scraping bottom to incorporate any browned bits. Stir in

cream; cook over medium-high heat until sauce is thick

enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Return birds

and any juices to skillet; cover with sauce and cook

briefly just until heated through.

Arrange Rice Birds and sauce on serving platter and

sprinkle with parsley.

COPPA DA FESTA CRISTOFORO COLOMBOServes 8

Amarettini (small almond-flavored biscuits) or large

Amaretti, crushed

1 pint each strawberry, vanilla and pistachio ice cream

Amaretto liqueur (optional)

Colored candy sprinkles or nonpareils

16 cocktail toothpick flags of Italy and USA (8 each)

For each serving: In bottom of large, stemmed glass,

place 1 teaspoon Amarettini biscuit. Alternately scoop

strawberry, vanilla and pistachio ice cream on top,

sprinkling about 1 teaspoon Amarettini between each scoop.

Pour a little Amaretto or other liqueur on ice cream, if

desired. Top with sprinkles and insert a flag of Italy and

USA. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately

or place coppas in freezer until ready to serve.

PHOTO: Chicken Kebabs are tailgate party heroes

PHOTO: Thanksgiving Roaster Nested in Sage Dressing takes

an...

RECIPES OF OLD SOUTH ARE TODAY'S THANKSGIVING TREASURES

Even before George Washington declared Thanksgiving a

national holiday, its celebration had spread from

Massachusetts Colony to all America. In the Old South,

Thanksgiving could mean weeks of preparation, days of

celebrating and a house that overflowed with guests.

Modern times have inevitably relaxed some standards of

southern hospitality, but not necessarily when it comes to

setting a sumptuous table.

Here's a Carolina version of a Thanksgiving bird. It's an

Oven Stuffer Roaster complete with a nest of stuffing. The

stuffing is cooked outside instead of inside, so it soaks

up the pan juices and develops a lightly crusted surface.

Several of Perdue Farms' home recipe testers tried the

stuffing-nest method and found it not only wonderful

eating, but an appealing presentation as well.

THANKSGIVING DAY DINNER DELIGHT

*Roaster Nested in Sage Dressing with Sweet Potato Puff

*Creamed Giblet Gravy

String Beans Almondine

Creamy Cole Slaw

Cranberry Salad

Sour Dough Dinner Rolls

Southern Pecan Pie

*Recipe follows

ROASTER NESTED IN SAGE DRESSING WITH SWEET POTATO PUFF

AND CREAMED GIBLET GRAVY Serves 6-8

1 whole roaster

Salt and ground pepper to taste

3 cups hot water

1 loaf (1-1/4 to 1/1-2 pounds) day-old white bread

1 cup chopped onion

1-1/2 cups chopped celery

1/4 cup minced, fresh parsley

1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh sage or 1-1/4 teaspoons

dried sage

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 eggs

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Creamed Giblet Gravy (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350F. Remove giblets and sprinkle inside

of bird with salt and pepper. Tie legs together and fold

wings back. Place roaster in roasting pan or baking dish

along with giblets. Pour in 2 cups hot water. Roast 1-1/4

hours, basting occasionally with pan liquids.

Meanwhile, prepare dressing: tear bread into 1/2-inch

pieces; place in large bowl with onion, celery, parsley,

3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, sage, and thyme.

Mix well and set aside. After 1-1/4 hours, remove roaster

from oven.

Reserve giblets and pour 2 cups of pan juices through

strainer into a medium-sized saucepan; reserve for gravy.

Add water to remaining pan juices, if necessary, to bring

liquid to 1-1/2 cups. Ladle into bowl with dressing

mixture; add eggs and mix until thoroughly moistened.

With hands, mold stuffing around outside of roaster to form

a "nest." Brush butter over breast. Return roaster to

oven; continue cooking 45 minutes to 1 hour longer or until

dressing is cooked and lightly browned and juices run clear

with no hint of pink when roaster thigh is pierced.

If desired, serve nested roaster from roasting pan. Or run

spatula under bird to loosen it and carefully transfer to

heated platter, keeping dressing intact. Serve with

Creamed Giblet Gravy.

Creamed Giblet Gravy

2 cups reserved pan juices

Reserved roaster giblets, chopped

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup flour

Salt and ground pepper to taste

Chop giblets and add to pan juices; over medium heat, bring

to a simmer. In small bowl, make a smooth paste of milk

and flour. Whisk flour mixture into pan juices and

continue whisking until gravy is thickened. Season with

salt and pepper to taste.

BOURBON SWEET POTATO PUFFServes 6

If you have a sweet tooth, you'll love this recipe. Frank

does.

6 medium-sized cooked sweet potatoes or 1 can (40-ounces)

sweet potatoes, drained

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, melted

3 eggs

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 to 2 teaspoons grated orange rind

1/4 cup bourbon

1 package (10-ounces) marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 1-1/2-quart souffle dish

or casserole. Peel cooked sweet potatoes. In large bowl,

combine potatoes with remaining ingredients except

marshmallows. With electric mixer or food processor, beat

or process until fluffy. Turn mixture into prepared dish

or casserole; arrange marshmallows over top. Bake 20

minutes or until marshmallows are puffed and golden.

PHOTO: Black & White - 3 Platters, 1 sm. bowl soup, 2

chopsticks

CHANUKAH IS A FESTIVAL OF FUN AND FOOD

Chanukah is a Jewish holiday, a day of remembrance, a

festival of lights, and most of all, a family party that is

celebrated during eight joyful days. Chanukah was first

celebrated more than 2,100 years ago, following the defeat

of the Syrian army by the Macabees. After driving the

Syrians from Jerusalem, the Jewish temple was ceremonially

cleansed. During the cleaning, a flask of oil belonging to

the high priest was found. It contained enough oil to burn

one night. Instead, it burned miraculously for eight days

and eight nights. That is why a special eight-branch

menorah (candlestick) is lit each Chanukah night at

sundown, beginning with a single lighted candle on the

first night and building to a full eight.

As with all Jewish holidays, traditional foods are part of

the celebration. Fried and sauteed dishes have special

Chanukah significance because of the oil used in cooking

them. Holiday Chicken Saute is a favorite meal in one

family in which there are two small boys who still prefer

fingers to forks. Their mother, who is a food consultant,

once asked Frank what he thought of such table manners.

His answer: "That's why we sell our drumsticks with built-

in handles."

With most of America's Jewish settlers having come from

Eastern Europe, holiday foods served in that part of the

world are most popular here. For Chanukah, this means

crisp, brown potato latkes (Yiddish for pancakes). Latkes

are usually served with fresh applesauce and dairy sour

cream. Before the arrival of the food processor, hand

grating the potatoes was a traditional pre-dinner part of

the ritual, with everyone taking turns at grating potatoes

-- and sometimes knuckles.

In Israel, fried jelly doughnuts are frequently served

instead of latkes, and many Sephardic Jews (from

Mediterranean countries), serve fried pastries unique to

each country. Among them are Moroccan fichuelas. These

crisp, honey-coated pastries are great fun to twirl in hot

oil and shape into pinwheels - but beware of the little

fingers near hot oil.

PHOTO: Chanukah for Families

FAMILY CHANUKAH SUPPER PARTY

*Holiday Chicken Saute

*Potato Latkes

*Applesauce

*Fichuelas De Chanukah

*Recipe follows

HOLIDAY CHICKEN SAUTEServes 4-6

6 chicken drumsticks

6 chicken thighs

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or chicken fat

3 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices

3 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 large onion, sliced into rings

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons honey

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

In large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat,

heat oil. Saute drumsticks and thighs in hot oil until

lightly browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove

from skillet. To pan drippings, add zucchini, carrots, and

onion; saute 3 minutes. Return chicken to skillet; Add

lemon juice, honey, lemon slices, salt, and paprika.

Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 20 to 25 minutes

longer or until chicken and vegetables are tender.

In cup, place cornstarch; add water and blend to form a

smooth paste. Stir into skillet and cook until slightly

thickened. To serve, arrange chicken, lemon slices and

vegetables on large platter; spoon sauce on top.

POTATO LATKES (Potato Pancakes) Serves 4-6

5 medium-sized raw potatoes

1 medium-sized onion, peeled

2 eggs

1/4 cup matzo meal or flour

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Vegetable oil for frying

Wash potatoes; remove spots or blemishes with a small

knife. Peel potatoes, if desired. With hand grater or

food processor fitted with steel shredding blade, coarsely

grate potatoes. Transfer to large bowl; cover with cold

water and let stand 10 minutes. Drain potatoes in

colander, pressing out excess liquid. Using hand grater or

food processor fitted with steel blade, grate or chop

onion. Combine drained potatoes, onion, eggs, matzo meal

or flour and salt; mix well. (As mixture stands, more

liquid will accumulate. Do not pour off liquid; stir

mixture frequently to blend.)

In large skillet, heat 1/4-inch oil over medium heat until

hot. Drop potato mixture by tablespoons into hot oil;

flatten slightly with spatula. Cook pancakes, a few at a

time, until golden brown on both sides, turning once and

adding more oil if necessary. Drain on paper towels. Keep

cooked pancakes warm in preheated 200F oven while others

are cooking. Serve pancakes warm, with applesauce.

APPLESAUCEServes 4-6

Frank loves this recipe. He's normally not fond of Granny

Smith apples, but he likes them cooked, in this recipe.

5 to 6 medium-sized tart apples (about 2 pounds)

2 to 4 tablespoons water

1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, to taste (optional)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Peel apples, if desired; remove cores and seeds. Cut

apples into chunks; place in medium-sized saucepan. Add 2

tablespoons water, sugar if desired, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low;

cover and cook 20 to 30 minutes or until apples are very

tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water if

necessary. Remove from heat and stir until large lumps

disappear and mixture is fairly smooth. If apples are used

unpeeled, strain sauce in food press or mill to remove

skin. Let stand until cool; refrigerate until ready to

serve.

FICHUELAS DE CHANUKAHServes 6

(Spiral-Shaped Sephardic Chanukah Pastries)

5 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2-1/4 cups vegetable oil, divided

3/4 cup warm water

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

In large bowl or container of food processor, fitted with

steel blade, combine flour, salt, eggs, 1/4 cup oil, and

3/4 cup warm water. Stir or process until mixture forms a

fairly stiff dough. On unfloured surface, knead dough 5

minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 4

parts; roll each into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Let

dough stand 1 hour for easier handling.

On lightly floured surface, roll out one ball into a 9 x

18-inch rectangle. Cut dough into 6 strips, each about 1-

1/2-inches wide and 18-inches long.

In small saucepan over low heat, heat sugar in water until

sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly; keep warm. In

medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 cups oil to

375F, or until small piece of dough sizzles when dropped

in oil. With hand, gently lift one end of a dough strip;

pierce the opposite end with a long-handled fork and twirl

fork once to secure dough. Place dough, fork-end first;

into hot oil. As dough fries, quickly and gently turn

fork, rolling dough around to form a pinwheel. Fry dough

until puffed and golden, about 30 to 60 seconds. (Do not

brown.) Slip dough off fork; remove from oil with slotted

spoon and immediately dip into warm sugar mixture to coat

well. Cool completely on wire rack placed over waxed

paper. Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes 24 pastries

FOR THE ROMANCE OF IT, SERVE A CHRISTMAS DINNER

GEORGE AND MARTHA WASHINGTON STYLE

George and Martha Washington made much of

Christmas. They had been married on the twelfth night of

Christmas in 1759, and from that year forward they tried to

be together for the holidays. (The exceptions were such

occasions as Christmas 1776, when General Washington was

busy crossing the Delaware.)

Two of the food specialists at Perdue are history buffs

as well, an they put together for Frank a Christmas menu

based on "receipts" (as recipes were once called) for

dishes that might have been enjoyed at Christmas dinner,

two hundred years ago.

As they pointed out, even basic food supplies were

very different two centuries ago. American waters were so

abundant with crabs, oysters, shrimp and clams, that

inventive cooks tossed them into soups and spreads, baked

them "potted," "scalloped" or in loaves, and used them

lavishly in sauces and stuffings. The oyster stuffing

included in this menu is based on a specialty of George

Washington's mother. She may have served it with passenger

pigeon $common fare in those days. Although this wild bird

is extinct today, Cornish game hens make tasty, tender,

modern substitutes. And it is far easier to "bag a brace"

or two of Cornish hens at the local supermarket than to

stalk dinner in the wild.

Early Americans weren't partial to vegetables. They

tended to overcook and under season them, then serve them

up as a "mess of pease". But old-time cooks did make

wonderful vegetable puddings and were superb at pickling

and preserving their vegetables and fruits to serve all

winter long.

From the beginning, American settlers distilled

spirits. Even the stern Pilgrims (who considered the

celebration of Christmas pagan) drank wine and cider for

their health. After a festive holiday meal, most of our

founding fathers probably enjoyed a few rounds of Madeira

or Port. But Thomas Jefferson's favorite holiday drink was

a spicy mixture of hot ale and rum, so heat producing it

was called "a yard of flannel". Frothy syllabub was

thought to be suitable for everyone, even women and

children, and this rich drink was a delicious accompaniment

to sweetmeats, stewed fruit, cakes or pies.

Though few would wish to return to cooking at the

hearth and beehive oven, if you're smitten by the romance

of the past, try serving special guests a Christmas dinner

Martha Washington-style.

PHOTO: "An Early American holiday menu with Cornish hens"

An Early American Christmas Dinner for Four

Potted Crab

*Cornish Hens with Oyster Stuffing Mount Vernon

*Sherried Pan Gravy

Savory Grated-Carrot Christmas Pudding

Pickled Beet Salad

*"Whipt" Syllabub with Sweetmeats

*Recipe follows

CORNISH HENS WITH OYSTER STUFFING MOUNT VERNON AND SHERRIED

PAN GRAVYServes 4

4 fresh Cornish game hens

Salt and ground pepper to taste

4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided

6 oysters, shucked, coarsely chopped, and strained through

a fine sieve or coffee filter (reserve oyster liquor)

Pinch ground mace

3/4 teaspoon minced, fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried

1/4 cup chopped onion

2-3 slices day-old bread, cubed

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons dry sherry, divided

Spiced or brandied fruit for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350oF. Season hens inside and out

with salt and pepper.

In medium-sized skillet over medium heat, melt 2

tablespoons butter with 1/2 cup oyster liquor, mace and

thyme. Add onion; cook 5 minutes until onion is tender and

liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup.

In medium-sized bowl, toss onion mixture with oysters,

bread cubes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, lemon

juice and 1 tablespoon sherry.

Spoon oyster stuffing loosely into hens. Tie legs

together and fold back wings.

In a small saucepan, melt butter; combine with

remaining sherry and baste hens with mixture. Roast hens,

basting occasionally, about 1 hour and 15 minutes longer or

until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is

pierced. Remove hens from roasting pan, cut strings, place

on serving platter and keep warm. Pour pan juices into a

heat proof measuring cup or small bowl. Skim off 2

tablespoons of clear yellow drippings that rise to the top

and return to pan. Skim off any remaining yellow drippings

and discard. Reserve degreased pan juices to add to gravy

with broth.

If desired, serve hens garnished with spiced or

brandied fruit. Serve with sherried gravy.

SHERRIED PAN GRAVY

2 tablespoons reserved pan drippings

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken broth or water

4 tablespoons dry sherry

Place roasting pan over medium heat; add flour to reserved

clear pan drippings and cook 2 minutes, stirring and

scraping the bottom to incorporate any browned bits. Stir

in enough combined degreased pan juices, chicken broth and

sherry to make 2 cups; simmer, stirring constantly, 2

minutes longer. Strain gravy into sauceboat.

"WHIPT" SYLLABUBServes 4-6

3 tablespoons dark rum or Cognac

2 tablespoons sugar

Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup (1/2-pint) heavy cream

Sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)

Sweetmeats (see note) or stewed fruits

In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat rum,

sugar and lemon rind. Gradually add heavy cream, beating

constantly until cream forms soft peaks. (Do not

overbeat.) Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

When ready to serve, if liquids have separated, beat

by hand to re-incorporate. Serve Syllabub in small cordial

glasses, garnished with a rosemary sprig. Accompany with

sweetmeats. (By the way, do you know what a sweetmeat is?

It's any dainty little confection such as stuffed dates,

chocolate truffles, sugared apricots and pears, or even

candied watermelon rind.)

Chapter Nine

CHICKEN FOR VERY SPECIAL OCCASIONS

SHOW STOPPER RECIPES

With the majority of the recipes in this book, I've

tried to keep in mind that you are busy and have plenty of

other things to do with your time besides spending it in

the kitchen. I've also tried to keep the ingredients and

the processes reasonably simple and usually I've had an eye

on the calories and the cost.

This chapter is an exception. These recipes ignore

calories, and some of

them require not just minutes of preparation, but days.

There are some occasions, however, that deserve showstopper

recipes. Maybe your daughter is getting married? Or

you're celebrating a very special anniversary? Someone

important to you just got a promotion? You're part of a

gourmet club, and you want your recipe to be at least as

good as Linda's?

This chapter is the place to look for unusual recipes,

the show stoppers, the ones that will really make people

feel special, and that they'll be talking about for days to

come.

BASS DRUM STICK Serves 4-6

This really does look the padded stick a drummer would use

for his bass drum.

l. Remove the knobby knuckle from the end of a drumstick by

giving it a good hard whack with your heaviest knife. If

you happen to have a meat cleaver the job is easier.

2. Stand the drumstick on its meaty end and push the skin

down to expose the tendons. Remove the largest tendons by

pulling them free with a pair of clean pliers.

3. Scrape the skin and meat away from the bone to form a

rounder, more compact drumstick.

10 chicken drumsticks

1/3 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 can (6-ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate

1 can (6-ounces) water

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon minced, fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

In a large plastic bag combine flour, salt and pepper. Add

chicken pieces and shake to coat. In a large skillet over

medium heat, melt butter. Add chicken pieces and brown on

all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Pour off remaining butter.

In a large measuring cup combine remaining ingredients.

Add orange juice mixture to skillet. Cover and cook over

low heat for 25 to 35 minutes, turning chicken several

times until cooked through.

BREAST PAILLARD Serves 4

As you can see in the accompanying photograph, this is an

attractive dish. I tried it on our indoor electric grill

and thought it was worth making over and over again.

1 roaster boneless breast or 1 thin sliced boneless roaster

breast

Vegetable oil

Salt and ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature

2 tablespoons snipped fresh or frozen chives

1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon, or 1/4 teaspoon dried

2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley

Remove tenderloin pieces from back of breast. Place breast

pieces and tenderloins between sheets of plastic wrap and

pound to 1/4-inch thickness to form 6 cutlets. Skip the

preceding steps if using the thin sliced roaster breast.

Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Combine

butter, chives and tarragon. Reform into a bar and freeze

to harden. Grill cutlets over hot coals, rotating the

chicken on the grill to form crosshatch markings and

turning completely over once. Or Broil 3" from heat a few

minutes on each side until lightly browned. Cut herb

butter in slices. Sprinkle each slice with parsley and top

with a butter slice. Serve immediately.

BREAST ROLL CORDON BLEUServes 4

You can find a simpler version of this in Chapter Seven,

Chicken for Tomorrow or Next Week, but this one is a show

stopper.

1 roaster boneless breast

3/4 cup whole milk ricotta

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Salt and ground pepper to taste

1/4 pound sliced ham

3 to 4 cups chicken broth

Place breast halves side by side between two sheets of

plastic wrap and pound to 1/4" thickness, forming an 8" x

12" rectangle. In a mixing bowl combine remaining

ingredients except ham and broth. Place breast smooth side

down, on a piece of dampened cheesecloth. Arrange ham

slices over chicken breast. Spread filling over ham

leaving a 1/2-inch border. Carefully roll breast,

lengthwise, jelly-roll fashion around filling. Wrap in

cheesecloth, tie ends and in 2 to 3 places in center.

Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add chicken and

reduce heat to low. Poach chicken, covered, 35 minutes.

Remove from pan and let cool. Remove cheesecloth and

chill. Cut chicken roll in 3/4-inch slices and arrange

over lettuce or watercress.

CHICKEN BROCCOLI CAKEServes 4-6

From the name, you'd think this was a very unusual dessert,

but in fact, the cake part of the name comes from its

shape, not its taste. Although this takes awhile to make,

especially the pancakes, I've always felt it was well worth

it every time I've made it. Since you can eat this with

just a fork, it's particularly good for a buffet meal when

you don't want your guests to have to cut anything while

they're balancing food on their laps.

Sauce:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Blend in flour

and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add milk and cook,

stirring, until sauce is smooth and thickened. Add salt,

pepper, and nutmeg.

Filling:

When choosing the broccoli for the filling, look for firm,

compact clusters of small flower buds with none opened

enough to show the bright yellow flower. If you can see any

yellow in the buds, the broccoli is overmature. Broccoli

is at its best when the bud clusters are dark green or sage

green, or even green with a decidedly purplish cast.

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 cups broccoli, cooked and chopped (Once when I didn't

have enough broccoli on hand, I rounded it out with green

peas and it was great.)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1-1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken

1/3 cup grated Swiss cheese

6 pancakes, each a little less than 7-inches wide and about

1/4-inch thick. (The thicker the pancake, the taller the

"cake". Use your favorite recipe or mix.)

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in

broccoli, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg and chicken. (You

can stop at this point the night before, but remember to

bake the "cake" longer since the ingredients will be cold

from being in the refrigerator.)

Preheat oven to 375oF.

To assemble ``cake," butter a cookie sheet and place a

pancake on it. Spread with part of the broccoli filling.

Repeat layers, ending with a pancake. Pour sauce over the

top and sprinkle with Swiss cheese. Bake for 15 minutes

(or 25 minutes if ingredients were refrigerated). Place

under a hot broiler and broil until cheese is lightly

browned. To serve, cut into wedges.

CHICKEN FONDUE IServes 4

I haven't seen anyone use a fondue pot for a long time, but

it's still a great way to serve chicken, and it's a fun and

informal way to entertain. Maybe it's time to remember

this once-popular way of cooking. The first version is a

new, low-calorie version. The second is more traditional.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

4 cans (13-3/4 ounces each) chicken broth

1 bottle (12-ounces) chili sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

1/4 clove garlic, minced

Cut each breast in one-inch cubes. Sprinkle salt and pepper

on chicken. Bring broth to boiling in fondue pot and keep

at that temperature. Provide each guest with portion of

chicken and fondue fork as well as fork for eating. Each

guest cooks own chicken on fondue fork by holding in

boiling broth about 1 minute, or until done. In a small

bowl mix remaining ingredients as sauce for dipping after

cooking.

CHICKEN FONDUE IIServes 4

4 skinless and boneless chicken breast halves

1-1/2 pints oil

1 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup water

3 tablespoons sesame seed

1-1/2 cups flour

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Bring oil to

boiling point in fondue pot and keep at that temperature.

Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper on

chicken. In a mixing bowl combine remaining salt, eggs,

water, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, sesame seed and flour to

make a batter. Provide each guest with fondue fork as well

as fork for eating. Each guest cooks own chicken on fondue

fork by dipping into batter and then holding in hot oil

approximately 1 minute, or until done. Serve with a

variety of dips. Any barbecue sauce makes a good dip. I

also recommend the Dill Dip and Orange Dip.

DILL DIP Makes 1 cup

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons finely chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon dill seed

In a small bowl combine all ingredients and stir until

blended.

ORANGE DIP Makes 1 cup

1 can (6-ounces) orange juice concentrate

3 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon Tabasco

In a blender or food processor combine all ingredients.

Blend at speed for 5 seconds or until smooth.

Food Tip: Use leftover orange or dill dip for fresh

vegetable such as cauliflower, broccoli, carrots or celery.

CHICKEN KIEV Serves 4

Frank and I had this in a restaurant in Moscow back in

1988. We happened to be there because the Soviet

Government had invited Frank and his CEO, Don Mabe, to give

them tips on producing plumper chicken. Don's wife, Flo,

and I got to go along. I remember that Frank was impressed

by the world-class knowledge and skill of the Soviet

poultrymen, but he said their chickens didn't grow to be as

plump and juicy as ours because their diets didn't include

enough protein. The Soviet birds may have been thin, but

the recipe that we had for Chicken Kiev was "otlichnii,"

(outstanding). You've got it exactly right if, when you

cut the cooked chicken, the melted butter spurts out.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced

boneless roaster breast

1/2 cup butter or margarine, chilled

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon snipped fresh or frozen chives

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1 egg, beaten

1 cup bread crumbs

Oil for deep frying

Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to

flatten slightly. Skip the previous step if you are using

thin sliced boneless roaster breasts. In a food processor

fitted with a steel blade, blend butter, lemon juice and

chives; mold into four oblongs and chill. (In fact, I

think freezing works best.) Sprinkle salt and pepper on

chicken. Wrap chicken breast around chilled mold and

secure with toothpicks. Dip in beaten egg and roll in

bread crumbs. Chill again for one hour. Fry in deep fat

at 350oF for 10 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden

brown. Serve immediately

CHICKEN PAELLA PERDUEServes 6-8

This is the Perdue version of the traditional paella. The

authentic Spanish version takes all day to make -a I've

watched cooks in Spain do it. You'll notice that the

saffron in this paella is optional. That's because the

last time I looked at the price for it in the spice jars in

the supermarket, I calculated that saffron costs more than

gold dust. However, you only need to use a couple of

strands of it at a time so it's not totally out of line.

If you can't find it or don't want to use it, this recipe

will still taste good$just different. It will also look

different because saffron imparts an attractive yellow to

the rice. Incidentally, the reason saffron costs so much

is that it's made from the dried stigma of the saffron

crocus and it takes 225,000 stigmas to make a pound of

saffron.

1 chicken, cut in serving pieces

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1 small clove garlic, minced

8 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, divided

2 cups quick-cooking rice, uncooked

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon minced, fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning

2-3 filaments teaspoon saffron (optional)

1/2 cup fresh or 1 can (8-ounces) minced, soft shell clams

2 tablespoons clam juice

1 cup canned chicken broth

1/2 pound backfin crabmeat

1 cup peas

1 dozen small clams (on the half-shell)

1 package (9 ounces) frozen artichokes, cooked

1 jar (2 ounces) pimento strips

Preheat oven to 350oF. Place chicken in single layer, skin

side up, in shallow baking dish; season with salt, pepper

and garlic. Pour 4 tablespoons of the butter or margarine

over chicken; cover and bake for 45 minutes or until cooked

through, uncovering during last 20 minutes for browning.

While chicken is baking, in a large skillet over medium

heat, melt remaining butter. Add the uncooked rice and

onions and saute until lightly browned. Add paprika,

parsley, seafood seasoning, saffron, minced clams, clam

juice and chicken broth. Simmer over very low heat for 15

minutes. In the shallow baking dish, leave 2/3 of the

chicken; add the rice mixture, the crabmeat and peas in

layers. As garnish, place on top of this, the remaining

chicken, all of the clams in the half-shell, cooked

artichokes and pimento. Cover and bake at 350o for 10-15

minutes to heat through.

CHICKEN PICCATAServes 4

Frank's good friend, Sue Hess, from Ocean City, Maryland

is a busy lady who entertains frequently and likes to be

efficient when doing it. As she puts it, "I don't like to

have to invent every part of the wheel all over again for

each party. I use the same plan over and over again. I

know which platters I'll use for hors d'oeuvres, I know

where I'm going to put the cocktail napkins, and when to

start peeling the corn. When I find one recipe that I can

count on, I use it often enough and make it often enough so

I've got the preparation down to a science. This Chicken

Piccata is one of my favorites to repeat for parties."

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced

boneless roaster breast

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup chicken broth

4 lemon slices

1/4 cup minced, fresh parsley

Salt and ground pepper to taste

Slice each breast in half lengthwise, butterfly-style. You

should end up with 8 thin, flat pieces. Skip the previous

step if you are using thin sliced boneless roaster breasts.

Dip pieces in flour to coat lightly, shake off excess. In

a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add

scaloppine and saute until lightly browned on both sides.

Add lemon juice and broth to pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes

more, turning scaloppine frequently in sauce until cooked

through. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley.

CHINESE FRIED NOODLE CAKE WITH CHICKEN TOPPING

Theresa Kreinen, who developed many of the low fat, low

calorie recipes for Perdue, says that her favorite show

stopper recipe is this Chinese Noodle Cake recipe. "I

remembered that many years ago when I was working for a

Chinese spice company, I saw a similar recipe and thought

that if I took the salt and fat out of the recipe and used

far less oil, that it might still be tasty." She tried

her health-conscious version of the classical Chinese dish,

and ended up with something that is clearly a show stopper.

CHINESE FRIED NOODLE CAKEMakes 2 noodle cakes

In large sauce pot over high heat, bring 3 quarts of water

to a boil. Add 6 ounces dried fine egg noodles; cook in

boiling water 3 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water;

drain well. In large bowl, toss noodles with 2 teaspoons

vegetable oil to prevent sticking. In 12-inch skillet over

medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add

half noodles, flattening to form cake. Cook 5 minutes or

until bottom is golden brown. Loosen edges. Invert onto

large round platter. Slide noodle cake back into skillet.

Cook 5 minutes longer or until second side is golden brown.

Invert onto large round platter. Repeat procedure with

remaining noodles.

CHICKEN TOPPINGMakes 6 servings

1 roaster boneless breast

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, cut in thin wedges

2 tablespoons minced ginger root

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups torn spinach

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 sweet red pepper, cut in thin strips (1 cup)

1 can (8-ounces) bamboo shoots, drained and cut in julienne

strips

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons dry sherry

Remove visible fat from breast meat and cut into thin

strips. In a wok or large skillet, over medium-high heat,

heat oil. Add onion, ginger and garlic; stir fry 1 minute.

Add chicken; stir fry 2 minutes, or until chicken turns

white. Add spinach, broth, mushrooms, red pepper strips,

bamboo shoots, soy sauce and crushed red pepper. Cook 5

minutes or until chicken and vegetables are tender,

stirring frequently. In a cup, blend cornstarch and sherry

until smooth; stir into wok. Over medium heat, bring to a

boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. To serve, spoon

chicken mixture over Chinese Fried Noodle Cake.

FILLO WRAPPED CHICKEN

Deanna Doyel, a Californian, brought these to a pot luck at

my house, and since they were far and away the most popular

food at the party that night, I thought you might enjoy

knowing about them. They're tender, flaky, delicious, and

they look good. You might garnish the plate with some

parsley or watercress. I've served them here to a

gathering of 50 of the Perdue marketing men and women, but

for variation, I cut the chicken into bite size pieces and

wrapped them individually to form cocktail-size morsels.

To make this successfully, be sure to keep the pastry

sheets from drying out or they'll get brittle and

impossible to fold. Work with only one sheet at a time and

keep the others covered with a sheet of waxed paper and

topped with a damp tea towel.

WRAPPED CHICKENServes 6

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup chopped scallions

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

3 cloves garlic, minced, divided

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch salt

Pinch ground pepper

1 cup butter or margarine, divided

12 sheets fillo pastry (available in most quality

supermarkets)

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Grated Parmesan cheese

In a shallow dish combine mayonnaise, scallions, parsley,

half of garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. In a small

saucepan over medium heat melt butter with remaining

garlic. Brush one pastry sheet with melted garlic butter,

top with second sheet and brush again. Dip chicken breast

in mixed ingredients turning to coat thoroughly. Place

chicken diagonally on one corner of pastry sheets, then

roll while folding in sides to make a neat rectangular

package. Brush top of wrapped chicken with butter and top

lightly with Parmesan cheese. Preheat oven to 350oF. Place

wrapped breasts in a baking dish and bake for about 35

minutes. They're a golden brown when done.

MUSHROOM SNAILS Serves 4 as

an appetizer

This is one of the very few recipes that I've developed on

my own. In spite of its name, it doesn't contain snails.

I'd eaten escargot (snails) in France, and thought they

were expensive and overrated, but loved the garlic butter

and other seasonings. One day it occurred to me that those

flavorings would be delicious with the mushrooms and

chicken livers that I happened to have in the refrigerator.

I sat down and wrote what I thought would be right, and

then made the recipe exactly according to the directions

that I'd written. The verdict from guests was that these

mushroom snails are a showstopper, especially if you by any

chance have any of the escargot serving dishes with little

indentations for each snail. Since I'm guessing that you

probably don't, I've suggested in the recipe that you serve

the mushroom "snails" on little rounds of sauteed French

bread.

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley

2 tablespoons snipped fresh or frozen chives

1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste

12 large mushroom caps

6 chicken livers, halved

Preheat oven to 400oF. In a small bowl combine butter with

garlic, parsley, chives and salt. Fill each mushroom cap

with a half chicken liver. Then, top each mushroom cap

with 1/12th of the butter mixture. Bake at until filling is

melted, and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Serve on 1/2 inch

thick slices of French bread which have been sauteed in

butter until lightly browned.

OLD WORLD CORNISH HENS BAKED IN SALTServes 4

This is one of my personal favorites. When it's brought to

the table, this dish looks so impressive that I can still

remember the first time I saw it, which was more than ten

years ago. When the hostess brought the platter with the

four cornish hens, we couldn't be sure what we were

getting. It looked like four chicken-shaped pieces of

white pottery in the exact shape of cornish game hens, only

a little larger. Our hostess explained that she had coated

the cornish hens with a half-inch layer of salt, and then

roasted the hens in this casing. To serve the hens, she

took a small wooden mallet and gave each shell a sharp

whap. Each time she did this, the shell would crack into

several pieces, revealing the fragrant and beautifully-

roasted game hen inside. I thought the hens would taste

salty, but found instead some of the tenderest and most

succulent chicken you could hope for.

8 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 bunch fresh rosemary or thyme, divided

4 fresh Cornish game hens (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds each)

Ground pepper

4 18 x 18 inch squares heavy duty aluminum foil

2 boxes (48 ounces each) Kosher salt

2 1/2 to 3 cups water

Preheat oven to 400oF. Place 2 garlic cloves and a sprig

of rosemary in the cavity of each hen. Season with pepper.

Fold wings back and tie legs together. Place a hen on each

sheet of foil. Fold in edges of foil to form a nest with

sides 1 1/2 inches high. Leave a border of 1 1/2 inches

between hen and foil. Remove hens from nests and reserve.

Place nests on heavy baking sheets. Fill each nest with

a layer of salt, 1/2 inch thick. Return hens

to nests. In a large bowl combine remaining salt with

enough water to make a heavy paste. Use hands to mold salt

around each hen enclosing it completely in a layer of salt

approximately 1/2 inch thick. Bake hens for 40 to 50

minutes depending upon their size. To serve: With a sharp

knife, carefully cut around the base of each hen following

its shape. Use a spatula to gently lift salt covered hens

out of nests and onto platter. Decorate platter with

sprigs of rosemary. In front of your guests, crack salt

casings with a mallet and dust off any remaining salt.

Garnish hens with sprigs of rosemary.

Note: If you want to try this recipe with a 3 1/2 pound

chicken, proceed in the same manner as for the Cornish

hens, using 1 box (48 ounces) kosher salt and 1 1/2 cups

water. The cooking time would is approximately 1 hour and

15 minutes.

ORIENTAL COOK-OUT CHICKEN Serves 6-8 You

need an outdoor grill with a rotisserie for this one. The

sight of the whole chickens wrapped in orange peel spirals,

turning on the spit is really impressive. Don't let your

guests or family miss this part.

2 whole chickens

2 teaspoons salt or to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 cup frozen orange juice concentrate (undiluted)

4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons French salad dressing

3 teaspoons soy sauce

2 oranges

Rub inside of chickens with salt and pepper. In a bowl

combine orange juice, oil, salad dressing, and soy sauce;

rub mixture on chickens, inside and out. Peel oranges,

spiral fashion, keeping skins in one strip. Cut orange

segments into small pieces and place inside of chickens.

Truss chickens securely with string. Place on outdoor

grill rotisserie rod, securing with forked holders. Place

spiral orange peels around chickens, holding in place with

toothpicks. Broil on rotisserie about 1 hour or until

juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is

pierced, basting constantly with sauce.

PERDUE A LA VERTICAL Serves 6-8

NOTE TO CONNIE; THERE'S A LINE DRAWING ILLUSTRATION OF

STUFFING THE BIRD IN THIS RECIPE AND ALSO ANOTHER DRAWING

THAT ILLUSTRATES CARVING. WE HAVE PERMISSION TO USE IT

FROM SPANEK, AND THERE'S NO TRADE NAME ON IT.

One of the really fun things about being Mrs. Frank Perdue

is that people are always giving me tips on cooking

chicken. Recently I met a woman in an airport in Puerto

Rico who told me that my life wasn't complete unless I

tried cooking chicken on a vertical roaster. Not wanting

an incomplete life, I took her advice and found that yes,

vertical roasting really does have a lot going for it. The

chicken cooks about 30% faster because the metal frame

conducts heat and is in contact with the bird's interior.

The bird is also juicier. The heat of the vertical roaster

forces the juices outward while the heat of the oven is

forcing the juices inward. The juices have no where to go,

so instead they just stay inside, tenderizing and flavoring

the meat. Vertical roasters are available in major

department stores as well as in quality gourmet cookware

shops.

Denis Spanek, who patented the first vertical roster,

says he's cooked at least 30,000 birds during

demonstrations and tests, and this is his favorite recipe.

It's now one of my all-time personal favorites too, but

I've felt leery about serving it to guests without knowing

ahead of time that they liked bleu cheese. The last time I

made it, though, I found a way around the problem. I

stuffed one side of the roaster with the bleu cheese-

mushroom mixture and omitted the bleu cheese from the

stuffing for the other side. Then I gave our guests the

choice of which side they'd like.

1 whole roaster

3 ounces crumbled bleu cheese

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

3/4 cup Shittake mushrooms, if not available, use whatever

mushrooms are.

1 tablespoon dry white wine

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Place roaster on its back and use your fingertips to break

the skin membrane at the neck opening on each side of the

breast. Work your fingers under the skin across both sides

of the breast and continue along the thighs and legs. Be

careful not to break the skin that's attached at the center

of the breastbone. In a food processor fitter with steel

blade, combine blue cheese, garlic, butter and mushrooms.

Process, pulsating on and off, until mushrooms are coarsely

chopped and mixture just holds together.

Then, spoon the stuffing under the skin, working over the

breast, thigh, and leg areas, smoothing it evenly over each

side of the bird. When the bird is stuffed, gently press

it onto the vertical roaster so the metal ring at the top

comes through. Set the roaster in an 8-9 inch cake pan and

add 1/2 cup water to the roasting pan. Baste with a mixture

of 1 tablespoon of dry white wine with paprika. This will

give a rosy color to the bird and the chicken will brown

beautifully. Sear for 15 minutes in a preheated 450 degree

oven. Lower temperature to 350 degrees and cook for 15 to

18 minutes per pound

Food Tip: Carve the bird over rice so the rice catches the

drippings.

PHOTO: Black & white - chicken platter w/mozzarella

strips placed in lattice pattern over breast. On ceramic

counter w/napkins, forks, cups & saucers, breads, etc.

ROASTER MARINARAServes 6

Frank is particularly fond of any recipe with tomatoes, and

usually we've found that in restaurants that if you see a

menu item that's "marinara," whatever-it-is is going to be

served with a tomato-based sauce. However, according to

the New York Times food writer, Craig Claiborne, marinara

really means "marine style" or sailor style and marinara

sauces exist without tomatoes. In this recipe, the sauce

is tomato based. I'm fond of this recipe because it looks

so good. Be sure and notice the illustration.

1 whole roaster

3/4 teaspoon minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried

Salt and ground pepper to taste

1-1/2 cups homemade or prepared marinara sauce (available

in supermarkets)

1 package (6-ounces) sliced mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Remove giblets from roaster.

Season with basil, salt and pepper. Place bird, breast side

up, in roasting pan. Brush marinara sauce over roaster 30

minutes before end of cooking time. Cut mozzarella cheese

into long strips 1/2-inch wide and place in lattice pattern

over breast during final 10 minutes of cooking.

PHOTO: STUFFED CHICKEN

STUFFED CHICKEN JARDINIEREServes 6

I don't know of many presentations that are more impressive

than this. That's the good part. The price for all this

impressiveness is that it's also one of the more time-

consuming recipes in this book. While it's true that there

is a fair amount of preparation required, the work is done

in advance and not at the last minute. This recipe allows

you to surprise your guests with a chicken that appears

whole but slices into attractive pieces of chicken and

stuffing. It's also a low calorie and healthy recipe.

You'll find directions for boning and re-forming a whole

chicken further on, but in case you don't have the time or

desire to do it yourself, a cooperative butcher can do it

for you in about five minutes.

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)

2-3 zucchini (3/4 pound), well scrubbed and grated

2-3 yellow squash (3/4 pound), well scrubbed and grated

4 carrots, peeled and grated

1 cup thinly sliced scallions

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried

1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (made from 2 slices low-calorie

while grain bread)

1 egg white or 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

3/4 teaspoon ground pepper, divided

1/2 teaspoon of salt, divided

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg or to taste

Yogurt-Herb Sauce (recipe follows)

Fresh tarragon sprigs, miniature zucchini, yellow squash

and carrots, (optional garnish)

Bone chicken except for wings and legs. Using kitchen

string and a large darning needle, sew up any holes in skin

and the split area near tail -- chicken should form a

roughly rectangular shape. Place squash and carrots in a

colander or strainer; press with back of wooden spoon or

hands to remove as much liquid as possible.

In a large, non-stick or lightly greased skillet, combine

grated vegetables, scallions and garlic. Cook over low

heat, stirring frequently, 6 to 8 minutes or until mixture

is quite dry, but not brown. Remove from heat; stir in

tarragon, Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg white, 1/2 teaspoon

pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt and nutmeg.

Preheat oven to 400F. Sprinkle inside of chicken with

remaining salt and pepper. Stuff and truss chicken,

following directions for reforming a whole chicken. Brush

with oil, if desired. Place on rack in roasting pan and

roast 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and roast 1 hour

longer or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when

thigh is pierced.

Refrigerate chicken until ready to serve. Recipe can be

served hot, but will slice more easily if thoroughly

chilled. Serve chicken with Yogurt-Herb Sauce, garnish

with herbs and vegetables, if desired.

Yogurt-Herb Sauce

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Salt and ground pepper to taste

In small bowl, combine yogurt and herbs. Add salt and

ground pepper to taste.

BONING AND RE-FORMING A WHOLE CHICKEN

1. On a large cutting board, place bird breast down with

drumsticks turned toward you. Using a small, sharp boning

knife, cut off tail. Then cut through skin down middle of

backbone.

2. Keep knife close to backbone to loosen flesh, cutting

around small oyster-shaped piece of meat part-way down

back; leave oyster attached to skin. Just below oyster,

use point of knife to locate and sever ball joint between

hip and thigh.

3. Working toward neck, loosen flesh from carcass. When

shoulder blade is reached, keep bone to your right and cut

through joint to sever wing from shoulder.

4. Continue loosening flesh around edge of carcass until

you reach breastbone. Do not try to detach this because

skin is very thin at this point. Turn bird around so neck

faces you; repeat steps 2 and 3. Carefully, cut through

two spots where wishbone is attached to carcass.

5. When both sides of carcass and wishbone are loosened,

lift carcass and cut breastbone away from meat. Cut

through cartilage, but do not worry about leaving some

attached to flesh. It can be removed more easily later

without piercing skin. Remove carcass and, if desired,

simmer with vegetables to make a stock.

6. Using kitchen string or unwaxed dental floss, thread a

large darning needle. Turn chicken skin-side up and sew

closed any holes in skin. Stitch split area near tail

together so that chicken roughly forms a rectangle.

7. Turn chicken skin-side down and carefully remove any

remaining cartilage in breast area. Detach small breast

fillets and use to cover less meaty areas near thighs.

Season meat, if desired.

8. Mound stuffing down center of breast. Pull skin up on

either side around stuffing and re-form chicken. Sew back

of bird closed.

9. Truss bird into attractive chicken shape.

A TRIO OF SHOW STOPPER "VEAL" CLASSICS

Chicken breasts, when pounded and flattened, can make an

excellent substitute for veal. And if your market has them,

the thin sliced boneless roaster breast is even better,

since you don't have to pound or flatten the individual

pieces. The fact is, if someone didn't tell you, and if

you're not a food professional, there's a good chance that

you'd have difficulty telling the difference. The muscle

fibers in both meats are surprisingly similar; they're both

low in fat, and neither has much collagen, the factor that

makes meat fibrous and chewy.

The basic ingredients in most of the "veal" dishes that

follow are boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They're

called "cutlets." A scaloppine is a cutlet sliced in half

lengthwise.

By the way, if Frank had his way, from now on you wouldn't

think of chicken breasts as an inexpensive substitute for

veal. You'd think of veal as a more expensive substitute

for his chicken breasts. In fact, Frank likes to say that

"Anything veal can do, my chicken breasts can do better,"

He points out that chicken breasts are richer than veal in

vitamin A, niacin, and calcium, and they're lower in

calories and cholesterol. They're equal to veal in

protein, and of course, they're much, much more affordable.

If thin sliced boneless roaster breast is unavailable

in your market, you can make your own scaloppine, place a

skinless, boneless chicken breast half on a flat surface,

insert a sharp knife into the side and cut the chicken

breast into two wide flat slices. Put these slices

between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet

or rolling pin to 1/4" thickness.

CHICKEN OSCARServes 4

Veal Oscar is served in some of the finest New York

restaurants. You can make this chicken version yourself

for a small fraction of the restaurant cost.

8 scaloppine (about 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken

breast halves) or 1 thin sliced boneless roaster breast

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 cup cooked crabmeat

16 cooked, fresh asparagus spears or 1 can (10 1/2 ounces),

drained

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup Hollandaise Sauce (optional)

Dip scaloppine in flour to coat lightly, shake off excess.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add

scaloppine and saute for about 1 1/2 minutes per side until

lightly browned and just cooked through. Remove to serving

platter. Top with crabmeat and asparagus spears. Cover

and hold in 250 degree oven. Add broth to skillet and cook

over high heat to reduce by half. Stir frequently. Remove

scaloppine from oven. Top with sauce and Hollandaise, if

desired.

PERDUE PARMIGIANOServes 4

This is a little like the Austrian treatment of veal, but

with an Italian accent. Serve it with spaghetti. If you

don't have commercial bread crumbs handy, dry a couple of

slices of bread in a 250 degree oven, and then whirl in the

blender or food processor. Presto! Your own bread crumbs.

8 scaloppine (about 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken

breast halves) or 1 thin sliced boneless roaster

breast

1/4 cup flour seasoned with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/8

teaspoon Ground pepper

2 eggs

1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

6 tablespoons oil

1 cup homemade or prepared marinara sauce (available in

supermarkets)

1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Place seasoned flour on a sheet of wax paper. Break eggs

into a shallow bowl and beat lightly. Place bread crumbs

on a separate sheet of wax paper. Dip scaloppine in flour

to coat lightly, shake off excess. Dip in beaten egg, then

coat with bread crumbs. In large skillet over medium-high

heat, heat oil. Add saute scaloppine and saute for about

1 minute per side until golden brown. Drain on paper

towels. Arrange scaloppine in shallow baking dish or

casserole. Cover with marinara sauce and mozzarella

cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake in 350

degree oven for 15 minutes.

PERDUE WIENER SCHNITZELServes 4

I had the real thing in Austria, and I don't think it was

any better than this. Serve it with buttered noodles.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced

boneless roaster breast

1/4 cup flour seasoned with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/8

teaspoon Ground pepper

6 eggs

1 cup fine bread crumbs

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

1 lemon, quartered

Pound chicken between plastic wrap to flatten to 1/4 inch

thickness. Skip the previous step if you are using thin

sliced boneless roaster breasts. Break 2 eggs into a

shallow bowl and beat lightly. Place bread crumbs on a

separate sheet of wax paper. Dip cutlets in flour to coat,

shake off excess. Dip in beaten eggs, then coat with bread

crumbs. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt half

of butter. Saute breaded cutlets until golden brown and

cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove to heated serving

platter. Add reserved butter to skillet and fry remaining

eggs sunnyside up to desired doneness. Season with salt and

pepper. Place 1 egg on top of each cutlet, sprinkle with

parsley and garnish with lemon quarters.

NOTE TO EDITOR: CAN WE HAVE THE SECTION ON "MENU FOR THREE

BEAUTIFUL GUESTS" PUT ON ITS OWN PAGE, SEPARATE FROM THE

OTHER RECIPES? I'D LIKE TO HAVE IT HIGHLIGHTED IN SOME

MANNER.

LET'S USE THE STORY BOARD FOR THREE BEAUTIFUL GUESTS HERE.

MOST OF THE READERS WILL NEVER HAVE SEEN A STORY BOARD

BEFORE AND WOULD FIND IT FASCINATING.

PHOTO: POSSIBLE PHOTO OF THE FOUR CORNISH, IF WE CAN FIND

IT IN COLOR.

MENU FOR THREE BEAUTIFUL GUESTS

One of Frank's most memorable commercials is "Dinner with

Three Beautiful Guests."

In the commercial, while Frank roasts four fresh Cornish

game hens, he showers; shaves; puts on a tuxedo; chills

some champagne; arranges flowers in a vase; turns on soft

music; and then opens the door to greet three ravishing

beauties. The commercial has been so successful that the

advertising agency produced a sequel, dramatizing an actual

letter that arrived at Perdue Farms' consumer relations

department:

"Mr. Perdue, I have a complaint. I prepared four of

your Cornish hens just as you did on T.V. I showered and

shaved just as you did on T.V. I dressed as you did on

T.V. I chilled the wine, and laid the birds on a bed of

wild rice just as you did on T.V. Your advertising is

misleading. No pretty girls have knocked on my door."

People sometimes ask me if the original ad makes me

jealous. Actually it's my favorite.

QUICK, CRISP CORNISH HENSServes 4

Wild rice is a completely different crop from regular rice.

It is chewier and has a more nut-like flavor. The people

who grow it refer to it as "the caviar of grains."

This is a good and quick method for roasting Cornish hens

but it can smoke up your kitchen. If you don't have a good

fan, preheat your oven to 500oF and then reduce it to 375oF

when you put the hens in - and then roast them for 45 to 50

minutes instead of the half hour mentioned in this recipe.

4 fresh Cornish game hens

Salt and ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon minced, fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

1 bunch fresh parsley

4 small bay leaves

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

2 cups hot, cooked wild rice

1 lemon cut in wedges as garnish

Bacon and Wild Mushroom Gravy (recipe follows)

Place rack in lower half of oven; preheat to 5000F. If you

have a ventilator fan on stove, turn it on. Reserving

other giblets for gravy, discard necks and livers. Season

hen cavities with salt, pepper and thyme. Trim stem ends

from parsley and add 1 tablespoon to each cavity, along

with a bay leaf. Tie legs together, fold back wings and

place hens breast side up in a roasting pan.

Roast hens for about 30 minutes, basting once with butter,

until skin is brown and crisp and juices run clear with no

hint of pink when thigh is pierced. Remove hens from pan

and skim off all but 3 tablespoons drippings to be used in

gravy. Serve on a bed of wild rice; garnish with parsley

and lemon wedges and pass gravy separately.

Bacon and Wild Mushroom Gravy

1 ounce dried wild mushrooms (cepes, morels or porcini)

1 cup boiling water

1/4 pound bacon, diced

Giblets reserved from hens, chopped

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup flour

2-1/2 cups chicken broth or water

To reconstitute mushrooms well, pour boiling water over

them and allow to steep 10 minutes. Strain through a

coffee filter and reserve liquid. Rinse mushrooms to

remove any sand; chop finely.

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, fry bacon until

crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels. Leaving 2 tablespoons

bacon fat in pan, add giblets, mushrooms and onion and

brown about 5 minutes. Add to Cornish drippings in

roasting pan. Whisk in sherry and flour. Cook, whisking

frequently for 3 to 4 minutes or until flour is browned.

Add bacon, reserved mushroom liquid, and broth to flour

mixture. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently, and cook

gravy to thicken. Serve with hens.

CIDER-GLAZED CARROTSServes 4

1 pound baby carrots, peeled

2 cups apple cider

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon minced, fresh parsley

Cut larger carrots in half on a diagonal, if necessary, so

that all carrots are approximately the same size. In a

saucepan over medium heat, bring cider, butter, honey, salt

and pepper to a boil and add carrots. Cook 5 minutes or

until just beginning to soften; remove with slotted spoon.

Bring cider mixture back to a boil and cook 5 minutes to

thicken glaze. Remove from heat. Two minutes before

serving, reheat carrots in sauce, tossing frequently.

Serve garnished with parsley.

PEAS IN CHIVE CREAMServes 4

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt and ground pepper to taste

1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh or frozen peas

1 tablespoon snipped fresh or frozen chives

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cream and

seasoning to a boil and cook until thick, about 5 minutes;

whisk frequently. Five minutes before serving, stir in

peas and bring back to a boil, stirring frequently. Add

chives just before serving.

STRAWBERRIES ROMANOFFServes 4

1 quart long-stemmed strawberries

1 cup sour cream

1/2 to 1 cup brown sugar, sifted

Arrange strawberries attractively on four individual

dessert plates. Garnish each plate with a big dollop of

sour cream and a heaping tablespoonful of sugar. Dip

strawberries first into sour cream, then into sugar.

ZURELLI'S SPINACH CUTLETS

Chuck Zurelli, a butcher for one of the large supermarket

chains, makes this for his customers. It's not hard to do

at home and it looks professional. You may want to

substitute fresh minced onion and garlic for the onion

powder and garlic powder that Mr. Zurelli uses.

There is a trick to it though. We all know that having

sharp knives is a Good Thing, but how often do you sharpen

yours? Are you like me, that once a year would be average,

and if you were to get up to once a month, you'd be feeling

pretty virtuous? Chuck Zurelli does a little better than

once a month. If you were to watch him at work, you'd see

that in the process of butterflying chicken breasts, he'll

almost automatically run his knife across his sharpening

tool every 15 or 20 seconds. Since meeting Mr. Zurelli,

I've asked other butchers how often they sharpen their

knives. It turns out that Zurelli is typical. The

professionals feel it's worth their while to keep their

knives very, very sharp. Now that I've tried it, I think

they're right. If you're doing some serious cutting, how

about a few quick strokes on your sharpening tool? It does

make a difference.

For each serving:

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half or 1 slice of the

thin sliced boneless roaster breast

4 spinach leaves

1 slice provolone cheese

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Vegetable oil

Salt and ground pepper to taste

Take a half boneless chicken breast and butterfly it open.

Or use a slice of the thin sliced roaster breast. Remove

the membrane and sinews, since these can tighten unevenly

and distort the look of the final product. Take four

spinach leaves and layer these over the butterflied fillet.

Top this with a slice of provolone cheese, cut about as

thick as the pre-sliced cheeses used for sandwiches. Season

with a few shakes each of onion powder and garlic powder.

(Don't add salt until after it's finished cooking; salt

will draw out the juices and toughen the meat.) Roll up

the fillet tightly, jelly roll fashion. Fasten with a

toothpick or tie with kitchen twine. Preheat oven to 350oF.

Brush chicken with oil to seal in the moisture and then

bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until cooked through. Season

with salt and pepper.

CHAPTER TEN

CHICKEN PLANNED-OVERS $ A GREAT FAST FOOD

Everyone is so busy nowadays, it's often tempting to

pick up dinner at a fast food carry-out on the way home.

The problem is, these foods not only dent the budget, they

can short-change you nutritionally. Often they're high in

the fat or sodium which many of us are trying to limit.

There are, however, ways to serve speedy meals that

are also good for you. In fact, I like to think of leftover

chicken as a fast food. It gives you a head start on so

many recipes.

Michelle Evans, the eminent cookbook author and travel

authority, likes to say that left over chicken is the

"basic black dress" of the culinary world. It's true. You

can dress it up in so many ways: you can use herbs and

spices, sauces and dips, toppings and crusts. Just as a

basic black dress is handy to have around, so leftover

chicken is wonderful for a fast start on a number of

delicious dishes.

By using leftovers, you can create fast food while

maintaining control over the calories and nutrition. When

you do cook, plan for leftovers by preparing extra

quantities. Serve part of what you prepared immediately,

and save the rest for a "planover". Then, on those days

when you're short on time,

use your microwave to create a meal from your store of

"planovers."

There are a few points to keep in mind when using

leftovers.

_Know how long the food has been held at room

temperature. The Department of Agriculture recommends that

you throw food out if it's of animal origin and if it's

been left unrefrigerated for more than two hours. I've

talked with some food scientists, however, who feel that

the USDA two-hour rule is unnecessarily strict. They say

that except for the at-risk groups, (infants, the elderly

or those in poor health), that you can probably still use

chicken that has been kept at room temperature for a little

longer than two hours, maybe as long as four hours. Still,

they agree that the longer chicken is kept at room

temperature, the bigger the chance you're taking. Harmful

organisms can multiply rapidly on food that's held in the

danger zone between 40 degrees and 140 degrees.

Personally, I'm in favor of being cautious, but I thought

you might like to know that there's more than one view.

_When refrigerating leftovers, break them down into

shallow pans that aren't deeper than a couple of inches.

If you have a deep pan with lots of, for example, leftover

stuffing, it could take too long for the food in the middle

to cool down to 40 degrees.

_If you're not going to eat the leftover chicken

within three days, freeze it.

_Don't store cooked chicken in the freezer for longer

than three months. Label it so you can keep track of it.

A California home economist friend of mine keeps a running

log of what's in her freezer, marking dishes when they are

removed. This reduces the search time with the freezer

open, and keeps her from losing track of what's in there.

_Wrap leftovers tightly in moisture proof wrapping so

as to prevent freezer burn.

_Think of ways of working leftovers into your brown

bag lunches. Cold chicken makes a great lunch. Chicken

soup or stew goes great in a thermos.

If you happen to be browsing in this chapter and find you

want to make one of the recipes but don't have any

leftovers handy, you can make some by:

1. Baking a chicken. Place whole chicken without any

seasonings or coatings, uncovered in a 350oF oven for

approximately 1 hour.

2. Simmering a whole chicken

1 chicken

2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1 onion, peeled and quartered

1 stalk celery, halved

1 bay leaf

Put chicken in kettle or sauce pan. Add water

and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 45 minutes or

until cooked through. Save the broth for sauces or soup

bases.

3. Simmering parts of a chicken using the same recipe

as for whole chicken. Boneless parts cook fastest, a small

breast in 15 minutes, a larger roaster-size one in 20 to

25, and boneless roaster thighs in 30 to 40 minutes.

PHOTO: 3 pies and 1 oblong casserole

CHICKEN POTPIES REDISCOVERED

One of the best uses for leftover chicken is chicken pot

pies.

Back in the days of the Roman empire, potpies were banquet

fare, often created with surprises - even live birds --

under the crust. During the time of Elizabeth I, English

cooks made potpies using "chicken peepers," tiny chicks

stuffed with gooseberries. By the mid-eighteenth century,

an English cookbook included a sort of telescoping pie in

which five birds were stuffed one inside another, then

wrapped in dough.

With a past like that, it is not surprising that

immigrants to America brought an appreciation for potpies

with them. When settlers moved West, so did their potpie

recipes, which they adapted to local food styles with new

ingredients and seasonings. By this century, chicken

potpies and "meat and taters" variations had become as

American as corn on the cob. They were thrifty foods,

served at the kitchen table and in "home cooking" diners

along country roads.

Recently, nostalgia for homespun cookery has meant a

change in status for potpies. They not only are considered

respectable, they're even "trendy," often appearing on the

menus of fashionable restaurants. These are perfect

recipes in which to use leftover chicken, and if you run

short of a particular vegetable go ahead and substitute

whatever else looks good. In fact, you can mix and match

and change the ingredients, flavorings and toppings to suit

the mood of the moment. To get you started, here are a few

guidelines.

Tips for Making old-Fashioned Chicken Potpies

_Potpie fillings are actually stews or creamed dishes

inside a crust. If you want you can also serve fillings

over rice, noodles, toast points or party shells.

_To prevent a soggy bottom crust, bake two-crust pies

on the bottom shelf of a preheated oven and slit the top to

allow steam to escape. For decorative slits, use a

favorite hors d'oeuvre or cookie cutter. Also space

dumplings, biscuits and other toppings to allow for

steaming.

_When making individual potpies, eliminating the

bottom crust creates a better proportion of filling to

pastry. One double-crust recipe for a 9-inch pie plate

makes about 8 single-crust, 5-inch tarts. Reduce baking

time by 10 minutes.

_For a different flavor in biscuits, crusts or potato

toppings, crumble in a few tablespoonfuls of herbs or

grated cheese.

_Potpie fillings can be prepared in advance and

refrigerated, but do not pour fillings into pastry shells

until ready to bake. If you plan to freeze a pie for

storage, eliminate the bottom crust, sealing the top one

over cooked filling. Place in a plastic bag or wrap

tightly with heavy foil. Do not defrost before baking.

Preheat the oven and add 15 minutes to cooking time.

CAJUN PIEServes 4

1/4 pound lean bacon

Vegetable oil

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup fresh ripe or canned chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 to 12 drops Tabasco

1-1/4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1 package (10 ounces) frozen succotash, thawed

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken

8 to 10 ready to bake buttermilk biscuits

Grease a deep 9-inch pie plate or ovenproof dish. In

large, heavy skillet, over medium-high heat, cook bacon

until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to drain;

crumble. Pour drippings into a measuring cup and add oil

to bring to 1/2 cup. Return to skillet and stir in flour.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 to 10

minutes or until well browned. Add onions and cook 1

minute. Stir in green peppers, tomatoes, sauces, and

water; season to taste with salt. Simmer until slightly

thickened or about 1 to 3 minutes; stir in succotash bacon

and chicken. Pour into prepared dish. Preheat oven to

425oF. Place biscuits on top of filling with edges

touching. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until filling is

hot and biscuits are golden brown.

CHICKEN HASH PIEServes 4

2 pounds (4 large) potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream, divided

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided

Salt and ground pepper to taste

Pinch ground nutmeg

1 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and tender green

parts only

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup chicken broth

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken

3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried

4 eggs

2 teaspoons minced, fresh parsley, optional

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch pie plate or 1-1/2-

quart ovenproof casserole. Place potatoes in a large

saucepan with enough water to cover. Salt to taste. Bring

to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook

until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash potatoes,

adding 1/4 cup cream, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon

pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste. Cover and set aside.

In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt remaining

butter. Saute scallions and celery in butter for 3

minutes. Whisk in flour and cook 3 minutes. Add broth and

remaining 3/4 cup cream and heat to boiling, whisking

constantly. Stir in chicken, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt or to

taste, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Spread chicken mixture on bottom of prepared pie plate.

Pipe 4 potatoes rings on top of pie or spread potatoes over

filling and make four depressions with the back of a spoon.

Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully break eggs

into rings or depressions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper,

if desired, and return to oven for 15 minutes or until eggs

are set to desired doneness. Garnish with parsley and

serve immediately.

CHICKEN PIEServes 4

In contrast to the recipe above for Chicken Hash Pie, this

may be one of the easiest chicken pie recipes there is.

Sprinkle grated Cheddar cheese over the biscuits when you

want something different.

2 cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks

2 cans (10-1/2-ounces each) cream of mushroom soup,

undiluted

1/2 cup uncooked frozen peas

2 raw carrots, sliced

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion or 1 teaspoon instant

minced onion

1 tube (7 and 1/2 ounces) prepared biscuits

Preheat oven to 350oF. Mix all ingredients except biscuits

in baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour. Remove

foil. Place biscuits on top of mixture. Bake, uncovered,

12 minutes longer or until biscuits are brown.

CHICKEN TAMALE PIE (Mexican) Serves 8-10

Don't be alarmed if the cornmeal mixture gets lumpy$just

keep stirring and cooking and the mixture will become

consistently thick.

4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups cooked chicken, cut in cubes

1 can (12-ounces) tomato puree

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 cup pitted and chopped ripe olives

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed

3 teaspoons salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

6 cups chicken broth, divided

2 cups cornmeal

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon

butter. Add onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add

chicken, tomato puree, chili powder, olives, coriander, 1

teaspoon of the salt, pepper and 1/2 cup chicken broth.

Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 325oF. Bring

remaining broth to a boil in large saucepan. Add salt and

butter. Stir in cornmeal. Cook at low heat 15 minutes,

stirring constantly. Line a large shallow baking dish with

half of the cornmeal mixture. Pour in chicken mixture.

Cover with remaining cornmeal mixture. Bake for 1 1/2

hours.

EMPANADA PIEServes 4

This is a South American version of chicken pot pie.

2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter or margarine, divided

2 tablespoons lard or shortening

About 1/3 cup ice-cold water

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion

1 cup thinly sliced green pepper

1 hot green chili pepper, chopped (optional)

1/2 cup pitted green olives, sliced into rounds

1 cup raisins

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 cup chopped fresh or stewed tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

3 cups cooked, diced chicken

1 egg, beaten

Pastry

In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. With pastry

blender or 2 knives, cut in 6 tablespoons butter and lard

until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually stir in

water until dough forms a ball; do not overmix.

Preheat oven to 425F and grease a deep 9-inch pie plate or

ovenproof dish. Roll out 2/3 of the pastry and use to line

bottom of pie plate. Pierce well with a fork. Roll

remaining pastry to 1/8-inch thickness for top crust.

(Pastry can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until

filling is ready.)

Filling

In medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, melt

remaining butter. Add onion and pepper; saute for 3

minutes or until softened. Add olives, raisins, vinegar,

tomatoes and tomato paste and cook 5 minutes. Season with

cinnamon and salt; stir in chicken. Spread chicken mixture

in prepared pie plate and top with pastry. Flute edges,

cut decorative slits in top, and brush with beaten egg.

Bake on bottom shelf of oven 30 minutes or until browned.

FANCY CHICKEN PUFF PIEServes 4

4 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup chopped shallots or scallions

1/4 cup flour

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup dry sherry

Salt to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Pinch nutmeg

1/4 pound ham, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch strips

3 cups cooked chicken, cut in 1/4-inch by 2-inch strips

1-1/2 cups fresh, or a package (10 ounces) frozen,

asparagus,cooked tender-crisp and cut in 2-inch pieces

1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream

Chilled flaky pastry for a 1-crust pie or 1 sheet frozen

puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

In a medium-sized saucepan, oven medium-high heat, melt

butter and saute shallots lightly. Whisk in flour; cook 3

minutes and add broth and sherry. Heat to boiling,

whisking constantly; season to taste with salt, pepper, and

nutmeg. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in

ham, chicken, asparagus, and cream. Pour chicken mixture

in 9-inch pie plate.

Preheat oven to 425F. Cut an 8-inch circle from pastry,

tracing around a plate as pattern. Cut pastry hearts from

extra dough with cookie cutter, if desired. Place circle

of dough on a cookie sheet moistened with cold water.

Pierce with tines of fork, brush with egg and decorate with

cutout hearts; brush hearts with egg.

Place pastry on cookie sheet and the filled pie plate in

oven. Bake 10 minutes; lower heat to 350F and bake 10 to

15 additional minutes or until pastry is golden brown and

filling is hot. With a spatula, carefully place pastry lid

on hot filling and serve immediately.

CHICKEN A LA KING WITH BUTTERMILK BISCUITSServes 3-4

According to food historians, Chicken a la King got its

name, not from some former monarch, but from the E. Clark

King family, proprietors of a fashionable resort near

Manhattan at the turn of the century. The original recipe

used cream and sherry and egg yolks, and was served over

toast points. This is somewhat lighter and a lot easier.

If you have the time and are in the mood, skip the cream of

chicken soup, and instead, use a basic white sauce made

with chicken broth. If you don't have your own favorite

white sauce recipe, here's a quick and simple one: Stir 4

tablespoons of flour into 4 tablespoons of melted butter.

Cook for a couple of minutes, but don't let brown. Slowly

stir in 2 cups chicken broth. Continue stirring until

thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2 cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 cup pimento, chopped

1/4 pound small fresh mushrooms, sliced (1 cup)

2 cans (10-1/2 ounces each) cream of chicken soup,

undiluted

In a saucepan over low heat combine all ingredients and

cook for about 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve

on buttermilk biscuits. You can buy them ready-to-bake in

a tube, or else make them from scratch, following this

recipe:

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup shortening or butter

About 3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425F. In large bowl, sift together flour,

salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in shortening

until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in just enough

buttermilk so dough holds together; turn out onto a floured

surface. Pat to a 1/2-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch

rounds. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden.

CHICKEN AND CORN SOUP Serves 2

- 3

3 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups cooked, diced, chicken

1 can (8 3/4 ounces) cream-style corn

1 tablespoon dry sherry

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons

water

1 cup watercress leaves

In a saucepan over medium heat bring broth to a boil. Add

chicken, corn, sherry, salt and pepper. Simmer 2 to 3

minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook stirring

constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Stir in watercress and serve immediately.

CHICKEN CHOW MEIN (Chinese) Serves 4-6

Using the cream of mushroom soup puts this recipe in the

category of "fast food." It's good, but if you have the

time and the inclination, you'll get fresher-tasting

results if you substitute your best white sauce recipe for

the canned mushroom soup. Also, if you have a choice

between buying dark soy sauce and light soy sauce, remember

the dark one is sweeter$molasses or caramel is added$and

light soy sauce is saltier.

1-1/2 cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks

1 can (3-ounces) chow mein noodles, divided

1 can (6-1/2-ounces) cashew nuts, divided

1 can (10-1/2-ounces) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Preheat oven to 350oF. In a baking dish combine chicken,

1/2 of noodles, 1/2 of nuts, soup, broth and soy sauce in

baking dish, mixing well. Top with remaining noodles and

cashews. Bake for about 30 minutes.

CHICKEN-IN-EVERY-POT SOUPServes 4-6

For the best flavor, use fresh vegetables, varying them

according to the season. Speaking of fresh vegetables, do

you know how to tell a good carrot? Look at the "crown,"

(that's the stem end). If the crown is turning brown or

black or has regrowth visible where the stem was, you've

got a carrot that's been around awhile. If the crown and

shoulders are a bright orange, you've got a nice, fresh

carrot.

1 cup potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1 cup onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 cup carrots, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks

1 cup celery, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks

1 cup fresh or frozen green beans, in 2-inch pieces

2 cups cooked chicken, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch julienne

strips

1 cup zucchini, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks

Place potatoes in a saucepan with enough salted water to

cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook

potatoes 5 minutes; drain, rinse under cold water and set

aside. In large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring

broth and sherry to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Add onions, carrots, and celery and simmer 5 minutes. Stir

in green beans and chicken and heat soup to boiling. Add

zucchini and potatoes and simmer 1 minute longer.

Variation: Chicken Minestrone

Add 1 cup chopped stewed tomatoes in their juice and 2 cups

cooked, drained fusilli or other pasta and 1/2-cup cooked

kidney beans when adding zucchini and potatoes. Stir in

1/2-cup grated Parmesan cheese just before serving. Other

fresh vegetables may be added according to their cooking

times. Minestrone happens to be one of Frank's favorites,

although he skips the cheese because of its cholesterol.

NEW ENGLAND CHICKEN 'N' CORN CHOWDERServes 4-6

Chowders are thick soups which take their name from the

large French pot used in soup-making called a "chaudiere."

You can use fresh corn in this recipe, but I deliberately

suggested frozen corn first because frozen corn can

actually taste sweeter and fresher than the fresh corn you

buy at the supermarket. Corn loses 50% of its sweetness in

just 24 hours at room temperature, and it can take days for

corn to get from the fields to the supermarket to your

house. In contrast, frozen corn is rushed from the fields

to the freezer in just a few hours, and once frozen, it

stops losing its sweetness. Strange as it may seem, with

corn, frozen can taste fresher than fresh.

1/4 pound bacon or salt pork, diced

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups peeled potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn or kernels from 2 ears of

corn

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

2 cups cooked, diced chicken

1 cup (1/2-pint) heavy cream

Oyster crackers, for garnish

In large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute bacon for 3

minutes until its fat has been rendered. Add onions and

celery and cook 3 minutes longer. Stir in broth and bring

to a boil, whisking constantly. Add potatoes and corn,

season with salt and pepper and cook 5 to 10 minutes or

until tender. Stir in chicken and cream, simmer 3 minutes

and serve with oyster crackers.

Variation: Shellfish Chowder

Add 1 cup chopped green pepper and 1 cup cooked crab or

shrimp to soup when adding chicken.

HEARTY LANCASTER CHICKEN, VEGETABLE AND DUMPLING SOUP

Serves 4

This is a famous Pennsylvania summer soup made with extra

vegetables for hearty winter eating. You can substitute

noodles for the dumplings, or add crackers, pretzels $ and

some people have told me that even popcorn works. I'm

skeptical about the popcorn, but if you're feeling

adventurous, give it a try.

6 cups chicken broth

2 cups cooked, diced chicken

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 cup parboiled potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup parboiled carrots, cut in 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup shredded green cabbage

1 cup thinly-sliced leek, white and tender green parts

only, or 1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 package (10-ounces) frozen corn kernels from 2 ears of

corn

Knepp

In large saucepan over high heat, bring broth to a boil.

Add other ingredients and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 3

minutes while making dumplings.

Knepp (Little Dumplings)

1 egg

3/4 cup flour

1/3 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon minced, fresh parsley, optional garnish

In small bowl, beat egg; stir in flour, water, salt, baking

powder, and nutmeg. Drop batter by half teaspoons into the

simmering soup. When dumplings rise to top, stir in

parsley and serve.

Variation: Chicken Spinach Straciatella

Omit dumplings. Clean and stem 1/2 pound fresh spinach;

stack and cut into 1/2-inch strips. Whisk together 2 eggs

with 1/2-cup grated Parmesan cheese. Stir in spinach with

chicken, then heat soup just to boiling. Immediately pour

in the egg mixture in a thin stream, while stirring. The

goal is to end up with thread-like strands of cooked egg.

Cook until soup simmers again; stir gently just before

serving.

CHICKEN-BACON SANDWICH Serves 6

Different kinds of bread make interesting variations. You

can serve the sandwiches either open-face or topped with

another slice of bread. I like open-face sandwiches that

the kids can decorate.

1 cup cooked, finely chopped chicken

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley

4 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

6 slices crisp cooked bacon

In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients except bacon and

spread on favorite kind of bread. Break slices of cooked

bacon in half and place on top of sandwich.

HOT CHICKENWICHServes 6

If chicken has been chilled, it should be placed in 250oF

oven, uncovered, for about 3 minutes. If you have the

time, substitute a good homemade white sauce made with

chicken broth for the cream of chicken soup. If you don't

have the time, (and I bet that happens to you often!) the

chicken soup shortcut is still very good.

6 slices hot buttered toast

1 can (3-1/2-ounces) deviled ham

1 chicken, cooked and sliced

3 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley

1 can (10-1/2-ounces) cream of chicken soup, undiluted and

heated

Salt to taste (you may not want any since the soup and the

deviled ham are both fairly salty)

Spread deviled ham on buttered toast; sprinkle with

parsley. Place sliced chicken on toast. Pour hot soup

over each sandwich.

QUICK CHICKEN TETRAZZINI Serves 2-3

This is even better after standing to let the flavors

blend. Green beans and broiled tomato go nicely with this.

If you have time, use a good homemade white sauce made with

chicken broth and mushrooms instead of the cream of

mushroom soup.

1 cup cooked, diced chicken

1 can (10-1/2-ounces) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1/2 cup cooked spaghetti (1/4 cup uncooked yields 1/2 cup

cooked)

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and ground pepper to taste (you may not want any since

the soup is fairly salty)

Preheat oven to 375oF. In a baking dish combine all

ingredients and bake for about 30 minutes until hot and

lightly browned.

SALADS

CHICKEN SPRING SALADServes 6-8

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, as well

as potassium and magnesium. When you eat it uncooked, as

in this recipe, dentists say spinach is a detergent food,

helpful to dental health.

3 cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks

1 package (10-ounces) raw spinach, washed and drained with

stems removed and torn into small pieces

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chives, snipped, fresh or frozen

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup chopped pecans

2 apples, chopped

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

In a salad bowl combine all ingredients and toss lightly.

FRENCH DRESSING CHICKEN SALADServes 3-4

This is a real "fast food," perfect for when you've got a

lot of other things to do besides fuss in the kitchen.

It's quick and easy, but the Cayenne pepper gives it a

little perk that lifts it out of the ordinary.

2 cups cooked, diced chicken

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup French dressing

1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

In a salad bowl toss together all ingredients and serve on

lettuce.

OLIVEY CHICKEN SALADServes 6

I like this recipe partly because it tastes good, but also

because it's a dandy use for leftover rice as well as

leftover chicken.

2 cups cooked, diced chicken

1 cup cooked rice (1/4 cup uncooked yields 1 cup cooked)

3/4 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients and serve salad on

a bed of lettuce leaves.

SUNSHINE CHICKEN SALADServes 4-6

The avocado you use in this recipe should be fully ripe,

and that means it will have a slight give to it when you

press it between your palms. If it has about as much

"give" to it as a baseball, let it ripen for a couple of

days more at room temperature. But don't refrigerate it

because refrigeration puts a permanent stop to all

ripening.

3 cups cooked, diced chicken

1 can (6-ounces) orange juice concentrate

3 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon Tabasco

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup diced ripe olives

1 medium avocado, cut in small chunks

1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds

In a blender or food processor, make dressing by blending

orange juice concentrate, oil, vinegar, sugar, dry mustard,

salt and Tabasco at high speed 5 seconds or until smooth.

In a salad bowl combine chicken, celery, olives, avocado

and almonds. Pour dressing over. Toss and chill at least

30 minutes before serving.

TANGY CHICKEN SALADServes 3-4

Have you ever gotten the hard cooked eggs and the uncooked

eggs mixed up in the refrigerator$and you wanted to know

which was which without breaking them? If that should

happen when you're making this recipe, here's what to do.

Spin them. The one that whirls around like a spinning top

is hardcooked. The one that wobbles and doesn't spin well

is still raw.

2 cups cooked, diced chicken

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 hard cooked egg, chopped

1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

In a salad bowl toss together all ingredients. Serve on

crisp lettuce.

HEARTY CHICKEN SOUP IN A HURRYServes 4

This is an easy soup for a beginning cook. It's also good

in a thermos for a school lunch on a cold day. I can't

count the number of times I've made it when I've been in a

hurry.

2 cans (13-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth

1 cup cooked, diced chicken

1 cup cooked, high-protein wagon wheel macaroni or other

pasta

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

In a saucepan over medium heat bring broth to a simmer.

Stir in chicken, pasta and vegetables. Reduce heat to low;

simmer 5 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp. Spoon

soup into a wide-mouth thermos jar and close tightly.

Serve with crackers or lightly buttered bread.

SAUCY CHICKEN BUNDLES Serves 4

This takes time but it looks good and tastes terrific. It's

not a gourmet item, but it's something a young cook can

really enjoy making and showing off.

2 cups biscuit mix

1/2 cup milk

1 cup cooked, diced chicken

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

2 cans (10-1/2-ounces each) cream of chicken soup,

undiluted

1 can (10-1/2-ounces) jellied cranberry sauce

In a mixing bowl add milk to biscuit mix to form dough.

Roll dough into a square about 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough

into 3-inch squares (makes about 8). In a small bowl

combine chicken, butter and 4 tablespoons of soup. Put 2

tablespoons of this mixture on each pastry square. Bring

four corners of square together and pinch closed. Preheat

oven to 450oF. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15

minutes. Heat remaining soup and pour over baked squares.

Slice can of cranberry sauce into 1/4-inch slices. With

star-shaped cookie cutter, cut star from each slice of

cranberry sauce and place on top of baked bundle before

serving.

Conclusion: THE STORY OF A RARE BIRD

This part has almost nothing to do with recipes and

cooking, but I've been trying to guess what you were

looking for when you bought this book.

Clearly you wanted recipes from one of the world's

premier authorities on chicken. I hope you've found this

when looking at Frank's favorites.

But maybe you're also like many people who enjoy

reading cookbooks almost as much as they enjoy the cooking.

Over the years, hundreds of people have told me that they

buy cookbooks and only try a few recipes. The real

pleasure they get from a cookbook is in reading it. Knowing

this, I've tried to make this book something that would be

fun to read as well.

But if you live in an area where Frank sells his

products, or if you've seen the PBS specials on him or read

about him in In Search of Excellence, or perhaps read about

him in some of the gossip columns, you may also have an

additional reason to buy this book. Perhaps you were

curious about him as a person. What kind of man built a

company from a father and son operation to one that today

processes more than a million chickens a day and has sales

in excess of a billion dollars a year? What is he really

like?

To me, his outstanding characteristic is that he gives

of himself. I've seen first hand how he gives of himself

for the sake of doing the best job he can for both

consumers and for the people who work for the company. I

know how often he's set the alarm for 4:45 a.m. after being

up until 1:30 a.m. so he can get a head start on work.

When he's really busy with something, I've seen him get by

with two hours sleep after a month of getting only four

hours.

He cares so much for the people who work for him that

I've heard him make transatlantic phone calls even during

our honeymoon to make sure a low level associate's

grievance was handled fairly. I've been touched by how

often he visits retired associates, now in their 80s and

90s. Company functions mean so much to him that once,

after we had been traveling for twenty-three hours on our

return from the Soviet Union, he went straight to a Perdue

Volunteer Fire Brigade Appreciation Dinner rather than

going home to bed. The associates meant far more to him

than his sleep. When one of the Perdue truckers needed

help loading boxes, Frank worked alongside him until the

job was done because Frank believed the man had a right to

be home with his family.

Even in the building of the company, I find him

generous. That may seem like an unusual way to look at the

work of an entrepreneur, but he is providing jobs and a

quality product; he's not engaged in leveraged buy-outs

and paper transactions.

Many people know that Frank Perdue is famous for his

chickens, his financial success, his marketing innovations,

his drive, his creativity, or even his eccentricities, but

I think that his greatest success lies elsewhere. To me,

true success isn't measured by what you get, but rather by

what you give. The tough man who makes those tender

chickens, is an unusually giving man.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Perdue Chicken Cookbook, by Mitzi Perdue