Giada at Home: Family Recipes From Italy and California (18 page)

Few things are more enticing than the smell of a chicken roasting, but for a special meal or a romantic evening such as Valentine’s Day, I like to serve game hens, so each person can have a whole bird of his or her own. It’s a beautiful presentation that is ridiculously easy to put together, and the pan juices, full of fresh citrus flavors, are especially delicious. If you prefer, though, you can easily make this with a large chicken; just increase the roasting time to 60 to 75 minutes, depending on its weight.

For the crouton salad: Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Scatter the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until toasted. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, heat a small, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts to the hot skillet and stir them until they become fragrant and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

For the game hens: Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.

Rinse the game hens and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, shallots, orange zest, lemon zest, thyme, mint, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub 2 tablespoons of the zest mixture over the skins of the game hens. Work the remainder of the zest mixture under the skin and into the cavities of the hens. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together. Place the hens in a shallow 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Add the chicken broth, Marsala wine, lemon juice, orange juice, and cranberries. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the game hens are browned and the leg juices run clear when the legs are pierced with a knife.

Remove the game hens from the pan and set aside. Spoon the flour into a small saucepan. Whisk in the pan juices from the baking dish. Bring the juices to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Whisk in the butter and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

In a medium salad bowl, mix together the cooled croutons, pine nuts, and aru-gula. Add ¼ cup of the pan sauce. Toss well until all the ingredients are coated. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, remove the kitchen twine from the game hens and place the hens on 2 serving plates. Serve with the salad and drizzle with the remaining sauce.

In my experience even people who complain that lamb can taste too gamey love lamb chops. I would be lying if I didn’t also acknowledge that lamb chops are the most expensive cut, but I think they’re worth it, because they deliver a lot of flavor in just minutes. These chops, with a sweet tangy dressing drizzled on top, are an easy and fast meal that delivers, specifically on special occasions or for a Sunday night family dinner. Even Jade loves them!

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the balsamic vinegar, garlic, and honey. Pulse until blended. With the machine running, slowly pour in the vegetable oil and process until the mixture is smooth and forms a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the rosemary. Grill the lamb chops for 2 to 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare.

Arrange the lamb chops on a platter. Spoon the sauce over the top or serve it on the side.

I recently served this roast for the Thanksgiving holiday, thinking a departure from the usual turkey would be a welcome surprise—and it definitely was. The sweetness from the mustards absorbs into the meat, while the bacon keeps it nice and moist and adds a wonderful smokiness. Served over a lightly dressed fresh arugula salad, this will become a fast favorite—I promise.

For the roast: Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, mix together the Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, honey, garlic, and rosemary until smooth. Spread the mustard mixture evenly over the pork. Starting at one end, wrap a piece of bacon around the pork. Wrap another slice of bacon around the pork, making sure to slightly overlap the first piece. Continue with the remaining bacon until the pork is fully wrapped
in bacon. Using 6 to 8 pieces of kitchen twine, tied at regular intervals around the roast, secure the bacon in place.

Place the pork in a 9 × 13-inch baking pan and roast for 1 hour. Cover the pan loosely with foil and roast for another 10 to 20 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 160°F. Remove from the oven. Cover the pan with foil again and allow the pork roast to rest for 20 minutes. Remove the kitchen twine and slice the meat into ¼-inch-thick slices.

For the salad: While the pork is resting, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and oil until smooth. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

Arrange the arugula on a large platter and drizzle with the dressing. Lay the pork slices on top and serve.

Roasted Branzino with Lemons

Cooking a fish whole is the best way to ensure it will stay moist and flavorful, and the process is a lot less intimidating than it looks. Branzino is a small Mediterranean sea bass with a mild flavor and delicate texture, enhanced here with a bright, fresh stuffing of fennel and lemon. Todd says he always feels like he’s on a diet when he eats fish, so I cook it with some pancetta to hearty up the dish a bit. Do watch out for small bones when you serve the branzino.

Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.