Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (55 page)

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Scrub the potatoes and prick them each several times with a fork. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with EVOO, and season with salt and pepper, rolling them around on the sheet to coat them with the oil. Bake the potatoes until tender, 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Let the potatoes cool for 5 or 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle, leaving the oven on.

While the potatoes are cooling, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of EVOO. Add the turkey bacon and cook until crispy golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain off any excess grease and cool. Add the chopped turkey to the same skillet and toss over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through, then remove from the heat and reserve. Chop up the cooled bacon.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each one in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides into a mixing bowl, leaving a thin layer of flesh intact. Try not to pierce the skin of the potato. Add the sour cream, stock, and scallions and about ½ cup of the cheddar to the bowl and mash the potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Fold the turkey and bacon into the mashed potatoes and mound the filling into the potato skins. Top with a little extra cheese, a couple of tablespoons per skin. Return them to the oven for 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve them up with your favorite salad alongside.

Chicken Fra Diavolo with Fennel, Onions, and Potatoes and Warm Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce

I do not dine out often, because I prefer to make dinner with my family and eat in. So when I find a new place that feels as comfortable as home to me, and that serves food my family enjoys as much as home cooking, it matters. Dell'anima, a small Italian restaurant in New York, is one of those places; and, ironically, we've tried to re-create a few of their dishes ourselves—so we can stay home. Oh well. They have a great devilish chicken under a brick with anise and hot pepper that's red as can be. Here's our sinful attempt at working with our spice rack. We serve ours with a heavenly white roasted vegetable medley and a sweet, warm roasted garlic and tomato salsa on top.

SERVES 4

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat to blanch the cipollini onions.

While the water is coming to a boil, combine the smoked paprika, grill seasoning, chili powder, ground fennel, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Drizzle the chicken halves with some EVOO, a couple of tablespoons total, then coat the chicken halves with the spice mixture: they will be deep red in color.

Drop the onions in the boiling water for 1 minute. (Blanching the onions for 1 minute will allow you to wipe away their skins with a kitchen towel rather than peeling them—easy!) Drain and peel the onions, then trim the tops and root ends with a sharp paring knife. Place the onions in a roasting pan.

Quarter each fennel bulb lengthwise and cut out the cores. Halve each piece again and add to the roasting pan. Add the potatoes to the fennel and onions, toss the vegetables with a couple more tablespoons of EVOO, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the chickens atop the vegetables in the center of the pan; the red chickens will be surrounded by the white vegetables.

Cut off the top third of the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle the cut surfaces with a little oil and wrap the head in foil.

Roast the garlic and the chicken and vegetables for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the juices from the thigh meat run clear.

When the chicken has roasted for about 25 minutes, place the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and coat with a tablespoon of EVOO. Season with salt and pepper, then roast in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until they burst.

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their papery skins into a bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in the roasted tomatoes, basil, and parsley. Adjust the salt and pepper.

Serve each chicken half with some of the fennel, onions, and potatoes along-side and top with a liberal mound of the roasted tomato and garlic salsa.

The recipes in this chapter were contributed by my mom, Elsa Scuderi, and Vicki Cusimano, my mother-in-law (with an assist from John's aunt, Annette Dickman). These are the dishes we ask for time and again and we never get tired of them. Maybe it's the family associations that make them especially delicious—each one has its own story—but I think you'll agree that they are all simple, satisfying, and super tasty. So here you go, from my family to yours!

A note from my mom: Rachael and her siblings grew up eating the foods I grew up eating, very humble yet irresistible foods. The table, both inside and outside, was the center of our family's interaction. Sometimes we sat around the dinner table for hours, for thanks and to review our day (our daily adventures were often a source of good belly laughs!). Our meals were complete with a salad, potatoes, rice or pasta, a meat or fish, fruit and cheese, and Mom's special pastry, all made fresh. I now realize we ate daily what many consider a festive meal. It is amazing what they had time to do besides their work. Many of the dishes are served up on our dining tables today. Enjoy.

Elsa's Baked Ziti

No leftovers with this pasta! It's easy, easy, and delish! We ate ziti or rigatoni with cheeses and light tomato sauce, made creamy with ricotta. We went to bed happy after this dinner. —Rach

SERVES 4 TO 6

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bring a big pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook to al dente.

Drain the ricotta cheese in a strainer or a colander lined with paper towels. Place the drained ricotta in a 9 × 13-inch casserole dish and season with some grill seasoning and a few handfuls of Parm cheese.

While the pasta cooks, heat the EVOO in a small pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and a pinch or two of red pepper flakes and sauté for a minute or two, then stir in the tomatoes and basil. Reduce the heat to low.

Drain the pasta and toss with the cheese mixture. Add the tomato sauce, top the pasta with more Parm, and bake until the cheese browns, about 15 minutes.

This is a Friday meal I made because Rachael's sister Maria, my older daughter, does not like basil pesto but she does like basil, and she is fond of white sauces. This is a combo she
devours
. —Elsa