The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible (80 page)

2 tablespoons olive oil

10 whole shallots, minced

1 pound mushrooms (any variety), chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried

½ cup dry white wine (use chicken stock for Detox)

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is just getting hot, add the shallots, stirring constantly so they brown but do not burn, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms, turning often until they become soft and crusty on the edges, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and tarragon.

Turn the heat up to high and add the wine or stock. Let the wine cook off for a couple of minutes, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan. Then lower the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until the butter is melted and the mushrooms are coated. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.

MAKES 4 CUPS

balsamic roast chicken

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES, INSULIN TRIGGERS
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

One 5- to 6-pound roasting chicken

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

2 tablespoons sea salt

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

2 red onions, chopped

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup dry red wine (use chicken stock for Detox)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

To clean the chicken, remove any fatty pieces. Pull out the neck, giblets, and liver and reserve. Rinse the bird and pat it dry.

In a small dish, combine the rosemary, sea salt, garlic, and pepper. Rub this mixture all over the raw chicken inside and out. Let sit for at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance for flavors to take hold. Cover the chicken and place in the refrigerator.)

Place the neck, giblets, and liver on the bottom of a roasting pan. Sprinkle the chopped onions on top. Then place the whole chicken on top of the onions. Pour the balsamic vinegar and wine over the chicken.

Roast the chicken in the oven for approximately 2 hours (see
Note
).

Carve the chicken and serve with the balsamic and onion mixture from the bottom of the pan.

SERVES 4 TO 6

butterflied chicken with zucchini-ricotta stuffing

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES, CARBOHYDRATES
LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

One 6-pound roasting chicken, butterflied (see
Note

4 zucchini, up to 1½ inches thick

Sea salt

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for rubbing

3 garlic cloves, minced

One 15-ounce carton whole-milk ricotta cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon herbes de Provence

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

Clean the chicken thoroughly and pat it dry. Lay the chicken flat in the roasting pan. Gently separate the skin of the chicken with your hand, starting at the neck. Put your hand between the skin and the chicken meat and keep separating until the skin is loosened all the way to the bottom of the legs.

Shred the zucchini by grating it with the large circular holes of a grater. Place the shredded zucchini in a colander, toss with 2 tablespoons of salt, and let sit for 20 minutes. During this time, periodically pick up the shredded zucchini with your hands and squeeze it to remove the excess water. Rinse zucchini to remove the salt, and squeeze the water out one last time.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place a small skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and garlic. Sauté the garlic until golden, about 1 minute.

In a bowl, combine the zucchini, sautéed garlic, ricotta, and salt and pepper to taste. Using your hands, mix the ingredients thoroughly. Stuff the zucchini-ricotta mixture
under
the skin of the chicken all the way down to the legs. Rub the skin with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence. Dot with butter.

Bake for about 2 hours. To carve, cut off leg and thigh pieces whole. Cut off wings. Slice the breast meat into large pieces to keep the stuffing intact.

SERVES 4 TO 6

chicken breast with herbed goat cheese and wild mushroom sauce

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

3 ounces goat cheese

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried

2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, or ½ teaspoon dried

2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram, or ½ teaspoon dried

2 chicken breasts (preferably airline cut; see Note)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Wild Mushroom Sauce

In a bowl, mix the goat cheese with the herbs. Making sure to keep the skin attached on one side, separate the skin from the chicken breasts to create a pocket. Fill each cavity with half the cheese mixture and press down on the skin to evenly distribute. Season the outside of both chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Heat a large sauté pan (with an ovenproof handle) on medium-high. When the pan is hot, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and then add the chicken, skin side down. Sear the chicken for 3 minutes to get a brown, crispy skin. Using a wide spatula, gently turn the chicken (so as not to tear the skin) and continue cooking for another 3 minutes.

Place the sauté pan into the oven and roast chicken for 10 to 12 minutes. (If your sauté pan does not have an ovenproof handle, transfer to a casserole dish or roasting pan.) When the chicken is done, remove from the oven and place each breast onto a serving plate. Spoon the wild mushroom sauce over each chicken breast and serve immediately.