A chicken in every pot – and why not?

Which came first, the chicken recipes or the egg recipes? Today, it’s the chicken. Enjoy these locallygrown concoctions, which range from the comforting to the adventurous. The egg recipes come from an adorable little tome called “The Farmstead Egg Cookbook” by Terry Golson. She recommends using fresh, free-range chicken eggs, as they really do make a difference.

Grandma’s Chicken Soup

The cook is: Kathryn Matson

Note from the cook: this heady concoction cures colds, chases away depression and makes grown men moan with pleasure. Bob, our son, softly moans as he partakes of any food that he finds super-delicious. This soup is definitely a “moaner.”

• 1 stewing chicken
• 1 sliced onion
• 2 sliced carrots
• 1 stalk celery
• 4 whole peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ tsp. dried thyme
• 6-8 sprigs parsley
• ¼ tsp. tarragon
• 4-6 leeks, white part only
• 2 Tbsp. barley or handful of noodles
• Chopped parsley

Saute onion in a tiny bit of butter in a large pot. Add chicken, carrots, celery, peppercorns, herbs, salt and enough water to more than cover the chicken. Simmer for two hours or until chicken is really tender. Remove chicken and strain the liquid. Place well-cleaned leeks and carrots in the soup pot, and add six cups of strained chicken broth, reserve solid ingredients. Cook for 15 minutes. Add barley, and cook for additional 30 minutes. If noodles are substituted for barley, cook only for an additional 10 minutes. Add some of the cooked chicken to the soup. Top each steaming bowl of soup with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and freshly ground pepper. Tags: soup, chicken

Letitia’s Chicken Feet Soup

The cook is: Mary Mortaloni

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery
• Chicken feet, washed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Pasta

Place washed feet in boiling water to remove skins. Transfer skinned feet, chopped onion, celery, salt and pepper to a large kettle of water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, simmer two to three hours. If using hen’s feet instead of springer, cook three hours. Strain and add pasta. Note: this can be used as a base for spaghetti sauce, too. Saute onion, some garlic, then add tomato sauce, your favorite spices, and soup. Simmer for about two hours on low heat. Tags: soup, chicken

Deluxe Chicken Breasts

The cook is: Eleanor Askew

• 2 whole chicken breasts, skinned and boned
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp. water
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup bread crumbs
• 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• Dash salt, black pepper, paprika

Place chicken breasts between pieces of waxed paper, flatten slightly with hands. Whisk egg yolks with water. Combine flour, salt, pepper, paprika, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip chicken breast in egg yolks, roll in flour crumb mixture. Brown chicken breasts in butter on both sides, and place in a shallow baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

While chicken is baking, prepare cheese sauce:
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
• ¾ cup grated cheddar cheese
• Green pepper rings for garnish

Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour. Slowly add the milk and cook, stirring until sauce thickens. Add Worcestershire sauce and cheeses. Transfer cooked chicken to a hot serving dish and pour sauce over chicken breasts. Garnish with pepper rings or strips. Tags: chicken, main course, cheese

Smoked Trout Omelet

• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. minced fresh chives
• ¼ cup shredded smoked trout
• 2 tsp. unsalted butter

Whisk the eggs and milk together and set aside. Heat a 10-inch non-stick omelet pan over mediumlow heat. Melt the butter and swirl it around the pan. Pour eggs into the pan. As they set, lift the edges with a plastic spatula, tilt the pan, and let the raw eggs run under the set ones. Continue until most of the eggs are softly cooked and there is only a sheen of uncooked eggs on the surface. Do not let the eggs brown. Distribute the chives and trout along the center of the omelet. Cover and cook about 3 minutes, until the eggs are set. Tilt the pan over the serving plate, and as the first third of the omelet settles onto the plate, shake the pan and roll the rest of the omelet out so that it folds over itself. Tags: eggs, omelet, fish

Zucchini and Mint Frittata

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• ½ cup sliced onion
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced julienne
• 1 pound zucchini, sliced (about 3 small)
• 8 large eggs
• ¼ cup (4 Tbsp.) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet. Saute the onion and bell pepper until soft and golden. Stir in the zucchini and continue to cook over low heat until the edges begin to brown. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, 3 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese, the mint, salt and pepper. Heat remaining olive oil in the skillet. Pour in the eggs and then distribute the vegetable mixture on top. Cover and cook on a medium-low heat about 15 minutes, until the eggs are set but not yet firm on top. Several times while the eggs are cooking, take a flexible spatula and run it along the edge and under the frittata to make sure the eggs are not sticking to the pan. Take the skillet off the heat. Put a dinner plate over it and flip the frittata onto the plate. Then slip the frittata back into the pan, now with the bottom side up. Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Cook a few minutes more, until done. Tags: eggs, main dish, zucchini