Holiday Capon

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

Looking for a little celebration fare?  The next recipe in the Library's copy of The captain's table : 18 recipes for famous dishes served aboard the S.S. United States and S.S. America is for a festive stuffed capon:

Holiday Capon

Any day is a holiday when you serve this succulent bird.

Prepare a stuffing:  Trim the crusts from half a loaf of white bread and cut the bread into cubes. Coat the cubes with melted butter and bake them in a moderate oven (350° F) until they are golden on all sides.  Put these croutons in a large mixing bowl.  In a skillet sauté 8 shallots, finely chopped, and 1/4 pound sliced bacon, cut in squares, until the bacon is transparent. Add 1 bunch of chives and 1/4 bunch of parsley, both finely chopped, and cook the mixture until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan from the heat and cool the mixture. Dice 1 pound chestnuts, cooked, shelled, and peeled, and add them to the croutons. Stir in the bacon mixture, 2 egg yolks and 1 cup heavy cream. Season the stuffing with salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of brown sugar. Stuff the cavity of a 6- to 7-pound capon with the prepared mixture, truss the bird, and rub it generously with soft butter. Put the bird in a roasting pan, cover the pan, and roast the capon in a moderate oven (350° F), basting it frequently with the juices in the pan, for 2 hours, or until the bird is tender and cooked through. Serves 6 to 8.

Poulet en Cocotte a la Paysanne

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

The next recipe in the Library's copy of The captain's table : 18 recipes for famous dishes served aboard the S.S. United States and S.S. America is for poulet en cocotte à la Paysanne:

Rub the cavity of a 4-pound roasting chicken with salt and pepper and truss it. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large flameproof casserole and in it sauté the chicken over moderate heat, turning it to brown all sides. Remove the chicken to an earthenware casserole. To the juices remaining in the cocotte add 1/2 cup each of white wine and chicken stock and stir in 2 or 3 tablespoons rich veal juice or demi-glace sauce (or any good-quality meat extract). Reduce the mixture over high heat by one half. Coat the chicken with the sauce and surround it with 2/3 cup each of sliced carrots and turnips, which have been steamed in butter in another pan with a little sugar and salt, 12 small onions, glazed, 12 potato balls browned in butter and 1/2 cup diced bacon, browned. Cover the chicken with a piece of buttered paper. Cover the casserole and roast the chicken in a hot oven (400° F) for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken to a warm platter and carve it into serving pieces. Return the pieces to the casserole and place it on a plate. Bring it to the table covered with a napkin. Serves 6.

Curried Chicken Indian Style

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

The recipe that follows is on the page following the one for chicken à la Jacqueline in the Library's copy of  The captain's table : 18 recipes for famous dishes served aboard the S.S. United States and S.S. America:

Unquestionably one of the most delicious chicken dishes ever conceived.

Cut a tender plump chicken into serving pieces and dust the pieces with flour.  In a Dutch oven, sauté the chicken in 1/4 cup butter over low heat until it is golden on both sides.  Remove the chicken from the pan and keep it warm.  To the pan juices add 1 large onion and 1 apple, both chopped, 1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped, 1/4 cup each of chopped bacon and chopped celery, 1 gingerroot and a few sprigs of parsley, all chopped, 1 bay leaf, cut in pieces, 1 garlic clove, minced and a pinch of thyme.  Cook the mixture over low heat until the vegetables are tender.  Add 1-1/2 tablespoons each of an Indian curry powder and flour and cook the mixture, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Add 1 quart hot chicken stock, bring it to a boil, and cook it until the liquid is reduced by half.  Strain the sauce, return it to the pan and add the chicken.  Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and salt to taste.  Cook the chicken, covered, over low heat until it is tender.  If the sauce becomes too thick, more chicken stock may be added.  Serve the chicken with rice and chutney.  Serves 4.

Chicken a la Jacqueline

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

The recipe that follows is on the page following the one for wild rice sauté in the Library's copy of  The captain's table : 18 recipes for famous dishes served aboard the S.S. United States and S.S. America:

Cut a frying  chicken into 6 pieces and dredge them with flour seasoned with salt.  Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a heavy flameproof casserole and in it sauté the chicken over moderately low heat for 10 minutes, turning the pieces to brown all sides evenly.  Add 1/2 cup Port or Madeira and 1/4 cup chicken broth.  Cover the casserole and cook the chicken over low heat for 20 minutes or until done.  Remove the chicken to a heated platter and keep it warm.

Peel, core, and dice 3 apples and arrange the diced apples in a baking dish.  Pour 2 tablespoons melted butter over the apples and bake them in a moderate oven (350° F), without stirring, until they are tender.  Arrange the diced apples around the chicken.  To the juices remaining in the casserole add 6 tablespoons heavy cream and cook the mixture, stirring, until it is thickened.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon butter and a few toasted blanched almonds.  Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with apples with a few drops of lemon juice.  Serves 4.