We have family dinners each Sunday, and with 5 hungry grandsons, it is not always easy to both economize, AND eat foods that will please all palates. I am therefore always looking for recipes that will accommodate both; and I know I’m not alone in this endeavor.
This Sunday we will try out the recipes listed below — chicken is always wallet-friendly, bulgur is a great alternative to green salad—and healthy for you. When it comes to dessert, quite often one of my grandsons will want to help make a family favorite—such as the lemon bar recipe I’ve also included below. It is always fun for me to work with the boys as it helps them to feel comfortable in the kitchen, and it gives us a chance to talk as we lick the bowl!
Herb Roasted Chicken With Melted Tomatoes
Serves 6
1/2 medium red onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup plain yogurt
1 6- to 7-pound roasting chicken
2 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pulse the onion, parsley, cilantro, tarragon, 2 tablespoons dill, the walnuts and garlic in a food processor. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste; pulse until smooth. (This is the Herb Paste)
Stir half of the herb paste with the yogurt in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate.
Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Loosen the skin with your fingers; rub some of the remaining herb paste under the skin and the rest on the outside of the bird. Truss the chicken. Place in a roasting pan; roast until the skin turns golden, about 30 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Toss the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Baste the chicken with the drippings and add the tomatoes, cut-side down, to the pan. Continue roasting until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 155 degrees, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper; let the chicken rest 10 minutes before carving.
Arrange the chicken and tomatoes on a platter; sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons dill. Serve with the remaining yogurt sauce.
Download this recipe.
Bulgur Salad
Serves 4
Food Network Kitchens
Toast 2 cups bulgur in 1 to 2 tablespoons each butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until golden and crackly. Add 4 cups water and season with salt; cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur is just tender, about 20 minutes. Cut a seedless cucumber into chunks; toss with 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1/4 cup chopped dill and a small handful of pitted, halved black olives. Serve the cucumbers over the bulgur.
Download this recipe.
Lemon Bars — A Family Favorite
Serves 24
Crust Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for greasing
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, diced
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for garnish
1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling Ingredients
4 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 8 lemons)
Make the crust: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with vegetable oil and line with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; grease the foil with oil. Pulse the butter, flour, both sugars and the salt in a food processor, or mix VERY WELL by hand, until the dough comes together--about 1 minute. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of the prepared pan, making sure there are no cracks. Bake until the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the whole eggs and yolks, sugar and flour in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice.
Remove the crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F. Pour the filling over the warm crust and return to the oven.
Bake until the filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes.
Let the bars cool in the pan on a rack, then refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Lift out of the pan using the foil and slice.
Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.
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