Category: Entrees

Sweet Potato Salad

Servings: 4
Preheat: 425
Prep Time: 30
Source: https://www.loveandlemons.com/sweet-potato-salad-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-51120

This roasted sweet potato salad recipe is a delicious lunch or side dish! If you’re making it in advance, wait to add the dressing and the avocado until right before you eat.

Ingredients: 

4 sweet Potatoes, cubed
1 recipe Tahini Dressing (below)
4 cups arugula
⅓ cup crumbled feta
1 avocado, sliced
Lemon wedge, for squeezing
3 tablespoons toasted pepitas or toasted pine nuts
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tahini Dressing
¼ cup smooth tahini (not the dry, stiff stuff at the bottom of a jar)
3 tablespoons water, more if needed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 small garlic clove, grated
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread evenly onto the baking sheets. Roast for 25 minutes or until the edges are browned.

In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, water, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, and salt until smooth. If the dressing is too thick, add more water, ½ tablespoon at a time, until it’s a drizzleable consistency.

Assemble the salad on a large platter with the arugula, a drizzle of dressing, the sweet potatoes, and feta. Top with the avocado slices and squeeze a little lemon juice over the avocado. Drizzle with more dressing and top with the pepitas or pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Creamy Polenta With Mushrooms and Kale

Servings: 4
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 1 hour
Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021827-creamy-vegan-polenta-with-mushrooms-and-kale?searchResultPosition=2

I modified this to make it non-vegan and added dried porcini mushrooms, because they make everything more delicious. We made it with chard, but chard wilts quickly in the mushrooms and doesn’t present well in leftovers, so I would recommend using kale. We left out the rosemary, and it was fine.

Ingredients: 

FOR THE POLENTA:
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more as needed
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 ½ cups polenta, medium- or coarse-grind cornmeal, or corn grits
3 tablespoons butter

FOR THE MUSHROOMS:
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms, soaked for 30 minutes in 1/2 cup warm water, then chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
⅔ cup full-bodied red wine
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 large or 2 small bunches (about 10 ounces) kale (best) or Swiss chard, stemmed, then leaves torn into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Directions: 

Make the polenta: Bring 6 cups vegetable broth and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in the polenta, then turn the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the polenta has thickened to your liking, 10 to 15 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the butter. Season to taste with salt and black pepper; cover and set aside.

Prepare the mushrooms: While the polenta simmers, heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add filtered water used to soak porcini mushroom to pan. Raise the heat to medium-high, and add the fresh mushrooms and, optionally, the rosemary to the skillet. Cook, tossing occasionally and adding a splash of olive oil if the pan looks dry, until the mushrooms have released their water and are tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. (Be careful not to let the garlic burn.) Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring to incorporate, until it turns a rusty brown color and begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pan.

Add the red wine and cook, stirring and scraping the brown bits from the pan, until the liquid is reduced by about half.

Add the 1 cup vegetable broth, and bring to a simmer. Begin adding handfuls of kale, cooking and stirring until the kale wilts. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid in the pan reduces and thickens, about 10 minutes.

Off the heat, stir in the vinegar and add salt and pepper to taste. Reheat the polenta over medium-low, adding a splash of broth to loosen it if necessary. Serve the polenta and braised mushrooms and kale in shallow bowls, sprinkled with parsley.

New England Fish Chowder

Servings: 8 as a main course
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 1 hour
Source: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/new-england-fish-chowder-105200

To me, this is the gold standard for chowder: a hearty main course with deep flavors, luxurious texture, and generous chunks of fish, onion, and potato. New England Fish Chowder is easy to make, uses simple ingredients, and doesn’t require you to be fussy or exact. After making this chowder a few times, you will begin to understand the Zen of chowder.

Ingredients: 

4 ounces meaty salt pork, rind removed and cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions (14 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch dice
6 to 8 sprigs fresh summer savory or thyme, leaves removed and chopped (1 tablespoon)
2 dried bay leaves
2 pounds Yukon Gold, Maine, PEI, or other all-purpose potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/3-inch thick
5 cups fish stock, chicken stock, or water (as a last resort)
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds skinless haddock or cod fillets, preferably over 1 inch thick, pinbones removed
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or up to 2 cups if desired)

For garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Directions: 

1. Heat a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over low heat and add the diced salt pork. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the pork is a crisp golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cracklings to a small ovenproof dish, leaving the fat in the pot, and reserve until later.

2. Add the butter, onions, savory or thyme, and bay leaves to the pot and sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes, until the onions and softened but not browned.

3. Add the potatoes and stock. If the stock doesn’t cover the potatoes, add just enough water to cover them. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, cover, and cook the potatoes vigorously for about 10 minutes, until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center. If the stock hasn’t thickened lightly, smash a few of the potato slices against the side of the pot and cook for a minute or two longer to release their starch. Reduce the heat to low and season assertively with salt and pepper (you want to almost over-season the chowder at this point to avoid having to stir it much once the fish is added). Add the fish fillets and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and allow the chowder to sit for 10 minutes (the fish will finish cooking during this time).

4. Gently stir in the cream and taste for salt and pepper. If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder after it has chilled completely. Otherwise, let it sit for up to an hour at room temperature, allowing the flavors to meld.

5. When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat; don’t let it boil. Warm the cracklings in a low oven (200 °F) for a few minutes.

6. Use a slotted spoon to mound the chunks of fish, the onions, and potatoes in the center of large soup plates or shallow bowls, and ladle the creamy broth around. Scatter the cracklings over the individual servings and finish each with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and minced chives.

Strong Fish Stock, made with the heads and bones from the cod or haddock you buy for chowder, is by far the best choice for this recipe. I urge you to make it, but if you can’t, there are alternatives listed in the recipe.

For equipment, you will need a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot with a lid, a slotted spoon, a wooden spoon, and a ladle.

Quiche Lorraine

Servings: 4
Preheat: 375
Prep Time: 1 hour
Source: From Julia Child’s Kitchen

Ingredients: 

Pate Brisee, pre-baked in an 8-9″ pie shell
5 or 6 thick slices bacon, cooked and crisp
3 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
pinches of pepper and nutmeg
1/2 C heavy cream
1 1/2 Tbsp butter

Directions: 

Crumble bacon into the bottom of the pastry shell. Beat up the filling to be sure all is blended and pour enough into the shell to come 1/4 inch from its rim at its lowest point. It is better to use too little than too much, since any overfill will swell up and spill a large part of your custard into the over. Hold the butter over the top of the quiche, cutting it into quart-inch bits and dropped them on the surface.

Place the quiche in the pre-heated oven and set your timer for 15 minutes. Normally the quiche mixture will slowly begin to set, rising about double as it does so; when has risen completely, in 30-35 minutes, and the top is nicely browned, it is done.

Puttanesca Sauce – Recipe from the 1980’s

Servings: 4
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Source: Kathy T2

Serve Sauce over pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese

Ingredients: 

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 onion chopped
3/4 lb. plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, halved and pitted
8 fresh basil leaves, finely shredded
1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 lb. arugula leaves
salt and pepper to taste.

Directions: 

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the garlic and onion until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook 4 minutes .
3. Add the pepper and saute until soft, approx. 4 minutes.
4. Stir in the olives, herbs, red pepper flakes.
5. Add the arugula and cook until wilted.
6. Season to taste.

Grilled Sinaloa Style Chicken (Charcoal Grill)

Servings: 4
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 12 hours
Source: https://mysliceofmexico.ca/2020/08/04/sinaloa-style-chicken-ii-on-a-charcoal-grill/

Sinaloa Style Chicken is a well known dish in Mexico, and also in some parts of the United States, from chains such as Pollo Loco™ and Pollo Feliz™. The success of these restaurants resides in their secret marinades, and the spatchcocking of the chickens, a grandiloquent term which means to cut and open a whole chicken into a piece with more or less a uniform thickness, reducing cooking times, and rendering well done legs and thighs without drying out the breasts.

Ingredients: 

1 whole chicken

Marinade:
1 orange, juice only
1 lime, juice only
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp cayenne or other ground dry pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Red Sauce:
4 red tomatoes
3-4 red hot peppers
Onion, shallots and/or garlic, to taste
Salt, to taste

Grilled Onions:
1 bunch green onions (preferably knob onions)
1 tbsp oil
Sat to taste

Marinated Cabbage:
2 cups cabbage; washed and shredded
1 cup carrots; washed, peeled and shredded
¼ cup white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

To serve:
Lime wedges
Warm corn tortillas
Tortilla chips

Directions: 

Mix all the marinade ingredients; set aside. Prepare the chicken by cleaning and patting dry with a paper towel. Place on working surface, back facing up. To spatchcock, using sharp kitchen shears, cut along either side of the back bone; remove and use for broth or other recipe. Open back sides, so the flesh is exposed, flip skin side up, firmly press down in the middle, to flatten breast halves, and arrange wings and legs widespread.

Place the spatchcocked chicken in a deep container, pour marinade on top, then turn chicken a couple of times, to coat both sides with the marinade. Let rest in the fridge for at least two hours, or overnight. Prepare marinated cabbage by mixing all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl; allow to rest in the fridge for at least one hour before serving, or overnight.

Prepare grill for indirect heat; in a traditional charcoal kettle, place aluminum foil trays along the centre to catch juices from the meat, and fire up charcoal on either side. The spatchcocked chicken may be sliced into halves along the middle of the breast line to fit the grill as necessary. Place chicken on the grill, skin side down, above the trays. Cover with lid and cook for 20-25 minutes, then uncover and flip to bring the skin side facing up, using tongs. Brush green onions with oil and place along the sides of the grill, on direct heat above the coals. Cover again and allow to cook for another 20-25 more minutes, until the meat registers an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the onions are charred.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare sauce. Wash and dry tomatoes and peppers. Remove stems and seeds from peppers; remove stem end from tomatoes and slice into quarters; peel onion/garlic/shallots. Process in the blender with salt to taste until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and reserve.

Once the chicken is ready, transfer to a serving plate and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Bring marinated cabbage out of the fridge; arrange grilled onions on a plate, sprinkling with salt, with lime wedges on the side. Serve chicken with warm corn tortillas, tortilla chips, and all of the above side dishes.

Grilled Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Bowl Recipe

Servings: 4
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 1 hour
Source: https://www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/grilled-vietnamese-shrimp-noodle-bowl-recipe/

Thin rice noodles tend to clump together when cooked. But Andrea Nguyen, author of Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, developed a cool trick that keeps them from sticking too much: Invert a small bowl in the bottom of the colander for the noodles to drape over as they drain. “We’re scrappy, clever cooks,” says Nguyen. The proof is in this complete meal that stretches the main protein (shrimp) with lettuce, cucumbers, herbs and nuts. The bold flavor comes from nuoc cham, Vietnam’s go-to sauce for dipping and drizzling that’s sweet, sour, salty, hot, and savory all at once.

Ingredients: 

5 ounces rice vermicelli noodles, uncooked
1/2 cup water, lukewarm
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
5 teaspoons fish sauce (such as Three Crabs)
2 serrano chiles, thinly sliced
4 cups green leaf lettuce, cut into 1/4-inch slices
3 cups (about 2) Kirby pickling cucumbers (about 2), seeded and diagonally sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, torn
1/4 cup mint leaves, torn
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1/3 cup green onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions: 

1. Cook rice vermicelli noodles according to package directions.
2. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.
3. Combine 1/2 cup lukewarm water and granulated sugar in a medium bowl, stirring
until sugar dissolves.
4. Add lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce and chiles; set aside.
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5. Combine lettuce, cucumber and herbs; set aside.
6. Combine cornstarch, brown sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl; stir until well
combined. Add shrimp; toss to coat.
7. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to
coat.
8. Add half of shrimp; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until shrimp are seared.
Remove from pan.
9. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil to wok; swirl to coat. Repeat procedure with remaining
shrimp.
10. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to wok; swirl to coat.
11. Add onions and garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds.
12. Return shrimp to pan; stir-fry 1 minute.
13. Arrange about 1 cup lettuce mixture in each of 4 large bowls, and top each serving
with about 1 cup noodles and 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts.
14. Divide the shrimp evenly among servings, and serve each with 1/4 cup of sauce.

Mie Goreng (Mee Goreng)

Servings: 2-3
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 1 hour
Source: https://www.recipetineats.com/mie-goreng/

These noodles tossed in a sticky savoury sweet sauce originates from Indonesia but is also popular in Malaysia. With chicken, prawns, vegetables and the signature egg ribbons, it’s pretty fully loaded! They’re commonly made by street vendors with instant noodles which give it the familiar crinkly noodle look, but feel free to use any noodles you want. (PS Ketchup is authentic!)

Ingredients: 

NOODLES – Use one of the following (Note 1):
3 instant noodle cakes (I use this)
250g/8oz fresh egg noodles , thin to medium
150g / 5oz dried egg noodles , thin to medium

SAUCE:
2 tbsp kecap manis (or dark sweet soy sauce) (Note 2)
2 tsp light soy sauce (or normal soy, Note 3)
2 tsp dark soy sauce , or more light soy sauce (Note 3)
1 tbsp oyster sauce (Note 4)
2 tbsp ketchup (yes really!)
1 tsp sambal oelak, chilli paste or Sriracha (adjust spiciness to taste)
2 tsp sesame oil

STIR FRIED NOODLES:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs , lightly whisked
3 garlic cloves , finely chopped
120g/4oz chicken breast or thigh , sliced thinly into small bite size pieces
100g/3.5oz prawns/shrimp , raw, peeled and deveined (smaller are better)
2 cups cabbage , finely sliced (any green or white cabbage)
1 cup beansprouts
3 green onions , cut into 5cm/2″ lengths (green and white part)

Directions: 

Mix the Sauce in a bowl.
Prepare noodles per packet directions just before cooking.

EGG RIBBONS:
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in egg, swirl to coat base. Cook 1 minute until mostly set, then flip (do your best!).
Slide onto cutting board, roll up into loose “wrap”. Slice into 1cm/ 1/3″ thick pieces – you now have egg ribbons!

COOKING:
Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in same skillet over HIGH heat.
Add garlic and chicken, cook until half surface turns white.
Add prawns and cook for 1 minute until chicken is mostly cooked.
Add cabbage and bean sprouts, toss for 1 minute until a bit wilted.
Add noodles, green onions and Sauce, toss for 1 – 2 minutes until Sauce reduces and noodles caramelise a bit.
Toss through egg ribbons and serve immediately!

Note 1. Noodles – use any yellow / wheat noodles you want, not rice noodles. Instant noodles (like you get in ramen and Maggi Noodles packets) is actually quite commonly used across South East Asia! I love the crinkly look – it’s familiar and authentic!

Note 2. Kecap Manis – sweet, intense flavoured soy sauce. Syrupy consistency, sauce used in Indonesian and Malaysian cooking (like Indonesian Nasi Goreng – Fried Rice). Sold in Asian section at large supermarkets in Australia (Woolies, Coles). OR use Dark Sweet Soy Sauce (very similar).

Note 3. Soy sauces – the dark soy sauce stains the noodles darker brown and has a more intense soy flavour than light soy sauce. Light soy adds saltiness to dishes but doesn’t stain noodles. Can sub Dark Soy with more light soy or all purpose. DO NOT sub the light soy with more dark soy sauce – too intense!

Note 4. Oyster Sauce – if you can’t consume, sub with Vegetarian Mushroom “Oyster Sauce”, now available at major supermarkets in Australia like Woolies.

Note 5. Recipe source – Original source from a cookbook I borrowed from the library many years ago, unfortunately I can’t remember the name!

Smitten Kitchen’s Parmesan Dutch Baby with Creamed Mushrooms Recipe

Servings: 4
Preheat: 425
Prep Time: 
Source: Smitten Kitchen Everyday

I used to make Dutch-baby pancakes-the crape’s tousled, melodramatic cousin-all the time as a treat: gingerbread-spiced at the holidays; with cherries and toasted almonds in Lune; with lemon and powdered sugar the rest of the year. Nothing made one feel like more of an Instagram/Pinterest/ Snapchat-ready domestic diva than pulling one of these fluffy, crispy-edged beauties out of the oven and shrugging off how easy they are to make-and telling the truth. You take the milk, eggs, and flour you’d use to make a crape but move the melted butter directly to the skillet, and generously There’s no ladling or brushing pans with melted butter or fragile high-stakes flipping techniques only oohs and oohs when the timer rings. The oven does all the work; you get all the credit.

Eventually, though, the reality of dinnertime got me plotting a savory version that would be just as special. This became our instant favorite. Where there was nutmeg, there’s salt and pepper. Powdered sugar becomes Parmesan, and instead of lemon juice, we make a rubbly sauce of mushrooms that have been sautéed with shallots in butter before being swirled with cream. Suddenly what seemed like the highest calling of a breakfast pancake becomes the most luxurious calling of a weeknight dinner, easily split between two people with a side salad, or among four perhaps with some grilled sausages or an additional vegetable on the side.

Ingredients: 

MUSHROOMS
2 tablespoons (25 grams) unsalted butter
1 shallot. minced
1/2 pound (225 grams) cremini (small brown) mushrooms. cleaned, chopped into small bits
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (15 ml) dry white wine or white vermouth
3 tablespoons (45 ml) heavy cream

PANCAKE
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk (whole is ideal, but any kind will work)
1/2 cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons (25 grams) finely grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Directions: 

MAKE THE CREAMED MUSHROOMS
In a 12-inch cast-iron or other over proof skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot, and cook until soft. 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste, and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, during which the mushrooms will release and then cook off their liquid and brown a little at the edges. Add the wine, reduce the heat to medium-low, scrape up any stuck bits, and cook off the wine, 1 to 2 minutes, Add the cream, and as soon as it simmers (i.e., almost immediately), scrape the whole mixture into a bowl and set aside.

MAKE THE PANCAKE
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Wipe out the pan, add the butter, and place in the oven to melt until very hot and sizzling.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the salt and pepper. Add the flour, and whisk until mostly smooth. Whisk in the milk. Lumps are fine.

TO FINISH
Remove the skillet from the oven. Swirl the butter around to evenly coat and pour in the batter all at once and return the skillet to the oven. Cook for 15 minutes after which the pancake should be browned in places and rumpled. Sprinkle with Parmesan, and return to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes, until it has melted. Remove it from the oven, and immediately dollop the mushroom sauce in pockets all over the pancake, and scatter with chives. Divide onto two or four plates.

Slow-Roasted Oregano Chicken With Buttered Tomatoes

Servings: 4 to 6
Preheat: 325
Prep Time: 
Source: ALISON ROMAN – New York Times

There are about a million ways to roast a chicken, and people will always tell you that theirs is the best way. Here is the truth: If you smear a good, high-quality chicken with enough fat, season it with plenty of salt and roast it until the skin is brown, it will always be excellent. But it’s slow-roasting that gives you golden skin, tender meat and plenty of salty, savory chicken juices to serve as a sauce. From the simple assortment of ingredients to the ridiculously hands-off preparation, this recipe from Alison Roman’s cookbook “Nothing Fancy” (Clarkson Potter, 2019) is casual in a way that feels almost lazy (but isn’t), with make-sounds-after-you-take-a-bite levels of deliciousness. To truly put it over the top, add a few anchovies to the tomatoes.

Ingredients: 

1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) whole chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons fennel seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle or spice mill, or chopped with a knife
1 bunch fresh oregano
1 ½ pounds small vine-ripened tomatoes (about 6), halved lengthwise
2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise (it’s fine to leave the skin on)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
4 to 6 (1-inch-thick) slices of good country bread, such as country loaf or sourdough, toasted (optional)

Directions: 

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. (If you can do this in advance, please do.) Drizzle it with the olive oil and sprinkle with the fennel seeds.

Stuff the cavity with half the oregano and place in a large baking dish. Scatter the tomatoes, garlic, butter and remaining oregano around the chicken. Roast until the chicken is golden brown and completely cooked through, and the tomatoes are nice and jammy, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Add the vinegar to the tomatoes and let the chicken rest in the baking dish for 10 minutes.

Place toast, if using, on serving platter and spoon the jammy tomatoes over or around the toast. Carve the chicken and place on top of the toast to catch the juices.