Menu
2 large vidalia onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 tsp dried)
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup Chicken Stock
1 ½ teaspoons tomato paste
5 pounds ground turkey meat
1 cup bread crumbs (whatever type you like)
2 extra large eggs
1 cup ketchup mixed with ½ cup black molasses
3-4 slices pancetta (prosciutto is ok)
1 lb ground beef and 1/2 veal or pork but I usually use just beef is that’s all I have
1 28 oz can tomato sauce (I usually use my own marinara)
1 small onion
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or I use 1/8 cup chicken broth
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup light cream
Cook pancetta until crisp, then brown meat drain fat
Add sauce, onion, paste, bouillon, nutmeg, salt and pepper, then stir in wine and 1/4 cup water,
bring to boil then reduce heat, cook for 45 mins then add cream and cook that through til blended
and hot. Freezes great!
1 Whole Chicken, largest you can find!
1 whole head of garlic
2 lemons
1 large Vidalia Onion
Fresh sage leaves
Salt and pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 415 degrees.
2. Remove giblets from chicken.
3. Rinse chicken well and pat dry.
4. Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan.
5. Add water to the pan, about halfway up the sides.
6. Put giblets in a medium size saucepan and cover with water.
7. Put a lid on the pot and simmer over low heat for about a half hour.
8. Run your fingers under the skin of the chicken to loosen it.
9. Place whole sage leaves under the skin…a couple on each side of the breast bone.
10. Cut the garlic head in half crosswise, exposing the cloves.
11. Cut lemons and onion into quarters.
12. Rub a little olive oil all over the outside of the bird. Salt and pepper cavity.
13. Stuff all the garlic, lemon and onion into the bird’s cavity. Don’t worry about the size of
the pieces or the fact that the onion and garlic have skins on them, these get thrown out
after cooking!
14. Tie legs closed with kitchen twine.
15. Tuck wing tips under the body to prevent them from burning.
16. Salt and pepper entirely outside of the bird, generously!
17. Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes. Without opening the oven door, turn the
temperature down to 350 and continue roasting until a pop up timer pops (if your bird has
one) or 25 minutes per pound. To test for doneness, pierce the skin and flesh of the bird
with a sharp knife, between one of the legs and breast…juices should run clear.
18. Take the pan out of the oven.
19. Remove the bird to a cutting board and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes.
20. While it is resting you can make a delicious pan gravy from all the drippings and
gizzards!
21. Put the water from the saucepan that the gizzards were in into the roasting pan.
22. Place the roasting pan over two burners on lowest heat.
23. Add a little gravy master and stir to loosen any bits from the bottom of the roaster.
24. Bring to a simmer.
25. Make a slurry out of 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and cold water in a cup.
26. Slowly whisk the slurry into a roasting pan until you have desired consistency of your
gravy. If needed, you can add a little salt and pepper and a drop more gravy master.
27. To carve a chicken or turkey, run your knife down along the side of the center of the
breastbone all the way down…then cut through the breast meat just above the leg.
28. Place the entire piece of breast meat (skin on) on a cutting board and make thin slices
front to back of meat. This way each piece has a little crispy skin on them!
29. Cut legs off between the knuckle joint and cut wings off thru joint.
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About Chef Jackie Valenti
At the age of 41, having been downsized from my sales position after 25 years of working, I had a decision to make. After much debate and serious reflection, I decided to go to culinary school. I trained to become a professional chef and then went on with further schooling to specialize in baking and pastry arts.