Historical recipe and humorous introduction by Hitch Powell, March 1984. Original source recipe retained.
(Editor’s note: This month’s chef is Hitch Powell who with his wife Mary moved onto the 6100 block of Westminster in the summer of 1979. Hitch sells individual and business life and health insurance for Connecticut Mutual.
As well as being an accomplished chef and “chicken surgeon,” he enjoys jogging in Forest Park.) by Hitch Powell Each of my predecessors has started his column by suggesting an appropriate libation for the chef.
My philosophy has always been that the libations should be reserved for the guests while the chef (though appearing to imbibe) remains stone cold sober. This, and an exotic main course with an appropriately exotic name, will win praise unending regardless of how awful dinner really is.
After all, you are the only one sober enough to know or care. Machiavelli would be proud.
For the Chef My libation of choice is an orange spritzer. Simply add one part club soda to two parts orange juice and serve in a tall iced glass.
This is also wonderful after a run around the bicycle path in the park (for those masochistic Machos).
For the Main Course Boned Roast Chicken with Crabmeat Stuffing. (Note: this is equally good with a bone-in chicken for those less adventurous; please adjust roasting time).
To Bone the Chicken: Start with one whole 4-lb. roasting chicken. Make sure that the breast has not been split open. (There should be 2 holes, one at the front, one at the back, not one long split.) Lay the chicken on its back, lift up the skin in front and remove excess fat to expose the flesh. You will note that the opening to the chest cavity forms a V with the point at the top.
With a very sharp knife, cut straight in following the V to expose the wishbone, then remove it.
This is the trick to boning a whole chicken, the rest is just careful work. Next, cut through the skin and flesh of the breast to expose the breast bone from the front to the back. Use your knife to separate the meat from the bones, working first from the breastbone to the backbone, then from the rib cage back to the thighs. Separate the thigh bones and wing bones from the carcass at the joints and lift the carcass up and discard. Remove the thigh bones by cutting straight in and then separating the meat from the bones. Cut at the joint with the drumstick and discard. That’s it.
The drumsticks and wings stay.
To Prepare the Stuffing: Saute briefly: 1 cup bread crumbs 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning Then add: 1 egg, beaten 1/2 can cream of mushroom condensed soup ¼ cup chopped green pepper 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Mix separately, then add: 16 oz. package frozen crabmeat (drained) juice of 1/2 lemon Stuff the chicken with the mixture and sew up the breast. Place on rack and bake at 350 degrees for about 2 hours; 3 hours if chicken was not de-boned. Baste while baking with a mixture of: ½ can condensed cream of mushroom soup ¼ cup salad oil 1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet 1½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce juice of 1/2 lemon Leftover basting sauce can be thinned and served warm as a sauce.
Original photograph caption
Hitch Powell preparing chicken. The Paper, March 1984, page 6. King Schoenfeld is credited with the accompanying wishbone photograph; no separate credit is printed under this portrait.
Originally published in The Paper, March 1984.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1984_03.pdf, printed page(s) 6; PDF page(s) 6.
