Chicken Marbella

this recipe has been excerpted from The Silver Palate Cookbook and has needed no modifications to meet UnDiet guidelines.

This was the first main-course dish to be offered at The Silver Palate, and the distinctive colors and flavors of the prunes, olives and capers have kept it a favorite for years. It's good hot or at room temperature. When prepared with small drumsticks and wings, it makes a delicious hors d'oeuvre.

The overnight marination is essential to the moistness of the finished product: the chicken keeps and even improves over several days of refrigeration; it travels well and makes excellent picnic fare.

Since Chicken Marbella is such a spectacular party dish, we give quantities to serve 10 to 12, but the recipe can be divided to make smaller amounts if you wish.

UnDiet Notes: the only modification needed for this recipe to comply with UnDiet guidelines was to specify unrefined sugar.

4 chickens, 2 1/2 pounds each, quartered

1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed

1/4 cup dried oregano

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup pitted prunes

1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives

1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice

6 bay leaves

1 cup unrefined sugar, preferably maple or date sugar

1 cup white wine

1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.

With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.

To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.

Makes 16 pieces, 10 or more portions

Salmon Mousse

this recipe has been excerpted from The Silver Palate Cookbook and has needed no modifications to meet UnDiet guidelines.

This has become a Silver Palate classic. It was with us the first day we opened and the only time that it is not in the refrigerator on any given day of the year is when we've sold out. It is light, pretty, refreshing and one of those foods that you enjoy time after time.

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely grated onion

dash of Tabasco

1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons finely chopped dill

2 cups finely flaked poached fresh salmon or canned salmon, skin and bones removed

1 cup heavy cream

Soften the gelatin in the cold water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the boiling water and whisk the mixture slowly until gelatin dissolves. Cool to room temperature.

Whisk in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, grated onion, Tabasco, paprika, salt and dill. Stir to blend completely and refrigerate for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken slightly.

Fold in the finely flaked salmon. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it is thickened to peaks and fluffy. Fold gently into the salmon mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a 6 to 8-cup bowl or decorative mold. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.

Serve on toasts, black bread or crackers. Or serve as a first course, garnished with watercress.

Makes at least 12 portions.

UnDiet notes: There's little enough salmon in this mousse so that as long as you're not having any other Proteins with your meal, you're fine having this on bread or crackers. If, however you're serving a Protein meal then here are some suggestions for what to serve with this mousse in place of the bread and crackers:

• pork rinds

• cucumber rounds

• radish slices

• celery sticks

• zucchini rounds

• toasted slices of any Protein Bread

• broiled mushroom caps, cooled to room temperature

Crepes

Salsa Pinwheels

Mix together 4 ounces lowfat cream cheese, softened, 1/2 cup salsa, drained (you should have about 1/4 cup salsa, save the juice to add to soup), and 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped. Spread 1/4 cup of filling over a Protein Crepe, making sure to spread the filling to the edges of the crepe. Top the filling with a slice of deli-sliced turkey or ham. Roll the crepe tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Continue rolling and wrapping until all the crepes and filling are used. Place in freezer for five minutes after rolling and wrapping. Remove from freezer, unwrap and slice in thick slices. Arrange on a platter and serve.

Optional: top each pinwheel with a dollop of guacamole.

Brie Pinwheels

Use the same recipe as above, substituting brie for the cream cheese, pesto for the salsa (don't drain), chopped olives for the cilantro, and prosciutto for the turkey.

Optional: warm the pinwheels by broiling them for a couple of minutes. Top each pinwheel with a dollop of red pasta sauce, alfredo sauce, or Olive Paste(not on site yet).

Bacon Swiss Crepes

Layer onto Soy Crepes slices of cooked bacon (preferably turkey) and swiss cheese (preferably non-dairy). Fold crepe into quarters and saute in lightly browned butter. Cut into wedges and arrange on a platter.

Sweet

Orange Crepes

Dip Soy Crepes into syrup made of grated orange peel fried for a minute in butter. Add fresh orange juice to orange butter and simmer until reduced to half. Remove from heat and stir in 3-4 tablespoons brandy. Dip each crepe in syrup, then dust with a mix of powdered cocoa and finely ground unrefined sugar to which you can also add a little cinnamon.

Fold crepes in quarters and cut into wedges.

Crudites

Lettuce Bites

Wash and dry large lettuce leaves (which you'll wrap around a filling) and/or inner leaves (which you'll stuff with filling).

Deli Lettuce Rolls

Lay lettuce leaf out flat and spread on a little mayo and mustard mixture, then layer with

deli sliced meat

deli sliced cheese

thinly sliced pickle

Roll lettuce tightly around filling. Secure with 2 to 3 toothpicks evenly spaced. Use a very sharp knife to slice roll into 2 to 3 bite-size rolls.

Chicken Salad Fingers

Using spoon or pastry bag fill small cup-like inner lettuce leaves with finely diced Chicken Salad. Arrange in rows or in circle around crudites or other appetizer.

Spreads

Camembert & Walnut Pate

Blend until smooth

7 ounces Camembert cheese

4 ounces low fat cream cheese

Stir in

2 tablespoons walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Spoon into a pretty dish. Refrigerate until firm. Serve with Cheddar Crisps, pork rinds, and crudites.

Cream Cheese Torte

Line a loaf pan or other mold with 2 layers of dampened cheesecloth leaving enough overhang to cover the top of the pan. Mix with an electric mixer until well combined

1 pound unsalted butter

1 pound softened regular or low fat cream cheese (don't use nonfat)

Alternate layers of cheese mixture and

1-2 cups filling of your choice(blue cheese, any flavor store-bought pesto such as basil or sun-dried tomato, or smoked salmon mixed with capers and finely chopped onion)

starting and finishing with a cheese layer. Fold edge of cheesecloth over top of torte and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Unmold by turning the pan onto a plate and gently tapping until the torte is released. Remove the cheesecloth. Torte may be prepared several days in advance. It improves in flavor with time.

Torte can be sliced and served on top of:

• Protein Bread
• Protein Foccacia
• grilled portabello mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant

Salmon Cream Cheese

Steam for 4-5 minutes

1 pound salmon, or use canned salmon

Pulse in food processor until finely chopped then add and pulse or mix until well mixed, or flake into a bowl and mix with

1/2 teaspoon Worchestershire or soy sauce

1 tablespoon horseradish

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons mayo

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely diced

1/2 pound softened cream cheese

Crudites

Scoop into a pastry bag and squeeze onto:

• cucumber slices
• radish slices, or hollowed radishes
• celery sticks
• toasted slices of Protein Bread

Salmon Rolls

Place any of the foods below on a sheet of saran wrap. Spread with salmon cream cheese, roll tightly, then wrap saran tightly around roll and refrigerate until firm, or place in freezer for 5-10 minutes. Remove saran wrap and slice into rounds.

• eggplant, peeled and sliced lengthwise, steamed until tender
• zucchini, sliced lengthwise, steamed until tender
• a slice of deli sliced meat topped with a leaf of lettuce
• Soy Crepes

Omelette Wedges

Make an omelette. When ready to fold in half, place a layer of fresh spinach leaves on half of omelette, then a layer of salmon cream cheese, then another layer of spinach. Fold omelette over filling. Refrigerate or freeze until firm then slice into wedges.

Cream Cheese Filling

I'm still working on this recipe, so use at your own risk.

Mix together

1 pound cream cheese

1/2 cup mayo

1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

1/8 teaspoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon Parmesan or Romano cheese, finely grated

sea salt and black pepper to taste

2 ~ 8 oz pkgs of cream cheese

1/4 cup of Dried minced onions

1/4 cup of cream (original recipe says milk but cream should work the same)

1 tablespoon mustard (more or less to taste)

2 packages chipped beef, chopped up in small pieces.

Soften cream cheese. Add cream to onions and let sit 'til liquid is absorbed. Mix together cream cheese, onion mixture, and mustard. Form into a ball and roll in chipped beef. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Flavor is better the next day. I usually prefer to make two smaller chipped beef balls instead of one large one.

It would be good with pork rinds or on crudites.

Vegetables

Crispy Veggie Bites

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil jelly roll pan.

Mix in small bowl or pie tin

3/4 cup ground pork rinds

2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove minced garlic

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix in another small bowl or pie tin

2 egg whites

2 tablespoon water, broth or white wine

Dip veggies in egg white mix and then in crumb mix. Place on jelly roll pan and bake until golden brown. Serve with warm Dried Tomato Pasta Sauce , Veggie Dip , or any creamy salad dressing.

4 cups bite-size cauliflower, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, green beans (not the usual thing, but really good), fennel ... just no starchy vegetables.

See also: Protein Snacks