Savory favorites: readers' recipes tested in Sunset's kitchens - Kithchen Cabinet

Sunset, Feb, 2004

Oven-Fried Chicken

MICKEY STRANG, McKINLEYVILLE, CA

Oven-fried chicken is a favorite of Mickey Strang's because it can be served warm or cold. She livened up this version with sharp cheddar cheese and ancho chili powder. Have a whole chicken cut into pieces at the meat market, or buy 3 3/4 pounds breast, leg, and thigh pieces. As a quicker alternative to making your own bread crumbs, use 1 1/2 cups purchased dried bread crumbs.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 1/4 hours

MAKES: 4 servings

  6  slices (about 5 oz.) day-old or
     slightly stale bread (see note above)

1/2  cup finely shredded sharp cheddar
     cheese

3/4  teaspoon ground dried ancho chilies
     or chili powder

1/2  teaspoon salt

  1  chicken (about 4 lb.), neck and
     giblets removed, cut into 8 pieces
     (see note above)

  2  large eggs, beaten to blend

1. Toast bread slices. Let cool, then tear into 1-inch chunks. Whirl in a food processor to make coarse crumbs.

2. In a large shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs, cheese, ground chilies, and salt.

3. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Dip in beaten egg and roll in crumb mixture to coat. Place on a foil-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheet.

4. Bake in a 375[degrees] regular or 350[degrees] convection oven until crumbs are browned and chicken is no longer pink at the bone (cut to test), 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Per serving: 446 cal., 48% (216 cal.) from fat; 43 g protein; 24 g fat (7.7 g sat.); 12 g carbo (0.6 g fiber); 512 mg sodium; 198 mg chol.

Split Pea Soup

TRACY KEENAN, SACRAMENTO

Tracy Keenan freezes leftover ham bones to flavor this split pea soup. If you don't have a ham bone in your freezer, buy a ham hock from the meat counter; the meat on the bone makes a nice addition to the soup. This soup is great the day after you make it; thin with water as you reheat, if desired.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 2 3/4 hours

MAKES: 8 cups; 4 to 6 servings

  2  cups dried green split peas (1
     lb.), rinsed

  1  ham bone or ham hock (about 1
     lb.; see note at left)

1/2  cup chopped celery

1/2  cup chopped onion

1/2  cup diced carrots

  1  dried bay leaf

1/4  teaspoon dried thyme

     About 1/2 teaspoon each salt and
     pepper

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over mediumhigh heat, bring peas and 7 cups water to a boil. Add ham bone, celery, onion, arrots, bay leaf, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon ach salt and pepper; return to a boil.

2. Lower heat to maintain a simmer, over, and cook, stirring occasionally, until peas have broken down and soup has thickened, about 2 1/2 hours.

3. Remove ham bone and bay leaf. When cool enough to handle, pull any heat remaining on ham bone into hreds and return to soup (discard bay leaf and ham bone). If soup is too thick, hin with water to desired consistency. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 304 cal., 9% (26 cal.) from fat; 22 g protein; 2.9 g fat (0.8 g sat.); 49 g carbo (4.9 g fiber); 66 mg sodium; 11 mg chol.

Quick Tomatillo Pork

JANET URMAN WOHL, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA

Janet Urman Wohl writes that she invented this easy, spicy pork dish out of necessity on a busy weeknight. She serves it over hot cooked rice with orn tortillas.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

    2  tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2  pounds pork loin, fat trimmed,
       rinsed, and cut into 1-inch cubes

    1  onion (about 8 oz.), peeled and
       chopped

   12  ounces mushrooms, rinsed, stem
       ends trimmed, and sliced

    2  cloves garlic, peeled and minced

    1  can (28 oz.) green enchilada sauce

    2  cans (7 oz. each) tomatillo salsa
       (salsa verde)

1. Pour oil into a 5- to 6-quart pan ever medium-high heat. When hot, add pork and stir often until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.

2. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to pan. Stir often until onion is limp, about 5 minutes. Add enchilada sauce, salsa, and pork to pan and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until is pork to no longer pink in the center (cut to test), about 15 minutes. Spoon into bowls.

Per serving: 413 cal., 37% (153 cal.) from fat; 39 g protein; 17 g fat (4.2 g sat.); 22 g carbo (1.9 g fiber); 19 mg sodium; 100 mg chol.