Fany Gerson Recipes

ROAST CHICKEN WITH APRICOT GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees with a rack set in the middle position.
• Place the chicken on a cutting board and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut off and discard any extra fat hanging around the cavity, and season the cavity generously with salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon all over the outside of the chicken and stuff the cavity with the chopped onion, 4 sprigs of thyme and at least one of the juiced lemon halves (both, if they'll fit). Tie the legs together with twine. Rub 1 tablespoon oil all over the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
• Carefully pour 3 cups chicken broth into a rimmed baking sheet and scatter over the crushed garlic cloves and remaining 4 thyme sprigs. Place the chicken, breast-side up, on a rack set over the baking sheet. Roast the chicken for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 375 degrees and continue roasting for 1 hour more. Add additional chicken stock to the pan, as needed, to keep it from becoming dry.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash together the butter, 3 tablespoons apricot preserves and the minced garlic clove until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer 2 heaping tablespoons of the apricot butter to a small container and refrigerate. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to the apricot butter in the bowl and whisk to thin the mixture into a glaze.
• Baste the chicken with the glaze and continue roasting for another 30 minutes or so, basting again after 15 minutes. Continue roasting until the chicken is browned and the juices run clear when you insert a knife down to the bone between the leg and thigh. Loosely tent with foil if the skin is getting too brown before chicken is cooked through.
• Remove the pan from the oven and tilt the chicken to release the juices from the cavity into the pan, then transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes. Strain the pan drippings, remove the fat and set aside.
• While the chicken rests, in a small pan over medium heat, cook the shallot and vinegar until the vinegar is nearly all cooked away but the pan is not yet dry. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon apricot preserves and the reserved pan drippings, whisk together and bring to a simmer. Add the remaining cold apricot butter little by little, whisking constantly, and remove from the heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Carve chicken and serve with the seasoned jus, sliced apricots and pistachios if desired.

MATZO BALL SOUP A LA MEXICANA

Steps:

• Prepare the broth: Place all the ingredients except the salt in a large soup pot and fill with cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Skim off any foam, add salt and simmer, partially covered, until the chickens have fully cooked, about 45 to 50 minutes.
• Carefully remove one of the chickens from the broth and transfer to a bowl. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken and reserve meat, ladling a small amount of broth over it to keep it from drying out, then cover and set aside. Discard the skin and return the bones to the pot. Continue cooking the broth at a high simmer for about 2 hours, adding more water if needed to replenish. Turn off the heat and let cool. Strain and discard vegetables and bones, reserving the second chicken for another preparation (such as shredding it to use in enchiladas).
• About an hour before the broth is done, make the matzo balls: In a large bowl, combine the matzo meal, salt, baking powder, baking soda and black pepper. In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs with the 3 yolks, the grated onion, the chicken fat and the minced herbs. In another medium bowl, beat the 3 egg whites by hand or with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir the egg-yolk mixture into the dry ingredients, then add one-third of the beaten egg whites and mix until incorporated. Gently fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the batter and refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Fill a small bowl with water and set aside. Scoop mounds of the matzo batter (about 1 tablespoon each) onto the baking sheet. Using the water to keep your hands moist, as needed, roll each scoop of batter into a ball, handling as gently as possible.
• Return the chicken broth to a simmer and season with salt, if needed. Add the matzo balls as gently as possible and cook over moderate heat, turning them a few times, until they are plump and cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir the shredded chicken into the soup and cook just until the meat is warmed through, about 2 minutes.
• Serve soup with onions, chiles, cilantro, epazote, avocado and lime wedges on the side, so everyone can garnish as they like.

LáGRIMAS DE LA VIRGEN (BEET AGUA FRESCA WITH FRUITS)

Steps:

• Peel the beets. Cut them into chunks and pass them through a juicer.
• Combine the water and sugar in a pitcher and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the beet juice.
• Refrigerate until completely chilled. Add the apple, banana, orange, and lettuce, then stir in the lime juice (which will help prevent the fruit from browning). Serve chilled over ice, if desired.
• Alternately, divide the mixed diced fruit among the glasses; place the beet water in a pitcher for guests to pour over.

MEXICAN STREET-CORN PALETA (CORN, SOUR CREAM AND LIME POPSICLE)

Steps:

• Place the milk, 2 1/2 cups corn kernels, cobs, serrano chile, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and sugar in a stockpot. (If your corn is very sweet, reduce the sugar slightly.) Place over medium heat, stirring the bottom with a spatula. Bring to a simmer, and reduce the heat to maintain it; do not boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is mostly tender, about 15 minutes from when it comes to a simmer.
• Let cool for 10 minutes, and remove the corn cobs and serrano chile and reserve. Working in batches if necessary, blend the milk mixture in a blender until smooth. Blend in sour cream, lime zest, lime juice and more salt or sugar to taste. Transfer milk mixture to a bowl, add the corn cobs (and serrano, if you like) and chill at least four hours, preferably overnight.
• Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until foamy. Add the remaining corn and a few pinches of salt. Sauté until the corn is nicely browned, 3 to 5 minutes. If the bottom of the pan is browning, stir in some water until it fully evaporates. Transfer to a bowl, chill and reserve.
• Remove the cobs and serrano again and discard. Divide the sautéed corn among your Popsicle molds (about 1 tablespoon each if using 3-ounce molds). Divide the milk mixture into the molds. Give each a gentle stir to distribute the corn. Freeze for 50 minutes, or until just hard enough to stand the Popsicle sticks up, insert sticks and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours more. To unmold, dip the molds for a moment in hot water, and remove the paletas. Sprinkle with chile powder, if desired.