Excerpts

Garlic Shrimp and Oysters on Pasta Makes 2 Servings The sauce for this dish is best if made only two servings at a time. If you want to make more than two servings, do so in separate batches, but serve while piping hot. Ingredients 2 quarts hot water 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 pound fresh spaghetti, or 1/3 pound dry 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, in all 1 1/2 cup chopped green onions 8 peeled medium shrimp, about 3 ounces 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic 8 shucked medium oysters, drained, about 5 ounces 3/4 cup warm seafood stock (See page 194) Instructions Combine the hot water, salt, and oil in a large covered pot over high heat. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add the spaghetti, small amounts at a time, breaking up oil patches as you drop in the spaghetti. Return to boiling and cook, uncovered, to al dente stage (about 4 minutes if fresh, 7 minutes if dry), but do not overcook. During this cooking time, use a wooden or spaghetti spoon to lift the spaghetti out of the water by spoonfuls and shake strands back into the boiling water. It may be an old wives' tale, but this procedure seems to enhance the spaghetti's texture. Then immediately drain the spaghetti into a colander and stop its cooking by running cold water over it. (If you used dry spaghetti, first rinse with hot water to wash off the excess starch.) After the spaghetti has cooled thoroughly, about 2 to 3 minutes, pour about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in your hands and rub the spaghetti until it's well coated with oil. Set aside still in the colander. Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over high heat, and add the green onions, shrimp, garlic, and Seafood Magic. Cook, vigorously shaking (not stirring) the pan in a back-and-forth motion, until the shrimp turn pink, about 1 minute. Add the oysters, stock, and the remaining 6 tablespoons butter. Cook, continuing to shake the pan, until the butter melts and the oysters curl, about 1 minute. Add the spaghetti, toss, and cook just until the spaghetti is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. For each serving, roll the spaghetti on a large fork and place on a serving plate. Top with the remaining sauce and garnish with the shrimp and oysters. Down-Home Roast Chicken Makes 4 Servings This chicken is great served with its gravy over rice or mashed potatoes. If you've never roasted poultry in a very slow oven for a very long time, you're going to be pleasantly surprised at how tender and juicy it is. And you'll be pleased at how little prep time it requires. People often ask what's the secret to my great roast chicken, and now you know! Ingredients 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 cups chopped onions 1 cup chopped bell peppers 4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic, in all 1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) roasting chicken 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic 2 cups chicken stock (see page 196) Instructions Preheat an 8-inch skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the butter, onions, bell peppers, and 3 tablespoons of the Poultry Magic. Cook, scraping the bottom of the skillet occasionally, until the vegetables are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Preheat the oven to 250°. Remove the giblets from the chicken and clean out the cavity. Stuff the cavity with the cooled vegetables, fold the skin flaps over to keep the vegetables in, and secure with poultry pins or toothpicks. Sprinkle the remaining Poultry Magic evenly over the chicken and, rub it in well. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a large roasting pan without a rack, and secure the drumsticks and wings close to the body with poultry pins or twine. Roast, uncovered, until tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken from the oven and set it aside until cool enough to handle. Be careful at this stage - the chicken may be very hot inside, even if cool to the touch on the surface. With a long-handled spoon, remove the vegetables and place them in the pan, along with any juices from the cavity. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. Place the pan over high heat. Add the flour and Meat Magic to the vegetables, blending until they are completely absorbed. Whisk in the stock and bring to a boil, whisking until thoroughly blended, about 1 to 2 minutes. Makes 3 cups of gravy. (Continues...) Excerpted from Chef Paul Prudhomme's Pure Magic by Paul Prudhomme Copyright © 2003 by Paul Prudhomme Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.