We like roses.
Thorns, not so much.

On Saturday, we posted Herschel Adams’ response to a recent blog in which I sought counsel from a young friend, Cassandra, a science maven. 
HA’s response was on the acerbic side of vitriolic.
I’m certain Mr. Adams was merely indulging himself his command of the language and not aiming to cause personal hurt.

A caution for Mr. Adams.
Be gentle, my friend, remembering Cassandra being but nineteen.
Yourself being perhaps of an age oracular.
Born that age, possibly; likely.

Be gentle, my friend, remembering Cassandra’s counsel sought as a friend fortuitously visiting daughter Kat and given 90 seconds to digest the science piece.
Your counsel thrust forward in the manner of an officious intermeddler. 

Both counsels welcome as fresh roses.
Thorns, not so much. 

Todays post is a tasty recipe that looks a lot more complex than it is. If a combination of mushrooms, chicken, stuffing, and sauce is your cup of tea, this is a knockout.

Today is Sunday, July 1, 2018
Good morning, my friends.
This is my eighty-fourth consecutive daily posting. 

It’s 5.48am and we are in a heat wave, although yesterday in Boston not so bad.
 

On the screen: Calamity Jane is a Technicolor western musical released in 1953. It is loosely based on the life of Wild West heroine Calamity Jane and explores an alleged romance between Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok in the American Old West. The film starred Doris Day as the title character and Howard Keel as Hickok. It was devised by Warner Brothers in response to the success of Annie Get Your Gun.
It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song ("Secret Love", Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster) and was also nominated for Scoring of a Musical Picture and Best Sound, Recording (William A. Mueller).
The songs and screenplay form the basis of a stage musical of the same name that has had a number of productions.

I’m at my desk.

Dinner is The Gravy, made simply with meatballs and spare ribs. I bought a pasta called Candele, a large, tubular product that is 21” long and about 1” in circumference. Fun.

Web Tweaks
Am involved now in prettying up the Web Site.
See “Site Description” for a promise of things to come.

Today’s Post
BRACIOLETTINE DI POLLO
(Rolled Stuffed Chicken Pieces in Northeastern United States; these rolled, stuffed pieces of meat in Italy are called Involuntati)

Most recipes call for chicken breast.
But because they are more flavorful and juicier, I prefer using chicken legs.

The most important part of this recipe is asking the butcher to de-bone the legs.

Ask the butcher to flatten the legs with a mallet.
It’ll take him a minute. Us, five frustrating times that.
Do keep the skin on.
It cooks so much better.
Cut the skin away on your plate if you don’t want it.

Feeds Four
3lbs of chicken legs, weighed bone-in (at least 4 pieces)
1lb mushrooms
4 slices of mortadella
4oz shredded mozzarella
Panko breadcrumbs
Fresh basil and/or parsley
Romano cheese
Madeira or Marsala Wine
Chicken stock, our own!

STUFFING the CHICKEN LEGS:
Although the butcher has flattened the legs on our request, one may have to flatten them further at home.
When chicken is flattened throughout, it’s ready for stuffing.

Put a slice of mortadella on each piece.
Slice off any part of the cold cut that overhangs the chicken.
4 oz shredded mozzarella: sprinkle over the pieces of chicken.
½ cup panko bread crumbs: sprinkle over the pieces of chicken.
½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese: sprinkle over the pieces of chicken.
½ t Garlic Oil dripped on each.
¾ cup of fresh basil and/or parsley: sprinkle over all of the chicken
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Grated nutmeg to taste

Turn broiler on
Cut 3 (16”) lengths of kitchen string for each chicken leg.
Add 2TB olive oil to a large skillet
Fold chicken pieces (stuffed but still lying flat) over themselves and securely, not tautly, tie each with 2 or 3 lengths of the string. 

Set the skillet on the middle oven rack and heat it under the broiler for 3 minutes,
or until it is so hot it will deliver a painful burn if the handle is touched with an unprotected hand.
Set the chicken onto the heated skillet.
Broil until the top side is a lovely color all over (about 2 minutes)
The hot skillet will sear the bottom half of the chicken.

USE A TOWEL TO HANDLE SKILLET!!!

Remove the chicken braciole (braciola is the singular; the ‘e’ at the end of the word pluralizes it) to a baking dish. 

USE A TOWEL TO HANDLE SKILLET!!!

Add the mushrooms, rinsed and cut, to the skillet
Sprinkle 1½ TB flour, a little salt and pepper, and fry in the skillet fat until the mushrooms have browned.

Add ¾ cup Madeira and
¾ cup chicken stock
Scrape the pan

Pour the mushrooms and sauce over the chicken in the baking dish.
Add ¾ cup fresh parsley and/or fresh basil, chopped
s/fgp

Bake covered for 25 minutes in a 375* oven.
Remove chicken to a serving platter.
Reduce sauce to preferred richness.
Serve.

Post Scripts
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God bless!
Be good.
Be well.
Love you.