Entertaining on a smaller scale this year, so we are not fussing with the whole turkey, just a bone in breast.  The breast is easy to prepare and makes a great presentation on the holiday table.

Fennel is in the markets right now. Its subtle anise flavor blends well with saffron and orange to delicately flavor the chicken. If you use a whole chicken, add the breast meat to the pan in the oven 15 minutes after everything else has gone in. This would be a nice dish for Passover Seder.

Make 2 cups of the Garlic, Rosemary and Black Peppercorn Croutons. They can be made earlier in the day or done in the oven during the last 10-15 minutes of roasting time.

This is a classic chicken dish from Lyon, with variations. In some versions it is a textbook example of a sauté using a whole chicken cut into 8 pieces. Others treat it as a braise. We like to give bone -in, skin – on thighs the same treatment. All versions call for red wine vinegar. Some incorporate, tomatoes and aromatics. You could use tarragon instead of thyme, even stir in a tablespoon of Edmond Fallot Tarragon Dijon Mustard. In colder weather you would substitute tomato paste for fresh tomato and perhaps enrich the sauce with crème fraiche or heavy cream. Steamed rice is the traditional accompaniment. As things cool down, mashed potatoes or more correctly pommes purée would be more than acceptable.

Club Sandwiches are rather polite and a trifle bland.  Daintily cut on the diagonal, typically made with white toast, iceberg lettuce and Mayonnaise.  This version is for in front of the TV on Game Day.  It puts leftover turkey to good use.  Use an artisan whole wheat bread, baby arugula and Black Currant of Dijon Mustard. Cut it in half.  Serve truffled fries alongside. 

The chicken is best if you marinade at least an hour, but even better overnight.