Ask your average Joe where his chicken came from, and odds are he’ll tell you the name of the supermarket from which he bought it. Like the “cup-o-soup” or can of tomato sauce, poultry and meats have become yet another product under cellophane and Styrofoam that gets thrown into the shopping cart without much thought, without much consideration. Though more awareness and thoughtfulness are beginning to affect today’s consumer, the reality of being far removed from our food, of knowing little of the life and death of what nourishes us, can erode our understanding of just what exactly makes for a choice piece of chicken: what makes it particularly flavorful or healthful and the obvious ethical choices implicit in such questions. My grandmother remembers going on Friday mornings to select the live chicken that would shortly become their Shabbat dinner…my, how much more complicated eating has become.
For Shlomo Fink, owner of David Elliot Poultry Farm in Scranton, PA., producing good poultry is no mystery. His family has been doing it since 1941. David Elliot produces about 10,000 birds per day, a small number in comparison to some of the larger mass-produced poultry factories. Broilers (really tasty – see my recipe below!), 10 lb. capons, and turkeys abound, but their signature bird is a true kosher Rock Cornish Hen (1 lb. single serving size), sweet and succulent to the last bite. According to Fink, operating on a small scale is what distinguishes David Elliot Poultry from other products, allowing more dedication and attention to quality and the highest standards of kosher slaughter.
David Elliot offers an array of “natural” poultry – free of growth hormones and antibiotics. You might be wondering if this matters and why it is significant. When birds are kept in cramped, dirty conditions, disease can spread. To counteract this, the large-scale poultry processing companies administer antibiotics. Additionally, the high volumes of poultry these companies produce do not leave time for a chicken to grow at a natural pace; instead, they inject it with hormones to make it grow faster. On a smaller scale, with less crowding and better conditions, all this should not be necessary. Not surprisingly, healthier chicks taste better; and they just might be better for your health as well.
You don’t have to be a vegetarian to think about from whence your meat came. With a little thought and by supporting the farms who want to do it right, you are paying homage to the animal that was your dinner and to the Creator Who put it on your plate.
Park East Kosher is a proud seller of David Elliot Poultry – be sure to inquire when placing an order.
Apricot Glazed Euro-Breast with Savory Stuffing 
A Euro-breast (also called “French breast”), a breast quarter deboned with the wing attached, is becoming a popular cut. Your Park East Butcher is happy to prepare it for you upon request.
Serves 4.
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup diced carrots (from 1-2 large carrots)
1 cup diced celery (from about 2 stalks)
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (or coarse fresh bread crumbs)
4 broiler Euro-breasts (David Elliot’s)*
3 tbsp. apricot preserves
1 tbsp. white wine
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add carrots, celery and onion, and sauté for about 7-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic, thyme, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Stir to blend and continue to sauté another 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the bread crumbs and mix until combined. Set aside.
Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. Season well with salt and pepper. Stuff approximately 3-4 tablespoons of stuffing underneath the skin towards the bone, making sure the skin contains the stuffing (don’t overstuff). Place each stuffed breast in a baking pan.
Mix apricot preserves and wine together in a small bowl. Brush mixture generously over the skin of each breast. Place pan in oven uncovered for about 50-60 minutes, until the skin is golden brown, basting with pan juices about halfway through the cooking time. Serve hot and enjoy!
