Whole Chicken

Buy a heavy coconut that has no cracks and that sounds full of liquid when shaken.

This recipe makes lots of stock. Freeze any that's left over for another use.

A spicier version of that old Southern favorite. From Mother Africa's Table, National Council of Negro Women, Washington, D.C.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 4 hr

About two centuries ago, field workers near Valencia began sharing a luncheon dish made of rice, vegetables, snails and eels cooked in a flat, oval, two-handled metal pan known as a paellera. And so paella was born.
Rice dishes made in such a pan, whatever the ingredients, are called paella or just arroz con ("rice with"), followed by a description of the contents. The traditional components of this particular version are snails, rabbit and rosemary, which are found in the Valencian mountains.
This equally delectable rendition omits the snails and substitutes chicken for rabbit.
This recipe can be made in a paella pan, a flameproof earthenware casserole or a large skillet.

This dish known, as pastitsatha, is one that evolved from Corfu to stretch scant supplies of meat. Consisting of chicken, turkey, beef or veal braised in tomato sauce fragrant with spices, it is served over thick tubular pasta from Corfu called "perciatellli" (if you can't find it, use spaghetti). Kefalotyri is a nutty tasting hard cheese similar to Parmesan. It is available at Greek markets.

The traditional b'stilla is an enormous pigeon or chicken pie wrapped in golden paper-thin pastry leaves. However, we made individual pies for ease of serving. The idea of meat mixed with spices and encased in pastry was brought to Morocco by Arabs from the Middle East; the delicate pastry sheets, it is thought, came specifically from Persia. Spices play a big part in Moroccan cooking. This legendary spice mixture is translated as "top of the shop."

Serve over freshly steamed rice and garnish with chopped green onions.

Throughout World War II, everyone who had even a little plot of land was encouraged to grow a vegetable garden. Back then, this comforting soup would most frequently be made from water and contain no chicken, which was a Sunday treat. For convenience, you can skip the first part of this recipe and use six cups of stock or canned broth and omit the chicken altogether. But if you want to make the stock from scratch, be sure to do so a day ahead.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 12 hr (includes chilling)

In Chinese culture, noodles symbolize longevity and are often served at New Year celebrations and traditionally left very long.

This crispy chicken is accented with ginger and sesame oil, and served with a simple dipping sauce of soy, cilantro, green onions and ginger. Wrap the chicken in foil, and store the sauce and slaw in plastic containers; be sure to add a cold pack or two to the picnic basket. Fill a thermos with limeade, or bring along a cooler of your favorite beers.

Offer baked potatoes or garlic bread with dinner and watermelon for dessert.