Chef Ben Ford’s Budget-Friendly Holiday Menu

On Friday, Dec. 23, Ben Ford of will serve up his Christmas menu to 4,000 homeless men, women and children at the Los Angeles Mission.

He’ll be joined by several celebrities who will be on hand to share the Christmas spirit and a hearty meal with just a few of those who go hungry on the streets of Los Angeles every day.

In an effort to spread awareness about the plight of the hungry and homeless, Chef Ford is sharing his recipes with Patch readers. It’s not too late to try them out for your own Christmas dinner.

Rosemary Lemon Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. lemon zest (1 lemon)

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, finely minced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

3 lbs. of bone-in, skin-on chicken.

3 tbsp. melted butter

Thinly sliced lemons, for garnish

Method:

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper and mix well to blend. Refrigerate and let marinate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and transfer to a baking dish, skin-side up, reserving the leftover marinade.  Brush the top of each piece of chicken with melted butter.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the skins are crispy and well browned. Halfway through baking, pour the remaining marinade over the chicken pieces in the baking dish. Once fully baked, cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes before serving. Transfer to a serving platter and serve. Garnish with extra rosemary and lemon wheels.

Brown Butter Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water

3 tablespoons molasses

3 tablespoons golden brown sugar

1/4 cup (1 half stick) unsalted butter

2 pounds peeled baby carrots

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Method: 

In a large straight-sided skillet bring water, molasses, brown sugar and butter to a boil. Add carrots and reduce heat to medium. Partially cover and simmer until the carrots soften, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook, gently toss often until carrots are tender and glazed, about 6 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm. 

Serves 6 to 8

Honey Apricot Compound Butter (to accompany dinner rolls)

Ingredients:

1 cup honey

3 cups butter, softened

¾  cup dried apricots, finely diced

Method:

In a medium-sized bowl, whip 3 cups of unsalted butter (room temperature) until fluffy. Beat butter and honey together until creamy. Combine the softened butter and the apricots until they are completely blended.  

Serve at room temperature.

Tips for preparing compound butters:

The butter must first be brought to room temperature and softened by beating it. The flavoring ingredients must be very finely chopped or pureed. If any extra liquid develops, it should be drained off thoroughly before mixing in the butter.

For the flavor to better penetrate the butter, allow it to stand at cool room temperature for a few hours before refrigerating.

Compound butters may be stored in the freezer, tightly wrapped. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water for cutting the frozen butter.

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