Compiled by Polly Campbell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Required reading

If cooking has become a drag, maybe one good way to make it more fun is to do it together - with your spouse, your roommate, whomever you live and eat with.

You might start with the new book, Caprial and John's Kitchen (Ten Speed Press; $35). It's from well-known Portland chef Caprial Pence and her husband and co-chef, John Pence. It's a menu-based cookbook with ideas for complete meals, and each menu includes a list of which cook does what.

So, for a meal that includes honey-glazed grilled duck, couscous with sauteed cherry tomatoes and grilled zucchini with sweet soy sauce, the jobs are divided between two cooks: One starts the duck, the other finishes it. At the last minute, one cook is slicing and plating the duck, while the other grills the zucchini and plates it and the couscous.

From the book

Here's an unusual method of roasting chicken from Caprial and John's Kitchen. They say the seasoned sea salt permeates the chicken, making it "unbelievably moist and tender."

Chicken Roasted in Seasoned Sea Salt

3 cups sea salt

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (3-pound) roasting chicken

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the sea salt, lemon zest, basil, thyme, garlic and pepper in a food processor and process until well blended. Spread the salt mixture over a large sheet of aluminum foil. Place the chicken, breast side down, in the center of the salt. Carefully fold the foil around the chicken and crimp the foil to seal. Set the chicken in a roasting pan and roast for about 11/2 hours, until it reaches an internal temperature of 155. (To test for doneness, open the foil and insert an instant-read thermometer into the thigh of the chicken.)

Remove the chicken from the oven, carefully open the foil, and brush the salt from the chicken. Slice and serve warm. Makes 4 servings.

Menu glossary

Zabaglione seems to be showing up more on menus. It's a classic Italian dish, but hasn't always been popular on menus. Now it shows up in trendy Italian restaurants - not as popular as tiramisu, but maybe it's on its way.

Its classic form is a simple custard made by whisking together egg yolks, marsala wine and sugar over simmering water and cooking until thick. It's best served warm, immediately after cooking. But it's versatile, sometimes served cold or frozen, folded into whipped cream, poured over strawberries, or made into fancier desserts. I think it's especially wonderful with fresh peaches.

I've had some good versions, but most are a little wimpy on the marsala. It's good at Wildflour in Covington and Bella Luna in Linwood. It's also called zabaione, and the French transformed it into sabayon.