European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 6, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Chicken Quick easy. Healthy a i the Skinny on eliminating fat in Chicken by Mary Macvean the associated press people unhappy with a dinner of Chicken breasts baked without the skin seemed to get a reprieve last fall with a report that removing the skin after cooking resulted in a moister but equally Low fat dish. Now however nutritionists from the Center for science in the Public interest Are questioning the report and the . Department of agriculture commissioned a study to determine whether the fat in Chicken skin leaches into the meat during cooking. One of the reasons poultry particularly White meat is recommended for people seeking to reduce their fat intake is that nearly All the fat can be eliminated by removing the skin. One drawback it takes imagination and Effort to make skinless poultry moist and flavorful. Fat tastes Good but it has become the no. 1 target in efforts to improve americans diets. A 3-ounce roasted skinless Chicken breast has 141 calories 27 of them from fat. Last september the new England journal of Medicine printed a letter from two University of Minnesota dietitians that said Quot available research data indicate that there is no significant difference in the fat Content of Chicken whether it is cooked with or without the  what counts said the letter writers Linda Dieleman and u. Beate Krinke is not eating the skin. Their advice is based in part on a 1985 study by the National broiler Council a Washington based Trade group. But Jayne Hurley a nutritionist with Csepi a Washington based consumer advocacy group complained that the Council tested Only 20 Chicken breasts and no fatties thighs or legs. While the study said the fat differences among the breasts were not statistically significant she said the results Quot look like they would have been statistically significant if they had used More  Quot we Felt it was a valid Sample because it was Chicken from across the country Quot said Bill Roenigk broiler Council vice president. Chicken meat is protected from fat during cooking by the membrane beneath the skin he said. Cooks have to make certain not to Pierce that membrane. A Hurley and a colleague wrote to the new England journal to make their Case their letter was not published. Their contentions were published in the May Issue of a spin a newsletter nutrition action. They cite the broiler Council study As showing that five Boneless breasts cooked without the skin had a Range of fat Content from 0.6 percent to 2.1 percent. Breasts with the skin removed after cooking ranged from 1.2 percent to 1.5 percent Quot the other thing to keep in mind is the fat Content of a breast is so Low it will be harder to show differences than it would in a thigh Quot Hurley said in a Telephone interview us a looked at breasts and thighs and expects to report results soon said or. Jacob Exler of the Agency a human nutrition information service. Quot it looks like there a Little if any difference but we done to have any real statistical basis to say that yet. We Hope to have that fairly soon Quot he said. Dieleman stands by her advice. Quot our premise is that with the available information and we can argue whether that is enough there is no significant difference. And in this age its far safer for us to encourage people to Cook their meat on the Grill and get it Well done and have a Safe Chicken product and have something they will find palatable Quot she said from Minneapolis. The american heart association in february reiterated its earlier position that Cooks should skin Chicken before cooking until More data is available Hurley continues to recommend that people skin Chicken before cooking. Quot you done to change the advice based on a Small study by the National broiler Council Quot she  thighs a Cheapo option by Sherrie Ruhl the Baltimore Sun Chicken thighs Are a Penny Pinchers Delight. These meaty moist poultry parts Are easy to work with very flavorful and Best of All Cost anywhere from one third to one half the Price of skinless Boneless Chicken breasts. Tor example a grocery store was Selling name Brand Boneless skinless Chicken breasts for $2.69 a Pound. Thighs with the skin and Bone were Selling at $1.19 a Pound. Roughly speaking plan on losing about one ounce per thigh when the skin and Bone Are removed. Thighs can be substituted in most White meat recipes but work Best in Strong sauces such As Tomato or red wine says Beverly Cox a Home economist. She says thighs with their strongly Flavoured flesh do not work As Well in delicate sauces such As Cream sauces. Generally thighs can be substituted one for one for Chicken breasts. Cooking time might be a Little longer. Chicken thighs can vary dramatically in size so the Best Way to decide if the Chicken is done is to be sure the juices run Clear. Dark poultry meat is still a nutritional bargain with fewer calories and less cholesterol than red meat however dark meat has More calories and fat than White meat. A 3-ounce serving of dark meat without Bones or skin has 10 Grams of fat and 203 calories. A comparable amount of White meat has 5 Grams of fat and 163 calories according to the american heart association Cookbook. While it is sometimes possible to get thighs that have been skinned and de boned it is just As easy and More economical to do it yourself. There is Only one Bone in a thigh. Make a Small Cut alongside the Bone to expose it pull it out and snip it off with Kitchen scissors. The skin is easily pulled off. Chicken thighs have also become a popular substitute for red meat particularly in stir frys or stews Cox says. Thighs Are much cheaper and have less cholesterol than beef she says. Use an equal amount of thigh for the beef called for in the recipe. Thighs can be flattened Between waxed paper using a meat Mallet. That Isnit necessary but makes a More elegant presentation and makes the thighs Cook faster. Cox says this versatile italian style recipe is one of her favourites for Chicken thighs. Italian thighs 4 to 8 Chicken thighs depending on size italian seasoning Olive Oil 1 241� ounce Jar Spaghetti sauce 2 cups cooked pasta skin and debone the thighs flattening to an even thickness if desired. Sprinkle with italian seasoning. In a non stick Skillet lightly coated with Olive Oil Cook the thighs until browned on both sides. Add a Jar of your favorite Spaghetti sauce cover partially and simmer Over medium heat until done. Juices will run Clear. Serve with pasta. Makes 4 Servings. Cox says thighs Are also excellent stuffed. Use your favorite recipe or try this one. Stuffed thighs 4 to 8 Chicken thighs 1 cup Ricotta cheese 1 cup thawed drained Frozen spinach chopped Fine a cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 Teaspoon Nutmeg skin debone and flatten thighs to an even thickness. Combine remaining ingredients mixing Well. Its important that the spinach be Well drained. Spread thighs with mixture discarding any extra. Roll thighs up securing with toothpicks or Kitchen twine Spray baking pan with non stick Spray. Bake in a 350-degree oven until done about 25 minutes. Makes 4  fingers by Pierre Franey the new York times Chicken breast is one of the most appealing foods in the supermarket because it is clean simple to Cook Low in fat and High in protein. But if one Falls into a rut by simply broiling or baking the Chicken breast dinner can be mighty Boring. This recipe for Chicken fingers with garlic butter is simple yet tasty. And you can vary the seasonings in countless ways a Boneless breast of Chicken is sliced into pieces Vonch wide and about 2 inches Long. They Are then tossed in a blend of Salt Pepper oregano and flour. Other dried herbs can be added to the flour mixture if desired. The Chicken strips Are then sauteed in butter until browned at which time you add the tomatoes and garlic. In 3 minutes if should be done. Fresh coriander makes a Fine Garnish along with some Lime or Lemon juice. Chicken fingers with garlic butter 4 skinless Boneless Chicken breast halves Salt and freshly ground Pepper to teats 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 2 Teaspoons dried continued on Page 16 you Don t need to be a Butcher to Cut up Chicken to Cut up a whole Chicken pull leg away from body and Cut. Separate drumstick from thigh. By Joan Drake the los Angeles times it does t take an Einstein to figure out that you can save Money by purchasing whole chickens instead of parts. And you Don t need to be a seasoned Butcher to Cut a Bird into pieces. All it takes is a Sharp boning knife and a Little practice. Remove the neck and giblets from the Chicken and Reserve. These parts except for the liver May be used along with the Back to make Stock. Liver causes the Stock to become dark and Cloudy rinse the whole Bird Well with cold water and Pat it dry with paper towels. Place the Bird on a work surface with the legs toward you. Grasp one lag and pull it away from the body. Cut through the skin where the thigh joins the body to expose the joint step 1. Break the joint by twisting the thigh outward from the body and Cut the leg off with the knife. Repeat this procedure to remove the other leg. To detach Wing Cut through joint where it attaches to body. Cut along each aide of the Back Between the Riba to separate Backbone from breast. Back May be Bent in half and Cut apart where it Breaks naturally. To separate the drumstick from the thigh place the leg on the work surface skin Side Down and Bend it to determine the location of the joint. Cut through the skin at this Point Bend the leg Back to expose the joint then Cut through it and the skin underneath. Turn the Chicken around lift the Wing and Slit the skin where it joins the body. Cut through the joint step 2 and remove repeat to detach the other Wing. Separate the Backbone from the breast by cutting along each Side of the Backbone Between the rib joints step 3. The Back May be left whole or Bent in half step 4 and Cut apart where it Breaks naturally. This leaves Only the breast. To Cut it in half place on the work surface with the pointed end away from you then Cut through the White cartilage at the Broad end of the keel Bone step 5lift the breast and push from the underside until this Bone pops Loose. Run your thumb and forefinger Down either Side of the Bone step 6then pull it free. Cut along the line where the Bone was removed to Divide the breast in half step 7. You now have eight pieces of Chicken two legs two thighs two wings and two half breasts plus the Backbone and reserved neck and giblets step 8. Remember that chickens Are particularly Likely to carry Salmonella bacteria a common cause of food poisoning. Cooked Chicken in t a problem the bacteria Are killed at 185 degrees when you finish handling raw Chicken or any raw meat immediately Wash your hands the work surface All the utensils you used and anything else you touched while working such As a refrigerator door with soap and hot water. To Cut breast in half first Cut through cartilage at Broad end of the keel Bone. Pop the Bone Loose then run your fun Gere Down the sides and pull it free. Cut along the line where the Bone was removed to Divide the breast in half. Lot Ngalot t1m�i the result is eight pieces two legs two thighs two wings two Hal breasts a plus the Back. Page 14 the stars and stripes Friday March 6, 1992 the stars and stripes Page 15