Two Worth Saving

Some dishes are hard to make. Some dishes are easy. But just to prove how little difference the degree of difficulty can make, here are two of our favorite recipes. One is extremely easy; one is incredibly time-consuming. Both, however, are completely delicious.

KAI YANG

(Thai Ginger-

Roasted Chicken)

3 medium cloves garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 piece ginger (1-inch in diameter and 1/4-inch thick), minced

1 teaspoon minced cilantro root or stems

1 teaspoon oil

1 (3-pound) chicken, quartered

Pound garlic, salt, pepper, ginger and cilantro together. Add oil and mix to smooth paste. Spread mixture over chicken pieces and marinate 1 to 2 hours. Place chicken in roasting pan and bake at 450 degrees 30 to 40 minutes or until done through. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about: 454 calories; 733 mg sodium; 153 mg cholesterol; 32 grams fat; 1 grams carbohydrates; 38 grams protein; 0.12 grams fiber.

This mousseline, adapted from Madeleine Kamman’s “In Madeleine’s Kitchen,” can be served either hot or cold. Served hot, with a beurre blanc, it is an appetizer so full of butter and cream that the fact it is made from fish becomes more or less incidental. It is also nice as a light spring lunch dish, accompanied by only some herbal mayonnaise and a salad of baby greens. TROUT MOUSSELINES

1 pound skinless, boneless trout

2 eggs

10 tablespoons butter, cut in cubes

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

Dash nutmeg

2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, well-chilled

Butter

Chill trout in freezer 30 minutes to 1 hour.

In food processor, puree trout with eggs until completely smooth. Remove from processor and place in chilled metal bowl. For completely smooth mousseline, pass trout through fine mesh strainer.

Add butter to processor work bowl (it is not necessary to wash bowl between uses) along with salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Process until butter is well-creamed and light-colored. Add 1/3 trout puree back to processor and work into butter mixture. Repeat until all trout puree is incorporated into smooth puree with butter.

With processor running, add cream in thin stream, stopping processor as soon as cream is completely incorporated.

Using flexible spatula, pack trout puree into 6 heavily buttered 3-ounce ramekins. Cover top of each ramekin with circle of buttered parchment or wax paper. Place ramekins in roasting pan and put on center rack of oven. Add boiling water to roasting pan to halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake at 325 degrees 15 to 20 minutes, until paper can be easily lifted off.

Remove from oven and drain water. Unmold onto plate and serve. For serving cold, place ramekins in refrigerator, with parchment paper still in place. When ready to serve, unmold onto plate. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

629 calories; 864 mg sodium; 303 mg cholesterol; 60 grams fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 20 grams protein; 0.00 grams fiber.