Paula Prentiss is best known for her film roles in Where the Boys Are (1960), What's New Pussycat? (1965), Catch-22 (1970), and The Stepford Wives (1975). In 1992, she also played Leonora Holt in Murder, She Wrote's "Incident in Lot # 7" (the "Psycho house" episode).
Here is Paula's "Chicken Sweet and Sour" recipe! The photo below is Paula's delectable concoction as chef'd up by famous London celebrity recipe author/anthologist (and fearless home cook) Jenny Hammerton with essential help from her main squeeze Mr. Rathbone.
Jenny says: "Cor! This chook was LUSH! Paula done good!" (That's British for "Wow! This chicken is awesome! Paula done good! hehe). I love knowing Paula's recipe is such a major score. Now it's time for you all to try!
Here's Paula in Murder, She Wrote's "Incident in Lot 7." She plays an actress slated to star in a film adaptation of one of Jessica Fletcher's (Angela Lansbury's) books. And now, here's her recipe! (PRO TIP: today most chicken cooks agree one should not wash your chicken before cooking. Just season 'er up and have at it.)
PAULA PRENTISS'
Chicken Sweet and Sour
3 1/2 pounds frying chicken, cut in 8 pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons sweet butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (or Cointreau)
3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds (or pine nuts)
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice (strained)
1/2 cup water
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
11 drops Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons golden raisins
Wash chicken parts, dry carefully; sprinkle sparingly with salt and pepper.
Heat butter and olive oil in large skillet (or electric frying pan) until sizzling.
Place chicken skin side down in skillet. Cook over medium heat until chicken is golden on all sides. Remove chicken to another pan.
Pour warmed Grand Marnier over chicken, ignite. Discard half the fat in skillet, brown almonds over low heat shaking pan to prevent burning; remove almonds.
Add orange juice, stirring to clean pan. Add water, cinnamon, cloves, Tabasco and salt, stirring.
Add chicken and nuts to sauce, cover, cook over low heat until chicken is fork-tender. Uncover, remove chicken to heated platter.
Reduce sauce slightly by cooking over low heat, stirring. Correct seasonings.
Serve with fluffy cooked white rice. Spoon sauce over chicken and rice.
Serve with broccoli spears flavored with lemon-butter, endive salad, and chilled white wine (Chablis, Pouilly Fume or California Pinot Blanc). Serves 3-4.
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Here's the ad (crediting Paula) from the Murder, She Wrote episode (starring Angela, naturally).
And here's Jenny's best-selling book of other star recipes from Angela's show!
Whodunit?! 🔎 Er, who cooked it?!?
Paula did, of course!
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