Frazzled over frizzle

DEAR HELOISE >> I just bought a house and threw a house-warming party. Several people were nice enough to give me a gift, and one was a cookbook. I’d love to try my hand at cooking some of these recipes, but they use terms I’ve never heard of, such as “frizzle,” “en papillote” or “ragout.” And what on earth is a “moderate oven”?

— Douglas J., Arlington, Va. Douglas, a moderate oven is 325, 350 or 375 degrees F. The word “frizzle” means to fry in hot fat until the edges of the food curl. “En papillote” means to “bake in paper.” It’s from a time when cooks baked certain foods in oiled paper bags or sacks. Today it also can mean to cook in foil. “Ragout” means a rich brown stew. Good luck with your new cookbook.

Cooking a chicken

DEAR HELOISE >> How long should a whole chicken be cooked? My best friend undercooks food and I overcook, so we have no idea what the correct amount of time is.

— Karen T., Concord, N.H. Karen, in an oven at 375 degrees:

Creole roast

DEAR HELOISE >> My husband has asked me to make your Creole Roast again. He loves it, and I liked it too, but I don’t have the recipe anymore. Would you reprint this one for us roast lovers who like to grill outdoors?

— Sadie H., Elizabeth City, N.C.

Sadie, here it is:

2 to 2 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon snipped parsley or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Trim off any excess fat and rub meat with Worcestershire sauce. Combine the parsley, salt, pepper, celery seed, red pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and ground cloves, sprinkle over the meat and rub in. Cover the roast and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

In a covered grill, arrange preheated coals around a drip pan; test for medium heat above the pan. Insert a meat thermometer near the center of the roast and place on a grill rack over the drip pan but NOT over the coals. Lower the hood and grill until thermometer registers 140 degrees for rare (about 45 minutes), 160 degrees for medium (about 55 minutes) or 170 for well done (about 1 hour).

Summer is the best time to grill outdoors, and my Creole Roast makes a delicious dinner with so little effort.