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Begin at the supermarket or butcher shop with the
best fresh, naturally raised chicken you can get. Select one
that is wide breasted, which is to say, wider than it is long.
Look for a slight yellow cast to the skin. Make sure the butcher
includes the neck, giblets, liver, etc. This goes for the
smallest Cornish hen to a family-sized turkey.
When you get home remove all the packing material and wash
the bird well in cold water. Set aside the neck etc. and wash
the bird well in cold water. I mean REALLY well. Rub the inside
cavity with half a lemon, use the other half to rub the outside.
If you are not cooking it right away, NEVER pre-stuff a bird.
Put it in the refrigerator, covered with saran wrap, or a
clean, damp white dishtowel. This may seem a bit compulsive,
but I can assure you it makes the bird taste fresher and tastier
when cooked... Okay, let’s cook!
Place the bird in a baking pan. Take one large red onion (peeled
and cut into eighths), 2 lemons (quartered), place inside
the cavity. Rub the skin with olive oil. You’ll eventually
get creative and experiment on your own; but try salt, lemon
pepper, garlic powder, ground thyme oregano, basil, [ground,
or I prefer flakes], and gently rub into the skin. If you
can get fresh rosemary or tarragon, by all means shove those
into the cavity (they add a great deal of flavor). In a saucepan
,bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add the neck, etc., simmer
on the stove to make a broth or gravy base.
Take a glass of orange juice, apple juice, or white wine;
dilute by a third with water. Tip the bird and pour the liquid
into the cavity, leaving the remaining liquid in the bottom
of the baking pan. Now it’s ready to go into the oven, BUT
this is KEY: the oven is preheated to 525 degrees. You are
going to leave it in there for 10 minutes to sear the skin,
and that is what retains the juices. After 10 minutes, lower
the temperature to 375 degrees, so it then slow cooks. At
this point, drizzle some more olive oil over the bird, also
smear 5 good-sized cloves of garlic (squeezed through a press)
over the skin. Take a cup of the broth and add that to the
bottom of the pan. Take at least 20 cloves of garlic (in their
skins, just get rid of the extra white papery stuff) and throw
them into the bottom of the pan. Add small-whole potatoes
(red ones always look pretty), small carrots (you can get
them peeled and sometimes organic at the market), and for
a taste thrill: peeled, cut up parsnips and/or turnips.
Remember this: ALL BIRDS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL! And as for
following those “guidelines” about temperature/pound/time
ratios: DON’T DO IT! IT JUST DOESN’T WORK! That’s why America
sits down to dry turkey every Thanksgiving! I do not believe
in tenting birds, putting them in brown paper bags, or cooking
them upside down. Let’s get REAL! You’re supposed to open
the oven, look at the bird, baste it, and generally show some
love here. This isn’t about “convenience” food. Expect to
revisit the cooking bird every 15 minutes, making sure it
slowly turns a deep golden brown. Need more juice in the pan?
Toss in more broth/juice/wine. Is the skin looking a little
dry? Drizzle more olive oil. My philosophy is crisp and golden
brown on the outside, moist and tender on the inside. Trust
me on this. Roast Chicken is the dish that professional chefs
test and grade each other on. Proceed with Confidence!
Here’s how you know the bird is done: gently take the leg
and expose the joint between thigh and breast. Take a sharp
knife, pierce the skin towards the bone. If you see blood,
too much juice, or if the flesh looks uncooked—keep cooking.
If the bird has gotten too brown on the outside, just lower
the temperature.
Serve on a platter with the vegetables and whole garlic arranged
on the outside of the chicken. Side dishes like a rice pilaf,
risotto, or ratatouille, green beans, and of course a large
salad complete the meal. If you are not carbo-phobic, invite
your guests to squeeze the roasted garlic onto a nice crusty
bread, otherwise don’t forget to spike the chicken and veggies
with it. Warning: Make enough for second helpings (I often
make 2 Birdie’s Birdies at a time). Your guests will want
more!
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Super
Fans who won an auction for a studio tour and
Robin's Birdie's Birdie.
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