One Hour Whole Roasted Chicken

 

Ingredients:

•  3 ½ - 4 ½ pound whole chicken, neck removed
  1 lemon, cut in halved
  1 head of garlic, halved
  Few sprigs of thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage
• 5 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 2 tsp EACH: salt & pepper

Directions: 

1.  Position a rack in the center of the oven & preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place the chicken on a cutting board and pat dry using paper towels. Season the inside of the cavity with ½ teaspoon of salt. Place the lemon halves, garlic head, and herbs inside the cavity. Place the chicken breast-side up in a large cast-iron skillet or an oven-safe frying pan. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining 1 ½ teaspoon of salt all over.

2.  Melt the butter in the microwave and using a pastry brush, brush half the butter generously all over the chicken, save remaining butter do not discard. Sprinkle with pepper.

3.  Roast chicken for 20 minutes, remove from oven, brush on the remaining butter mixture. Place the chicken back into the oven and continue roasting for 25 minutes. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh and check to make sure it registers at 165 degrees F. Continue to roast for an additional 10-15 minutes for 4 to 4-1/2 lb chicken. Remove  from the oven and allow for it to rest for 15-30 minutes before carving.

Old-Fashioned Custard

Serves 4.

Ingredients

2 cups of whole milk
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar


1.  In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk and vanilla,  Stir continuously for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat when mixture is hot but not boiling.

2.  Whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch and sugar until well-blended.  Pour egg mixture into hot milk and whisk constantly so eggs don't scramble. 

3.  Return custard mixture to stove over low heat.  Stir 8-10 minutes until custard has thickened.  Do not boil or custard will curdle.  Serve warm or refrigerate 20 minutes and serve cold.

Spiced Cold Chicken

Our favorite portable chicken recipe for picnics on the beach.

Ingredients:
1 4-lb chicken cut into 8-pieces or one 8-piece Chicken Pack
2 tablespoons of Browder's GRILL DRY RUB*
1 tablespoon olive oil

1.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels and place in a large roasting pan. 

2.  Combine dry rub and olive oil and rub evenly all over chicken.  Roast for 45 minutes then allow to cool.  Chill chicken in fridge before packing.

*If making your own dry rub, combine 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, pinch of kosher salt and pepper.  Mix with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, as directed.

Pasta with Fried Eggs

Here's a quick and delicious pasta dish to make when you have little time, and even less food in the house. All you need is a box of pasta, four eggs, olive oil and garlic.  Parmesan is a delicious, but optional, addition.

 Ingredients

• Salt
• ½ pound pasta
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or lard
• 2 large cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
• 4 eggs
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, optional 

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Start the sauce in the next step, and start cooking the pasta when the water boils.

Combine garlic and 4 tablespoons of the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic, pressing it into the oil occasionally to release its flavor; it should barely color on both sides. Remove the garlic, and add the remaining oil.

Fry the eggs gently in the oil, until the whites are just about set and the yolks still quite runny. Drain the pasta, and toss with the eggs and oil, breaking up the whites as you do. (The eggs will finish cooking in the heat of the pasta.) Season to taste, and serve immediately, with cheese if you like.

 Featured in: The Minimalist; Pasta From The Pantry by Mark Bittman.

Crepes

2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
Butter, for coating the pan

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour (if you have time). This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds. Lay them out flat so they can cool.

Savory filling suggestions: cheese, spinach, mushrooms, shredded chicken, scrambled  eggs, chopped herbs

Sweet filling suggestions:  butter & honey, cinnamon & sugar, sliced banana & chocolate, jam, apple butter

Easy Weeknight Dinner: Chicken with Tarragon

Known as Poulet à l’Estragon in French, this simple, classic home-style dish was a favorite of James Beard, especially because it featured his favorite herb, tarragon. The French incorporate tarragon into a myriad of dishes and condiments, from béarnaise sauce to vinegar. And, according to Beard, it’s “the best friend a chicken ever had.”

Yield:4 servings

Ingredients:
1 5 pound chicken, cut up in quarters
½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper to taste
8-10 shallots or 10-12 scallions, finely chopped
1 cup white wine
4 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped or 2 tablespoons dried
4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Method:Melt butter and oil in a covered skillet large enough to hold all the chicken pieces. When the butter is hot, add the chicken pieces skin side down and brown. Turn them over and brown the other side. This will take about 10 minutes. Salt and pepper them well. If you don’t have a large enough skillet, after browning the pieces place them in a covered Dutch oven or casserole and continue cooking.

Add the shallots or scallions. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer very, very slowly for 20 minutes or slightly more if the chickens are on the large side.

Remove the cover, increase the heat slightly, and add the white wine, tarragon, and parsley, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Turn the chicken pieces again, and cook briskly for 3 or 4 minutes to reduce the sauce a little.

Serve with tiny new potatoes.

James Beard "Beard on Food" (1974)