Saturday, January 30, 2010

good roast chicken and stock

COMFORT FOOD means "chicken" to so many of us, doesn't it? So many really great cooks, when asked about a favorite meal, will say "roast chicken and a good loaf of fresh bread with it".... Here's the simplest way to get Chicken Stock and a great bird at the same time, according to my friend, Ellen. Do you have any good roast chicken recipes or any nice memories that involve chicken dinners with family, etc? Please share them in COMMENTS!
Ellen's Bird (no basting, watching, just timing)

Oven-450 degrees

1 BIG fryer 5 lb. ++
Season inside with salt & pepper
Stuff with cut up onion
Rub outside with butter or olive oil
Season outside & tie legs together

Place on a large rack on the RIM of a non-reactive baking pan

In pan put 2 C. water & some white wine along with garlic cloves, peppercorns, celery, onion skin (if nice & dry), Bay leaf, etc. (Z: you could probably include carrots or whatever else you like to have flavoring your broth, too)

Put in oven uncovered for 30 min.

Turn temp. down to 350' & roast for another 2 hours, or until leg moves freely.

You will have perfect Roast Chicken + a great stock after you strain it. About 3 C. +-

You can do 2 at once if you have a large pan & rack. Just increase the liquids.

If you use a Sunday Best Roaster (6-7 lbs.) increase the time as needed.

So, you have a perfect roast chicken and a beautiful chicken stock all at one time! ENJOY

And thanks, Ellen, for your wonderful recipe...

z

4 comments:

Big Bubba said...

Could this possibly be related? Probably not. Coincidentally I was listening to that NPR show yesterday the, uh, Perfect Table? Something table. Some guy called in to ask about some chickens he had and knew nothing about. Everyone was soon educated.

The bird in question was the Freedom Ranger, surprisingly a free ranger. As it turns out the bird springs from the French Label Rouge - a very popular species in France, and Europe. The NPR host (Diane? I forget) said that the ubiquitous coq au vin was nothing without an extremely old, retirement eligible bird (perhaps about 4 years old) for the pot and this was it. Big Bubba the hayseed was totally fascinated. http://www.jmhatchery.com/free-range-broiler/freedom-ranger-chicks/prod_5.html

Z said...

She said you need elderly chickens for coq au vin? I never heard that, very interesting (having lived in paris for 4 years, as you know, Bubba)...maybe it's because you cook it for a long time so it tenders it up or something? But, usually, cooking chicken can tighten it up, come to think of it...especially when it's in liquids.
Hmmm. never herad of a Freedom Ranger! I'll check out your link and thank you for it.
And, I don't know the NPR show as I don't listen to NPR, tho I should sometimes; just not in the habit.
Thanks! I love having you hear xx

Anonymous said...

This sounds wonderful.
I bought an organic freerange chicken this week and plan to roast it sometime soon.

Anonymous said...

Hi, HAPPY EASTER!

I have company this year, so I decided to cook Easter dinner, which I probably would not have done had I been alone. Here's what we're having tomorrow:

Roasted pork tenderloin studded with garlic, salted, peppered, then basted with a mixture of melted butter and sherry till crispy brown. Will sauté sliced mushrooms in the pan gravy. We're also having steamed Brussels sprouts (they must remain firm and bright green!) and a casserole of scalloped potatoes layered with butter, S&P, shredded parmesan and covered with 2% milk. The potatoes microwave beautifully.

I bought a small seedless watermelon for dessert.

Tonight we are having shrimp and lump crabmeat salad with small shells, diced red bell pepper, chopped celery and good old Hellmann's Mayonnaise with the tiniest wisp of Dijon mustard whisked in. The salad will be garnished with hard boiled eggs and served on a bed of Romaine with sliced radishes, cucumbers, carrot sticks and a few black olives for color. Tomatoes have been horrible lately -- they taste and feel like wet pink felt -- so I'm giving them up till we get vine ripened locals once again.

I know it's all very unhealthy and totally un-PC, but it puts me in touch with family traditions and a (mostly) happy past, and it will be Dee-LISH-us!!! (Unless I doze off and burn the roast ;-)

Celebrate the joy and wonder of the Resurrection then have a wonderful afternoon and evening.

~ FreeThinke