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Roasted Split Chicken with Mustard Crust

From Jaques Pepin:

“I often make this recipe at home when I am in a hurry, because splitting and flattening the chicken and cutting between the joints of the leg and the shoulder reduce the cooking time by half. I use kitchen shears to split the chicken pen at the back and to cut the cooked bird into serving pieces and a knife to cut between the joints.

The mustard crust can be made ahead and even spread on the chicken a day ahead, if you like. I pour the cooked chicken juices into a fat separator with a spout and serve over Fluffy Mashed Potatoes, leaving the fat behind.”

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken (about 3 ½ pounds)
  • 2 Tbsps chopped garlic
  • 2 Tbsps Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tbsps dry white wine
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsps olive oil
  • 1 tsp Tabasco hot pepper sauce
  • 1 tsp herbes de Provence
  • ½ tsp salt

Serve With

  • Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

Preparation

  1. Mix all the ingredients (minus bird) in a small bowl.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450°. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut alongside the backbone of the chicken to split it open. Spread and press on the chicken with your hands to flatten it. Using a sharp paring knife, cut halfway through both sides of the joints connecting the thighs and drumsticks and cut through the joints of the shoulder under the wings as well. (This will help the heat penetrate these joints and accelerate the cooking process.)
  3. Put the chicken skin side down on a cutting board and spread it with about half the mustard mixture. Place the chicken flat in a large skillet, mustard side down. Spread the remaining mustard on the skin side of the chicken. Cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, then place the skillet in the oven and cook the chicken for about 30 minutes. It should be well browned and dark on top.
  4. Let the chicken rest in the skillet at room temperature for a few minutes, then cut it into 8 pieces with clean kitchen shears. Defat the cooking juices. If you like, mound some Fluffy Mashed Potatoes on each of four warm dinner plates and place 2 pieces of chicken on each plate. Pour some juice on the mashed potatoes and chicken and serve.

Serves 4

Check here for bird prep details

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Coq Au Vin

Ingredients

  • 1/4 pound thick-sliced bacon
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 3 lb. fryer, cut into pieces
  • 1 ½ tsps salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1/8 tsp thyme
  • 24 small white onions, peeled
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • ½ lb fresh mushrooms, halved
  • ⅓ cup brandy
  • 2 cups red wine (pref Burgundy)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 Tbsp flour
  • 2 tsps parsley, finely chopped

Preparation

  1. In a saucepan, simmer bacon in water 10 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and dry on paper towels. In a Dutch oven, sauté bacon in 4 tbsp butter 10 minutes. Dry chicken well and season with ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and thyme. Remove bacon and brown chicken. Remove chicken and sauté onions and garlic 5 minutes. Remove onions and garlic and sauté mushrooms 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and discard remaining butter.
  2. In a small saucepan, warm brandy. Remove from heat, ignite, and pour into Dutch oven. After flame dies, add wine, broth, bay leaf, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Return bacon, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and chicken to pot. Cook until sauce begins to bubble. Cover, reduce heat , and simmer 45 minutes.
  3. Remove chicken and onions from pot. In a separate pot, melt remaining 4 Tbsps butter and gradually add flour, stirring constantly until roux is dark brown. Remove bay leaf. Add to sauce, mix well. Return chicken and onions to pot and simmer 15 minutes. Transfer to a deep dish and sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 4

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Cassoulet

Ingredients

Beans

NOTE: 2 cans cannellini beans can be substituted for the below preparation.

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1 lb white navy beans, soaked overnight and drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 bay leaf

Meat

  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 4 thin pork chops, cut in half (4-5 oz each)
  • 1 lb smoked sausage (andouille, kilbasaa) cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 lb roasted duck or chicken meat, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon Rustic Rub or(Joe’s, etc.)

Gratin

  • 3/4 cup dried fine bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
  • 3 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 tsp Rustic Rub
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Preparation For Beans

  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over high heat and sauté the onions and celery for 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly wildted. Add the beans, salt, cayenne, water, and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the beans are tender and most of the water is absorbed, about 2 hours. If beans are prepared ahead of time, refrigerate until ready to use.

Preparation For Meat

  1. Combine the flour and oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Stirring constantly and slowly, make a medium-brown roux, the color of peanut butter. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, carrot, salt, and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, 3-4 minutes or until slightly wilted.
  2. Lay pork chops on top of roux and vegetable mixture and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Add the sausage and cook for 2 more minutes, turning several times. Add the broth and stir until the roux and broth are combined and the mixture thickens. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Bring to a boil.
  3. Season the duck/chicken pieces with the rub. Add the fowl and the cooked beans to the vegetable and meat mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 450℉. Make the gratin.

Preparation for Gratin

  1. Combine the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, rub, and olive oil in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
  2. When the bean and meat mixture is cooked, spoon the gratin mixture evenly over the top and bake for about 10 minutes, or until top is lightly browned. Serve immediately