Craig Claibornes Roast Chicken With Mustard Sauce Recipes

ROAST CHICKEN WITH HERBS

Steps:

• Put the chickens in a large bowl and add the olive oil, corn oil, split head of garlic, rosemary and half the thyme sprigs. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand, turning occasionally, for 24 hours.
• When ready to cook, scrape the herbs from the chickens. It is not necessary to truss them.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Heat a heavy skillet large enough to hold the chickens in one layer without crowding, or use two skillets. Place the chickens in the skillet or skillets breast side down. Cook until the breasts are nicely browned, about four or five minutes. Turn the chickens on one side and cook until nicely browned, about four to five minutes. Turn the chickens to the opposite side and then on their backs. Brown each part of the chickens as they are turned.
• Place the chickens in the oven and bake 30 minutes. Remove the chickens from the skillet and pour off the fat. Add the vinegar (if two skillets are used, use half the remaining ingredients for each skillet), the broth, the roasted garlic cloves, the remaining thyme sprigs tied in a small bundle, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil and cook about two minutes. Swirl in the butter, stirring, and add any liquid that may flow from the inside of each chicken.
• Carve the chickens and arrange on dinner plates. Garnish each serving with thyme sprigs and roasted garlic cloves. Spoon the sauce over and serve.

CHICKEN IN MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Sprinkle the meat with the salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, brown the chicken for one-and-a-half minutes on each side.
• Mix in the onion and continue cooking for one minute.
• Sprinkle the flour on the chicken pieces, turning them so that all the pieces are coated. Cook one minute to lightly brown the flour.
• Add the water and stir to dissolve the flour until the mixture comes to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the skillet and boil gently for five minutes.
• Remove the meat to a serving platter and keep warm.
• Cook the sauce to reduce it to about one-and-a-half cups. Mix the dry mustard with the Dijon mustard and stir until smooth. Stir the mustard mixture into the sauce and heat, but do not allow the sauce to boil after the mustard has been added.
• Place the chicken pieces in the sauce and warm over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes to develop the flavor.
• Serve the chicken with the sauce.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S SMOTHERED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Craig Claiborne believed a black iron skillet to be essential for the authentic preparation of this dish. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Select a skillet large enough to hold the chicken comfortably when it is opened up as for broiling. Fold the chicken wings under to hold them secure.
• Melt half the butter in the pan and add the chicken skinside down. Cover the chicken firmly with a plate that will fit comfortably inside the pan. Place a heavy can, stone or brick on the top of the plate to weight it down. Cook over low heat, checking the skin side of the chicken, until it is nicely browned, approximately 25 minutes.
• Remove weight and plate and weights. Pour off most of the fat from the pan and add the remaining two tablespoons of butter. Turn the chicken skin-side up.
• Scatter the mushrooms over the chicken. Scatter the onions around it. Add the bay leaf, thyme, wine and chicken broth. Replace the plate and the weights and continue cooking over low heat about 45 minutes longer.
• Remove the chicken to a warm platter. Spoon the mushrooms and onions around the chicken. Cook down the pan liquid until reduced by half. Pour this over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Craig Claiborne believed a cast-iron skillet to be essential for the authentic preparation of this dish. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Select a skillet large enough to hold the chicken comfortably when it is opened up, as for broiling. Fold wings under to secure them.
• Melt the butter in the pan and add the chicken, skin side down. Cover chicken with a plate that will fit comfortably inside the skillet. Place a heavy can, stone or brick on top of the plate to weigh it down. Cook over low heat, checking the chicken skin, until it is nicely browned, about 25 minutes.
• Remove weight and plate. Turn chicken so skin side is up. Replace plate and weight and continue cooking for about 15 minutes more.
• Remove chicken and pour off fat from the skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the flour to the fat, stirring with a wire whisk over medium heat. Gradually add the chicken broth and, when thickened, return chicken to the skillet, skin side up. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the plate and weight and continue cooking over low heat about 20 to 30 minutes longer or until the meat is exceptionally tender. Spoon the sauce over it.
• Cut chicken into serving pieces, and serve with the sauce and fluffy rice on the side.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S ROAST CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Rub the chickens all over with the butter. Sprinkle them inside and out with salt and pepper. Truss and arrange them on their sides in a shallow roasting pan.
• Roast the chickens for about 20 minutes and turn them on the other side. Baste often. Continue roasting for about 20 minutes and turn the chickens on their backs. Roast for 20 minutes, or until cavity juices run clear when chickens are lifted so that the juices flow into the pan.
• Remove the chickens and keep warm. Pour off the fat from the pan and add the water, stirring to dissolve the brown particles that cling to the pan. Pour this liquid into a saucepan and cook to reduce by half.
• Add the cream and cook briefly. Add the mustard and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
• Carve the chicken and serve with the mustard sauce on the side.