French Chicken In A Pot With Drunken Jus And Mashed Camembert Potatoes Recipes

POULET EN COCOTTE (CHICKEN IN A POT)

Steps:

• 1. For the Brine Place the salt and sugar into a bowl large enough to contain the water/wine and the chicken, and can fit into your refrigerator. Mix until all of the ingredients are absorbed into the water. Immerse the chicken into the brine, and place the bowl into the refrigerator for about three hours.
• 2. Chef's Note: What is brining? Brining meats before cooking them is a very effective way to increase the moisture and tenderness of the meat. Brining is similar to marinating, but uses a simpler liquid for soaking the meat. The process of soaking meat in salted water causes the meat's cells to absorb some of the water through osmosis, making it moister when cooked. What about that sugar? Sugar, while not essential to a brine, is a useful ingredient. Adding sugar to a brine will increase the amount of caramelization achieved when cooking the chicken. A good rule of thumb is to add the same amount of sugar by volume as salt. Kosher versus Table Salt When it come to brining, kosher and table salt to about the same thing... So why the difference in measurement? Well, kosher salt has a larger grain than table salt, so there is more air between the salt particles. When you use 1 cup of kosher salt, or 1/2 cut of table salt, you're basically getting the same amount of salt.
• 3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250f (120c).
• 4. Remove the chicken from the brine, and pat dry with paper towels, or a clean kitchen towel, and then season with some salt and pepper. Chef's Note: If you're using a kitchen towel (my method) make sure that you immediately throw that towel into the wash, and don't use it for anything else.
• 5. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven, over medium heat, until the oil just begins to shimmer, and throws off wisps of smoke.
• 6. Place the chicken, breast-side up in the dutch oven, and scatter onion, celery, and bay leaf around the chicken.
• 7. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are browned... As well as the bottom of the chicken. This should take from 8 to 10 minutes.
• 8. Place the lid on the dutch oven, and put in the preheated oven, and bake until an instant-read thermometer hits 160f (71c) when inserted into the thickest part of the breast. This should take from 80 to 110 minutes. Chef's Note: Make sure that the probe is not hitting any bone.
• 9. Transfer chicken to carving board, tent loosely with foil, and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Chef's Note: Allowing the chicken to rest will help to redistribute the juices that have been hiding out inside the chicken.
• 10. While the chicken is resting... Strain the chicken juices from the dutch oven through a strainer into a fat separator Press on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids, and that should leave you about 1cup of liquid. Allow liquid to settle about 5 minutes, then remove the fat from the liquid, and then pour into a small saucepan. Set saucepan over low heat, and allow to slowly simmer for about 10 minutes. Chef's Note: Since the chicken is resting for 20 minutes, this should give you ample time to de-fat and simmer the chicken juices. Chef's Note: This is a simple dish, so these juices are not, technically, defined as a sauce... they are just warmed up juices from the chicken, but OH are they packed with flavor.
• 11. Carve the chicken, and serve with the a jus (juices), at the table.
• 12. Serving Suggestions: This is just the main course. You can serve this dish with any number of sides. How about some long-grain white rice, or some smashed golden potatoes. I've made this for clients by using a bed of cheesy garlic mashed potatoes, placed the carved chicken on top, and then drizzled some of the a jus over the top. For a veggie, I might use garden fresh green beans, or maybe some steamed broccoli. Enjoy Keep the faith, and keep cooking...

FRENCH CHICKEN IN A POT (AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN)

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in large (5- to 8-quart) Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken breast-side down; scatter onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary (if using) around chicken. Cook until breast is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon inserted into cavity of bird, flip chicken breast-side up and cook until chicken and vegetables are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove Dutch oven from heat; place large sheet of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Transfer pot to oven and cook until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, 80 to 110 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with foil, and rest 20 minutes. Meanwhile, strain chicken juices from pot through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids (you should have about 3/4 cup juices). Allow liquid to settle 5 minutes, then pour into saucepan and set over low heat.
• Carve chicken, adding any accumulated juices to saucepan. Stir lemon juice into jus to taste. Serve chicken, passing jus at table.

DRUNKEN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons salt on the chicken, making sure to season the inside of the cavity. Leave the chicken at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of cold water to a boil over medium-high heat in a 7-quart Dutch oven. Add 2 tablespoons salt, the ginger and whole scallion. Slowly lower the chicken into the boiling water with the breast side up. Bring the water back up to a gentle boil.
• Carefully lift the chicken out using the handles of 2 wooden spoons or 2 pairs of chopsticks positioned under the wings; be careful not to tear the skin (do not use tongs as they can easily tear the skin). Lift the chicken just high enough and tilt it so all the water drains from the cavity into the pot; this allows cold water in the cavity to drain and ensures even cooking.
• Lower the chicken back into the water. Bring the water back to a gentle simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cook, covered, until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced between the leg and thigh, 33 to 35 minutes. Right before the chicken is done, prepare a large bowl of ice water.
• Transfer the chicken to ice water breast-side down; reserve the liquid the chicken poached in. Let the chicken cool for about 10 minutes, flipping it once after about 5 minutes. (The ice bath prevents the chicken from overcooking, but also helps to firm the meat and tighten the skin.) Remove the chicken, letting the excess water drain off.
• Whisk together 2 cups of the reserved poaching liquid, the wine, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Carve the chicken with a meat cleaver or chef's knife: Start by detaching both leg quarters (leg and thigh together) from the body. Chop the leg quarters through the bone into roughly 3/4-inch pieces. Cut off the wings and drumettes. Split the wing flat lengthwise to expose the meat. Cut the breast bone down the center to separate the two breast halves. Cut each half through the bone into 3/4-inch pieces. Lay the chicken pieces in a 2-quart casserole dish in a single layer.
• Sprinkle the goji berries if using around the chicken. Pour the wine mixture over the chicken making sure it's submerged; add a little more poaching liquid if it's not. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
• Serve cold, taking the chicken pieces out of the marinade and garnishing them with the goji berries and thinly sliced scallions if using.