Julias And Jacquess Deglazing Sauce For Roast Chicken Recipes

JULIA'S ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND HERBS

Steps:

• Preparing the chicken:
• Set the rack on the lower middle level and preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Rinse the chicken thoroughly, inside and out, under hot water, then dry it with paper towels. Remove any lumps of fat from inside the cavity near the tail opening.
• To make carving easier, remove the wishbone. Lift the flap of neck skin and insert a thin, sharp knife into each end of the breast; then slice diagonally along both sides of the wishbone. Use your finger and thumb to loose the bone, pry it out at the top, and pull it down. If it breaks, carefully wiggle out the pieces.
• Trim the small bony protrusions, or "nubbins," from the wing tip joint. Then fold the wings up against the breast, where they will be held in place by the V-rack.
• Salt and pepper the cavity and stuff it with the sage leaves and 3 or 4 thick slices of lemon; give the slices a squeeze as you put them in. Massage the butter over the entire chicken skin, including undersides, then salt generously.
• Tie the ends of the drumsticks together with twine. Arrange the chicken breast-up on the rack in the roasting pan and tuck the flap of neck skin underneath. Squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon pieces over the top.
• Roasting the chicken:
• Set the roasting pan in the oven. After 15 minutes, lower heat to 350°F. When the chicken is beginning to brown rapidly, baste with accumulated pan juices. Roast for an hour, adding the onions and carrots after 30 minutes and basting several times. Very carefully test for doneness, checking for easy movement in the leg joint and clear color in the juices. Return it to the oven if there is any sign of pinkness. (A small chicken will roast in about 1 1/4 hours, a larger one may take 1 1/2 hours or more.) When done, remove the chicken from the rack and set it on a board to rest for 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to retreat back into the flesh.
• Final Steps:
• While the chicken is resting, make the deglazing sauce in the roasting pan.

JULIA'S AND JACQUES'S DEGLAZING SAUCE FOR ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove the chicken to rest; have ready a strainer set over a small saucepan. Tilt the roasting pan so the remaining fat and juices accumulate in one corner. Carefully spoon off most of the fat (reserve for vinaigrette or other uses).
• Place the roasting pan on a stove burner over medium heat; add the shallots and stir for a moment until sizzling. Pour in the wine or vermouth and the stock and heat rapidly to a simmer, scraping up all the glazed bits in the pan. Cook briefly until the glaze is melted and the liquid is slightly syrupy. Strain into the saucepan, pressing the strained bits to release their juice. (If you like the bits, don't strain.)
• Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning; you may add more wine or stock and boil it down a bit to thicken. Whisk in the butter just before serving, if you wish, for a richer finish.
• If you find it difficult to deglaze a large roasting pan over a burner, first scrape the defatted juices and as much of the glazed bits as you can into the saucepan. Pour a small amount of boiling water into the roasting pan and scrape to melt the remaining glaze. Add to the saucepan with the shallots, wine, and stock; bring to the boil and cook until thickened. Strain and whisk in optional butter.

JACQUES PEPIN'S BASIC ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with the salt and pepper and fold the wings akimbo to position them closer to the body. Place the chicken on its side in an oven-safe skillet, preferably cast-iron.
• Place the chicken in the skillet in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, then turn the chicken over and cook another 20 minutes. (By cooking the chicken on its sides, the juices stay in the breast and, since only the back is exposed, the chicken does not need constant basting.) Finally, turn the chicken onto its back, baste it with the cooking juices and continue to cook 10 minutes. It should be golden in color.
• When the chicken is cooked, cut it into pieces and serve, with the drippings on the side.

JACQUES'S SAVORY-STUFFED ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Special equipment:
• A small frying pan; a shallow- sided heavy aluminum or copper roasting pan or heavy cast-iron skillet, just large enough to hold the trussed chicken; a 1-quart glass measuring cup or deep bowl; cotton kitchen twine; a basting brush; a board or platter for resting and carving.
• Preparing the herb stuffing:
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Heat the butter and olive oil in the frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the shallots, parsley, savory, salt, and pepper, stirring well and tossing in the pan. Cook for about a minute, just until the shallots begin to soften. Scrape the mixture on a plate to cool.
• Preparing the chicken:
• Remove any lumps of fat from inside the cavity near the tail.
• To make carving easier, remove the wishbone. Lift the flap of neck skin and insert a thin, sharp knife into each end of the breast; then slice diagonally along both sides of the wishbone. Use your finger and thumb to loosen the bone, pry it out at the top, and pull it down. Try to remove it whole-if it breaks, carefully wiggle out the pieces. Cut the wings at the "elbow" joint, leaving only the meaty section attached to the shoulder.
• Place the chicken on its back. To loosen the breast skin, lift the neck flap and work your fingers between the skin and the flesh, taking care not to puncture the skin. Slide your fingers down the breast and to either side along the legs, especially the thighs.
• Stand the chicken on its tail end in the measuring cup or bowl; hook the wing sections over the rim, to keep the bird upright. Hold the neck flap away from the breast and stuff the cooled herb mixture down between the skin and the flesh, pushing it gently to the sides and bottom. Lay the chicken on its back, tuck the neck flap underneath, and smooth the skin, to distribute the stuffing evenly over the entire breast.
• Roasting the chicken:
• Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt all over the chicken. Grease the center of the roasting pan with a small amount of butter or a dash of oil to prevent sticking (or place a small piece of oiled parchment paper in pan bottom). Set the chicken on its side in the greased pan and place in the oven.
• Roast for 25 minutes for a 3 1/2-pound chicken (3 or 4 minutes longer for a 4-pound bird), then turn the chicken onto its other side, grasping it with kitchen tongs or towels. The first side on which it rested will be deeply colored; be careful not to tear the skin when turning. Roast for another 25 to 28 minutes, depending on size, then turn the chicken breast-side up; baste with the pan juices. Roast for 10 minutes and baste once again during this final cooking. Test the chicken for doneness; return to the oven for a few minutes if necessary.
• Remove the chicken to a cutting board; place it on one side or breast down, so the juices flow into the breast meat, and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Final Steps:
• Make the deglazing sauce in the roasting pan. Drizzle about half the pan sauce over the carved pieces and serve, passing the rest of the sauce.