Poussin Al Mattone Recipes

TIE ME UP POUSSIN WITH MADEIRA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Wash and pat dry each poussin. Tuck 1 sage leaf under the skin of each breast. Season the inside of each cavity liberally with salt. Stuff each cavity with 1 lemon wedge and a generous amount of fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage. Truss each poussin (see Cook's Note**). Evenly coat each poussin with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Place the poussins breast side up on a baking tray and refrigerate for 20 minutes to let the butter harden.
• Heat large saute pan over high heat and place poussin in pan breast side up. Sear for 2 minutes and then place in oven. Roast for 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear from the hip joint (about 160 degrees F). Remove from the oven. Set the poussins aside in a warm place to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Skim most of the fat from the saute pan and set aside drippings to finish Madeira Sauce. Remove the butcher's string from poussins. Serve each person 1/2 poussin drizzled with 1 to 2 ounces of the Madeira Sauce. Garnish on a bed of greens with pomegranate seeds.
• After skimming most of the fat drippings from the pan, return the pan to medium heat. Add the Madeira and simmer until the liquid is reduced by two thirds. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat, swirl in butter. Season with salt and serve with poussin.

POLLO AL MATTONE

Steps:

• Special equipment: weights such as foil covered bricks or cast iron saute pan
• In a small bowl combine the garlic, crushed red pepper, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, pimenton, and cumin. Drizzle in olive oil until the mixture becomes a paste. Place the chicken into a large bowl and massage with the spice mixture. Let marinate for 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator or 2 hours at room temperature.
• * If refrigerating the chicken, remove from the refrigerator 45 minutes to 1 hour before cooking to let the chicken come to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay the marinated chicken in the pan, skin side down. Oil the bottom of another large saute pan, lay it on top of the chickens and place bricks or weights in the second saute pan. Cook the chicken until the skin starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Place the whole shootin' match in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
• Remove the pans from the oven and remove the weights and the top pan. At this point the skin should be lovely and dark brown. Check the chicken for doneness, it should be cooked through but still succulent and juicy. Remove the chickens from the pan and reserve on a large platter.
• Remove the excess fat from the saute pan and add the white wine. Cook over high heat until the wine has reduced by more than half. Add the chicken stock, season with salt and reduce by half.
• Arrange chicken on serving plates or a platter. Spoon the juices over. Tastes like chicken!

POLLO AL MATTONE

Steps:

• Take a whole chicken and remove "backbone" - The chicken can now be opened to lay flat on cooking surface. The cooking vessel for this dish is a stovetop griddle pan (an extra-large saute pan would work, if necessary). The griddle pan needs to be medium-high when chicken is first placed on surface for cooking. The chicken should be seasoned with gray salt, fresh ground black pepper, and a slight drizzle of olive oil.
• Place skin side to pan first, place a saute pan or another griddle pan on top of chicken to apply pressure and weight while cooking. Cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium to avoid burning, cook additional 10-15 minutes on skin side. Remove weighted pan and turn over. Replace weighted pan and continue cooking 10-15 minutes until done.

POUSSIN "SOTTO MATTONE" OR BABY CHICKEN COOKED UNDER A BRICK

Steps:

• To marinate poussin, first slice lemon into rings and place on cookie sheet. In 475 degree oven, or preferably, wood roasting oven, char lemon until very fragrant. Allow lemon to cool and toss with thyme, olive oil and poussin. Marinate at least 2 hours. Prepare eggplant and figs by cutting each in half, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill eggplant and figs and keep warm. Lay poussin skin side down on grill. Place brick atop poussin and grill 3 to 4 minutes. Remove brick, rotate poussin 90 degrees and grill 3 more minutes under brick. Finally flip over poussin and grill 2 minutes without the brick. Assemble on large platter with grilled eggplant and figs. Drizzle dish with fruity olive oil and fresh herbs.