Garlic Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:
1 4 pound air chilled, free range chicken (1.8 kg)

Salt and pepper

3 whole heads of garlic, split in half horizontally

1/2 bunch fresh thyme

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (30 ml)

Kitchen or butchers twine

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 400°F

Remove the giblets and neck from the chicken and discard or freeze for gravy making.

Do not wash the chicken as this prevents the bird from crisping up during roasting and washes away flavour.
Season the cavity of the bird. Put all of the garlic and thyme into the cavity of the bird. The amount of garlic or type of herb used can be altered to suit individual tastes.

Truss the bird. This means to bind the legs and wings of the bird close to the body of the bird so that the breast meat is protected during cooking and the finished shape of the cooked bird is pleasing.

Rub the outside of the bird with the extra virgin olive oil and season.

Place the chicken, breast side up, in a pan large enough to hold it.

Place the pan into the preheated oven and roast the bird for 30 minutes

After 30 minutes, baste the bird with the fat from the pan. Basting will give the finished chicken crisp and golden skin.

Return the bird to the oven and continue to cook for another 15 minutes, again removing and basting the bird.

The chicken is ready after 1 hour of roasting or when a thermometer reads at 150°F.

Remove the chicken from the oven and place in a warm place, loosely covered with aluminium foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove the trussing string and carve.

This recipe is from: http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Herbs/recipe.html?dishid=5811

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Chicken Marbella

This is my FAVOURITE DISH! I always have this for my birthday dinner! 

Ingredients:
4 chickens, 2 1/2 pounds each, quartered 
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed 
1/4 cup dried oregano 
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
1/2 cup red wine vinegar 
1/2 cup olive oil 
1 cup pitted prunes 
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives 
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice 
6 bay leaves 
1 cup brown sugar 
1 cup white wine 
1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

Directions:
In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight. 

Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them. 

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice. 

With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat. 

To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/CHICKEN-MARBELLA-SILVER-PALATE-COOKBOOK-1277030#ixzz28lkXy7Eg Pin It