Aaahhh ouis mes amis, les vacances… and every self respecting Frenchman with his wife and family are away on vacation. How could you possibly return to Paris not “bien bronzer”?
Gather up your sandalettes and fishing rod. The month of August is upon us and heralds the beginning of “Les Grande Vacances” that wonderful, anticipated ritual that’s second to none with the possible exception of the “swallows of Capistrano.” Paris becomes strangely quiet in some quarters of the city. I know one French couple (they refuse to let me use their names of course!) who actually stay in Paris and enjoy visiting the great monument historique, the museums and the parks. They play hard at being a tourist in their own town discovering little places to eat here or to hang out there when normally they never would have the time nor be caught dead doing so. I rather like that idea and often will often discover things I never about my own town, for example, I didn’t know the White House was so close and white! So as you madly pack up your Citroen Deux Chevaux, or other such luxury vehicle, be sure and remember as you charge onto the autoroute, be extra careful as I happen to know from a flic friend of mine whose cousin is a motard and who regularly works the autoroute de Normandy, that they especially love this time of year! I won’t even begin to talk about the ridiculous fines that are slapped on the average decent hard working Frenchman who is caught going one kilometre above the posted vitesse. I had my TGV ticket all ready for Rennes and my car reserved through Avis at the station but plans change and I will miss the opportunity to enjoy the fresh Breton air, il faut s’ oxygèner after all!
Back to food. So here’s a little recipe that you can easily make from the comfort of your rental kitchen, or perhaps in your kitchen trailer or wherever you might find yourselves. It will be well received by everyone after a long full day burning at the beach or walking in the hills or in town playing tourist and spending money, riding your bikes down country roads or leisurely enjoying a Pastis. I know which one I would chose.
Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary
This roasted chicken takes a little preparation and also a little patience. You are on vacation so no worries. Browning the chicken before roasting can get a little messy. The small hassle is time well spent, though; the flavor is superior to that of more simply prepared roasts. Just think of the big smiles on little Gaston and Arlette when they see this dish. If Monsieur cooking, Madame will have that special smile for you….c’est compris? Madame if you are the cook ask Monsieur to take off his beret à table and possibly put on a shirt.
Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Ingredients: (Gentle reminder, this is for 8 so if cooking for two please adjust unless you really like chicken!)
1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
16 pearl onions, peeled and trimmed (most summer markets will have these for sure)
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
4 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cloves of garlic, separated and peeled
1 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1 (4-5 lb) chicken, rinsed and patted dry
1 lemon (peeled, pitted and sliced)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup Chardonnay or your regular white wine “vin maison ’10” excellent year!
1 cup chicken stock
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450F. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic cloves, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. When the vegetables are caramelized, spoon them along the sides of a large roasting pan and set it aside.
Reduce the burner heat slightly and allow the pan to cool a bit. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan and return the pan to medium-high heat. Season the prepared chicken with the remaining salt and pepper, and brown it in the hot oil. Transfer the chicken to the center of the roasting pan, carefully cut 1-inch slits into the skin, and pour the pan juices on top of the chicken. Very carefully pull open the slits in the skin and rub the lemon zest, parsley, rosemary, and thyme under the skin. Put the lemon slices, additional Rosemary and 4 cloves of garlic in the chicken.
Add the wine to the skillet and deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. After the wine has simmered for 30 seconds, add the chicken stock and heat through. Pour the wine sauce over the chicken. Cover the roasting pan with a lid or tightly sealed foil and roast in the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, until the chicken tests 170 when a thermometer is inserted in the thigh. You may wish to broil the chicken for about 10 minutes after taking off the foil just to give it a nice brown color. Allow the chicken to stand at room temperature in the pan for 10 minutes before carving.
Makes 8 servings.
Serving Suggestions: Toss green salad vinaigrette, local cheese, fresh baguette from your new Boulangerie and potatoes and parsley. Wine, well your on vacation right so you have to live off the land. But more on that later. Oh, invite your neighbors unless there’s a good reason not too but that’s all I’m saying on that score.