Oven Roasted Organic Free-Range Chicken, Root Vegetables, Chanterelle Mushroom Viniagrette

Must be turkey time, right?



Not a chance.





In the LC Home we?ll be eating that most satisfying of meals, oven roast chicken. When I eat roast chicken I want three things, which all combine to create a truly amazing eating experience. Isn?t that what life is about; amazing eating experiences.



1. Taste ? I use 3 simple ingredients to get the most explosive flavor you can ever want out of your bird. Fine sea salt, softened unsalted butter and White Truffle Oil. How much butter and oil? 50-50. The key is to make sure the butter is softened, and then mix it thoroughly with the oil.



2. Aroma- One of the most under explored aspects of cooking in my opinion. I load the inside cavity of the bird with different aromatics. Orange, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, black peppercorns.



3. Presentation ? This is all down to three things, tempering the bird (bringing it to room temperature before cooking), trussing the bird and cooking it properly. Trussing promotes even cooking throughout. Proper oven roasting assures a gorgeously cooked skin. Do not forget to cut out the wishbone before cooking. It will aid you in carving the final product.



Oven Roasted Organic Free-Range Chicken, Root Vegetables, Chanterelle Mushroom Viniagrette





For the Chicken:

4 pound organic free-range chicken

½ orange quartered

2 garlic cloves

3 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

Black peppercorns

Unsalted butter - softened at room temp

White truffle oil

Fine sea salt



Safflower oil

1 white onion ? chopped

2 carrots ? peeled & chopped

1 parsnip ? peeled & chopped

1 turnip ? peeled & chopped

1 leek (white & light green parts only) ? chopped

1 Yukon gold potato ? peeled & chopped

2 celery sticks ? chopped



Remove the chicken 45 minutes before cooking from the fridge.  Preheat oven to 450 F.



Heat the safflower oil over medium-high heat in an oven-proof saute pan.  Add the chopped onions, carrots, parsnips, turnip, leek, potatoes, and celery.  Season with sea salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.



Insert the orange, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and black peppercorns into the cavity of the bird.  Truss the chicken using butcher's twine.  In a bowl, thoroughly mix the softened butter and white truffle oil.  Massage the mixture all over the chicken's skin.  Season liberally with sea salt.  Take the saute pan off the heat.  Lay the chicken on the bed of veggies.  Transfer to the oven.  Roast for 55 minutes.



For the Big Pot Blanched Green Beans:

Green beans

Fine sea salt



Use the biggest pot you have. Fill it with water. Season with sea salt. Taste. The water should taste like the ocean. Bring to the boil. Add the green beans. Turn the heat up to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until tender. 5 minutes.



Prepare an ice water bath. Large glass bowl, water and ice. Remove the green beans and plunge into the ice water.



For the Chanterelle Mushroom Vinaigrette:

¼ cup champagne vinegar

1 shallot ? peeled & minced

1 tbs Dijon mustard

½ cup olive oil

1 tbs walnut oil

Fleur de Sel

White pepper

1 lb chanterelle mushrooms ? trimmed & chopped

¼ cup safflower oil



In a blender, blend the vinegar, shallot, and mustard until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the walnut oil and olive oil. Blend until emulsified. Season with Fleur de sel and white pepper. Pour into a glass bowl.



In a sauté pan, heat the safflower oil over medium-high heat. Add the chanterelles and cook to a golden brown.



Fold the mushrooms into the vinaigrette. Check for seasoning.



The smell coming from the kitchen will have your guest really giving thanks.





That's it for now...till we exchange a few words again...Peace!