Ch..ch..ch..chicken!

Happy Sunday, everyone! On a chilly March day like this it pays to have some comfort food up your sleeve, and that's exactly what we're going to pull out and lay on the table.  Pictured above is the divine Roasted Chicken and Stuffed Potato. A dangerous duo that is almost too sinfully good for a Sunday.

Let's observe the progression of the chicken!
First of all, well...naked chicken. There's no real way around that one. It is a naked chicken.

But now you get to work your magic with some homemade herb butter.

And naked chicken becomes...this. (Not really much of an improvement yet, but we'll keep our fingers crossed for future results).

Now you're going to stuff that baby and truss it up good. When your bird is fully incapacitated, it should look something like this...

And then comes THE BACON. That's right, there's no mistaking that call for Flavor Town. Layer it up nice.

Isn't it bee-yu-ti-ful?!
Now, even with all those veggies stuck up it's w@$#! this chicken still needs a side dish. Our stuffed baked potatoes are the obvious choice since when they come steaming from the oven they look like this...

 And all I want to do is absorb them through my entire surface area as fast as humanly possible. Now the chicken finally comes out looking all brown and happy, and there's nothing left to be done but indulge your taste bud's prayers for satisfaction.

So go right ahead. Grab a fork and make this a Sunday to be thankful for. :)  See you next weekend!

Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

1 (5 1/2 pound) free-range chicken

1/2 bunch each fresh oregano, thyme, and parsley

1/4 pound unsalted butter, softened

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 orange, quartered

1/2 lemon, quartered

1 head garlic, halved

1 medium white onion, halved, plus 1 onion

2 carrots, roughly chopped

6 strips smoked bacon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out. Pat it dry with paper towels. Divide the herbs, keeping 1/2 of them whole. Finely chop the other half. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the chopped herbs, until combined. Rub the herb butter under the skin. Season the bird all over with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity layering with the orange, lemon, half head of garlic, 1 onion, and the remaining herbs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan. Put the remaining onion , half of garlic and carrots into the pan. Lay the strips of bacon across the chicken and roast for 25 minutes.

Remove the bacon and baste the chicken with the drippings and cook for another 25 minutes to brown the skin. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (Very important) Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, so the juices settle back into the meat before carving.

Stuffed Baked Potato

 Ingredients:

4 medium-sized Idaho potatoes

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

About 2 cups, plus more for topping, shredded sharp white Cheddar

2 heads broccoli, florets, blanched in salty water

1/2 pound bacon, medium dice, cooked until crisp

2 tablespoons chives, chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Begin by baking the potatoes, as this will take the longest. Place potatoes onto a baking sheet. Pierce with a fork, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Place into preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour.

While they are baking prepare the stuffing. Make a mornay sauce by combining the butter and flour over medium heat and then whisking in the milk. Fold in about 2 cups cheese and stir until melted. Once melted, remove from heat and fold in the cooked broccoli florets, crispy bacon bits, chopped chives and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

When the potatoes are done make a cut across the top and squeeze it from the bottom so a small pouch opens up and the bottom is squared off. Spoon the filling over the top of the potato, sprinkle with cheese, season with pepper, to taste, and then pop in the oven for 2 more minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Not Your Average Fish Friday

TGIF! Nothing says 'I'm released from the vacuous grind of a coma-inducing work week' like celebrating with melt-in-your-mouth fresh fish for dinner! Before you head out to party like Monday will never come, try this 30 minute recipe that's fast without the flash fry. Panko Crusted Salmon with Rice Pilaf is the perfect combination of light fare (so as not to disagree with the beers later), and a delectable richness that your palate deserves after living on onion bagels and Starbucks all week.

This recipe seriously highlights the taste of the salmon even if (like us) you live far from either shining sea and can't get the  freshest salmon in America. Mustard is what adds that unexpected punch while the seasoned bread crumb mixture provides fabulous texture. So whether you're cooking for 2 or throwing a dinner party for 50 colleagues, this recipe and method can easily be scaled to feed 'em all! Happy fishes, everyone.



Panko Crusted Salmon
Ingredients:
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (a must)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 (6- to 8-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on
Lemon wedges, for serving
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the panko, parsley, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with 2 T of olive oil and stir until the crumbs are evenly coated. Set aside. (Texture should be coarse but slightly moist).
Brush the top of salmon fillets with mustard and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Press a thick layer of the panko mixture on top of the mustard on each salmon fillet.
Heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch skillet or large heavy, ovenproof pan. When the oil is very hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3 to 4 minutes, without turning, to brown the skin.
Transfer the pan to the hot oven for 5 to 7 minutes until the salmon is almost cooked and the panko is browned. Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes (very important). Serve the salmon hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:

 2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced finely
1/2 cup carrots, diced finely
1/2 cup celery, diced finely
1 cup of white jasmine rice
1 3/4 cups of chicken stock
Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Directions: 
Heat the olive oil in a medium sized sauce pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes. Add the rice and and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until the rice obtains a pearl-like color. Add the chicken stock, salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, then cover.  Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for another 5 minutes - don't remove the lid!
Fluff the rice with a fork, taste and re-season if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy.