A Spring Chicken

Yesterday felt like spring. Master Boiler Christian discarded his hat and hoodie and worked in a T-shirt. Flies swirled around the syrup jugs on the picnic table. The entire sugarhouse took on a new smell, and for the first time the grade dropped from Fancy/Golden to Amber the color of the glaze on Maple Trout Lilli’s chicken.

She writes:

If time allows take your chicken out of the packaging, salt and pepper liberally (including inside cavity) and place on a plate in the fridge, uncovered, the day before you’re going to cook. It’s kind of dry brine and allows the S&P to permeate the chicken. Remove from fridge an hour or so before cooking.

Preheat oven to 500 and place a 10” cast iron skillet in the oven to heat up. I stuffed my chicken with some apples and a sprinkling of rosemary.

While the oven is preheating make the baste by melting the butter in a saucepan, add chopped rosemary and maple syrup and cook for 2-3 minutes.

When the oven comes to temp the skillet is ready. Carefully place chicken in hot skillet, and baste with the rosemary/maple/butter mixture. A decent amount will end up at the bottom of pan and that’s okay.

Decrease oven temp to 375 and roast the chicken, basting with juices every 15-20 minutes until the chicken is glossy and golden brown and registers 165 degrees with an instant thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh. About 55-60 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

While the chicken is cooling on a plate, add some quick-cooking veggies to the hot pan. I used chopped scallions, kale and asparagus – sauté for 10 minutes until everything gets all caramelized and delicious. Any sauce remaining in the bottom of the pan gets drizzled over everything.

-MTL

[Note to subscribers: I am re-sending this post since not everyone received it the first time. AC]