I got a job at The Herbfarm as a server………..I lasted two days I haven’t served tables in over 8 years and I’m not in the mindset of worrying about the 10,000 things I can’t do and the 2 things that I can. I’m just not server material, that’s it, plain and simple.

I was excited to work there but the thing that kept on distracting me was the kitchen. I couldn’t stop staring at it and I wanted more than anything to just slice, prep, cook, and/or burn something. I’m a cook, I cook, ericriveracooks. There is no doubt about it, this is what I was meant to do.

I started brining this chicken about a week or so ago and the brine mixture consisted 2 black lemon pods, brown sugar, kosher salt, and fresh Herbs de Provence. I stuffed the bird with mirepoix, lavender, and rosemary. On the outside of the bird I roasted mirepoix with garlic. (I got home last night at 10:00pm and started cooking this at that time, I didn’t feel like talking about what happened, I do my talking through food.)

When the bird was done I garnished it with parsley then made a pan gravy with a touch of flour and deglazed with brandy.  The potatoes were roasted in a mixture of clarified butter, salt, and bacon. The bean salad is just some leftovers my roommate Audrey had in a little canister, thanks Audrey!

What else would you like to know……..I hate explaining things, just eat the f’ing thing and tell me what you think. If you want to know every detail on how this is made then this next section is for you.

Equipment:

• Roasting Pan
• Saute pan
• Cotton twine
• Zip lock bag

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 black lemon pods           (world spice)
• Fresh herbs de provence  (fennel, basil, thyme, lavender)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup kosher salt
• Mirepoix about 1 pound total (50% onions, 25% celery, 25% carrots)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Russet potatoes, tourne cut
• Clarified butter
• Black pepper, crushed
• Parsley, minced

Procedure:

1. Dillute the sugar and salt in 1 gallon of boiling water then cool the water down.
2. Add the black lemon, Herbs de Provence, and chicken into a zip lock bag then place in refrigerator for as long as you like…..this is an old way to preserve food so don’t be scared of the brine!
3. Remove chicken from bag and run it underwater for a few seconds then pat dry.
4. Stuff chicken with mirepoix then truss with cotton twine.
5. Place chicken in roasting pan and start cooking in the oven at 425F for 10 minutes then reduce heat down to 250F
6. 30 minutes into cooking rotate the pan and baste with extra virgin olive oil. Place additional mirepoix and garlic in pan.
7. About that time you can start cooking the potatoes in the bacon, salt, and clarified butter
8. Keep basting your chicken every 5-7 minutes towards the latter part of cooking.
9. Your chicken is done when the thigh meat is 150-155F. This is the way I cook it, if you want to eat dry chicken then cook it to 165F but just remember the bones inside the chicken are hold heat pretty well so when you remove the chicken and let it rest the chicken will continue to dry itself out……….carry over cooking.
10. Once you have removed the chicken from the roasting pour the drippings in a sauce pan and reduce the liquid by half.
11. Take some salt, pepper, and a little flour and mix it into the liquid
12. Deglaze with brandy then add minced parsley and serve over the chicken.

Enjoy,

Eric

Releasing my anger through cooking in order to create something great. “Anger is a gift” – Rage Against The Machine.