Roast Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic and Spicy Sausage

Adapted by Dorothy Darden From The Gourmet Cookbook, Edited by Ruth Reichl.
I first made this easy-to-prepare dish in Ile des Pins, New Caledonia, with a locally grown chicken, and garlic imported from China, which must be eaten before it sprouts green leaves. The Toulouse Sausages became our favorite in New Caledonia, but we have also used Hungarian Sausages from New Zealand. Chirozo is always a good addition to a chicken dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 (4-pound) Chicken, rinsed and patted dry
• 2 to 4 inches of a Tasty, spicy sausage, like Chirozo (I like Toulouse Sausage), cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds, then halved.
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
• 2 to 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 fresh flat-leaf Parsley sprigs
• 1 fresh Rosemary sprig (or 1/4 tsp dried Rosemary)
• 1 fresh Thyme sprig (or 1/4 tsp dried Thyme)
• 1 fresh Sage sprig (or 1/4 tsp dried Sage)
• 40 (or more) fat Garlic cloves

Instructions:

1. Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat oven to 180 deg C.
2. Sprinkle Chicken inside and out with Salt and Pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen string and fold wings under chicken.
3. Heat Oil in a 6- to 8- quart wide heavy ovenproof pot over moderately high heat.
4. Brown the Sausage pieces in the Oil and remove from pot.
5. Brown the Chicken, turning it carefully until golden brown all over. Transfer Chicken to a plate.
6. Scatter Parsley sprigs, Garlic cloves and Sausage pieces over the bottom of the pot and place the Chicken breast side up on top.
7. Sprinkle the Chicken with Rosemary, Thyme and Sage.
8. Cover tightly, transfer to oven, and bake until thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh registers 77 deg C (170 deg F), 30 to 40 minutes.
9. Transfer Chicken to a cutting board or platter and let stand for 10 minutes.
10. To serve, divide the Garlic and Sausage pieces among 4 warmed plates. Pour pan juices into a small, warm pitcher. Carve the Chicken and serve with crusty bread, to dip into the sauces and on which to spread the garlic.

Notes:

1. When I cook this Chicken dish in my microwave/convection oven, I bake in pre-heated Convection for 10 minutes at 200 deg C; then cook on Microwave/High for 3 minutes; then Convection for 10 minutes at 200 deg C.
2. You can substitute Bouquet Garni for the herbs.
3. No need to peel the Garlic cloves. You can remove the cooked Garlic from the peels by pinching the clove at one end.

 

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Main Dish — Chicken and Prosciutto with Basil Pesto Wrapped in Filo Pastry

One solution for avoiding dry cooked Chicken breast is to smother it in Basil Pesto and Parmesan Cheese and wrap it in Filo Pastry. Baked in the oven, it is an easy meal, and the Chicken comes out juicy and flavored with Prosciutto Ham. Delicious!

Ingredients:

• Filo Pastry
• 1/2 de-boned and skinned Chicken Breast per person
• Basil Pesto
• Prosciutto Ham or other cured Ham, thinly sliced
• Parmesan Cheese, grated
• Sweet Smoked Paprika

Instructions:

1. For each 1/2 Chicken Breast, spread two layers of Filo Pastry onto a work surface.
2. Spread 2 Tablespoons of Basil Pesto across the center of the Filo pastry.
3. Place 1/2 breast of Chicken onto the Pesto.
4. Spoon more pesto on top of the Chicken breast.
5. Lay short pieces of Ham across the Chicken, on top of the Pesto.
6. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of grated Parmesan Cheese onto the top of the Ham.
7. Fold the Filo around the ingredients, tucking under the corners of the pastry, to make small parcels.
8. Place the parcels on an oiled baking sheet.
9. Sprinkle the parcels with Sweet Smoked Paprika, for color.
10. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 200 ° C oven.
11. If the Chicken breasts are large and thick, test for doneness with a meat thermometer stuck into one of the parcels.
12. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

 

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