Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
CHICKEN WITH CITRUS GRAVY
SERVES 4–6
Chicken
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 fryer chicken (3–4 pounds), spatchcocked
All-purpose seasoning, to taste (or salt and pepper)
1–2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and cut into wedges
5–6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2–3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 pounds red potatoes, cut in half
Finely minced thyme or parsley, for garnish
Gravy
Pan drippings from roasted chicken, strained and excess oil removed
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix butter, garlic and lemon juice. Set aside.
Using poultry shears or scissors, remove the backbone from the chicken—a process called spatchcocking (see tip below)—or have the butcher do this for you. Using the heel of your hand, crack the breastbone so the chicken is flattened. Using a paper towel, wipe all the moisture from the chicken and arrange in a foil-lined baking pan breast side up. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin on the breast of the chicken. Smear half of the butter mixture under the skin, using your fingers to smooth the butter all over the breast.
Season the chicken on both sides, again placing it breast side up in the pan. Smear remainder of butter all over the surface of the chicken and drizzle with olive oil. Place onions, garlic cloves and thyme around chicken in baking pan. Toss potatoes in salt, pepper and olive oil, then add to the baking pan. Roast chicken 45–60 minutes or until brown and an instant-read thermometer indicates 165 degrees. Remove from oven, place chicken and potatoes on a serving platter, tent and keep warm. Strain (and save) pan drippings to remove excess sediment and skim off excess oil.
In a medium saucepan or skillet, on medium heat, add the pan drippings. When hot, add the flour and, using a flat whisk, stir vigorously until the flour is absorbed and is the consistency of wet sand. Add stock and continue whisking until thickened. Add wine and lemon juice and continue whisking until smooth. If too thick, add a little more stock or wine. If not thick enough, reduce temperature and continue to cook, stirring, until it achieves the desired consistency. Place in a gravy boat to serve.
Drizzle gravy over the chicken and serve with a finely minced thyme or parsley garnish.
Chef’s tips
What is spatchcocking? Spatchcocking is the process of removing the backbone from a chicken or turkey. This is done using poultry shears or scissors—do not use a knife—and cutting down the back of the chicken on both sides of the backbone, from the neck opening to the tail. Open the chicken, like a book, and with the heel of your hand, crack the breastbone. This allows the chicken to lie flat. If you are not comfortable with the process or do not have the proper shears, ask your butcher to do this for you.
What if my gravy thickens? If you are not going to serve gravy immediately, keep it in the saucepan or skillet where it is prepared. Immediately before serving, heat again on medium-low and add a little more stock. Whisk until it comes back to your desired consistency. Then serve.
What about lumpy gravy? If your gravy turns out lumpy, strain through a fine sieve and use the back of a wooden spoon to help push it through the sieve. A chinois (conical sieve) is a good investment, as it is designed especially for this process.
Summer Citrus Salad
Photo by Karen Hermann
SERVES 4
Vinaigrette
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons pomegranate honey
Dash kosher salt
Salad
1 head radicchio, washed, drained and separated
1 ruby grapefruit, peeled and sliced ¼ inch
1 Cara Cara orange, peeled and sliced ¼ inch
1 navel orange, peeled and sliced ¼ inch
1 tangerine or mandarin, peeled and segmented
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced ¼ inch
1 cup strawberry halves, hulled and rinsed
½ cup blackberries, rinsed
Fresh mint, whole or ribboned
In a small jar or bowl, thoroughly combine olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, honey and salt. Set aside. Arrange radicchio on a large platter and top with sliced citrus, kiwi and berries. Drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish with mint.
Blood Orange Cheesecake
Photo by Gina Moore
SERVES 8–12
Crust
1¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons butter melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Filling
3 8-ounce cream cheese blocks
¾ cup sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
3 tablespoons blood orange juice
1 tablespoon blood orange zest, grated
1 tablespoon orange liqueur or 2 teaspoons orange or vanilla extract
Caramelized Orange Topping
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 large blood orange, thinly sliced (discarding ends and seeds)
3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Crust
In a medium bowl, blend graham crackers, butter and sugar, and press firmly into a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the bottom and outside of the pan with foil. Set aside.
Filling
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add orange juice, zest and extracts. Beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Place cheesecake pan in another larger pan and place in oven. Fill the larger pan halfway with hot water. Bake 60–70 minutes or until slightly firm in center. Turn off oven, leaving door ajar, and cool for 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan. Chill in fridge overnight or at least 8 hours. Remove sides of pan and apply topping of choice.
Caramelized Orange Topping
In a deep 10- or 12-inch skillet, over medium-high heat, add sugar, ¾ cup water and 2 teaspoons orange juice and stir until dissolved. Add orange slices and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Uncover and continue simmering, keeping slices in a single layer, turning occasionally, until slightly candied and translucent, about 20 minutes. The liquid should be the consistency of a thin syrup. There should be about ½ cup of liquid in the pan. If not, add a little water into syrup. Allow syrup to cool.
Carefully lift slices out of syrup, reserving liquid, and blot dry with a paper towel. Arrange slices on cheesecake in desired pattern. Bring the syrup to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until syrup is a deep golden brown, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in 3 tablespoons orange juice (mixture will bubble up). Cool and brush over oranges.
Chef’s tips
No blood oranges? If blood oranges are not available in your area, use Cara Cara oranges. Any type of oranges can be substituted, but the color will not be the same.
Working with sugar. Use extreme caution when working with hot melted sugar as it can burn very easily and traumatically! Read directions ahead of time, and have all recipe ingredients measured and readily available to incorporate into the recipe at the appropriate time. Working with melted sugar is not the time to have small children or animals around.
Easy Lemon Tart
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
SERVES 8–10
1 9-inch sweet tart or pie crust
3 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Powdered sugar, for garnish
Berries, for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a 9-inch tart pan with tart or pie crust. Place a piece of parchment paper over crust and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Remove pie shell from oven. Remove weights and cool shell for later filling.
In a medium, heat-proof bowl, combine eggs, sugar, zest and lemon juice. Place over a large pan of simmering water, over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes thick, about 10 minutes. (To check, the mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.) Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking until all butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Whisk the mixture again before using. Fill the cooled tart shell with cooled lemon mixture and refrigerate for 4 hours until well chilled. Garnish with powdered sugar and berries and serve.