Joel Rubuchon's "Chicken with Lemons"

***If you love lemony chicken recipes, then you will love this dish! This one comes from Joel Rubuchon himself. It's simplicity is one of the things that makes it so scrumptious. With only a few ingredients, you'll have a deliciously flavorful dinner that tastes like perfection.

I only made a few minor changes...First, I had to use parsley instead of marjoram. Second, I changed the cooking method slightly. Instead of browning the chicken pieces first on the stove over high heat, I baked it in the oven the entire time, basting with the juices. I only did this to make it a little healthier. I also topped the chicken pieces with a few slices of lemon. It was wonderful!

Bon Appetit!!!***

Chicken with Lemons
Source: "The Complete Rubuchon" by Joel Rubuchon

Ingredients:

3 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt

Pepper

1 chicken, about 3 1/2 lbs., free-range if possible, quartered

2 organic lemons, washed and thinly sliced

1 tbsp. minced fresh sweet marjoram

Directions:

Spread the onion slices in a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken and drizzle with 3 tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper and lay them in the baking dish. Scatter the lemon slices over the chicken and sprinkle with marjoram. Drizzle with the rest of the oil and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 410 degrees F/210 degrees C.

Remove the dish from the refrigerator. Put the chicken pieces in a Dutch oven and put the baking dish in the hot oven. Brown the chicken over rather high heat for 5 minutes, turning the pieces with a wooden spoon or with tongs. Remove the dish from the oven and lay the chicken on top of the onions and lemons. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the chicken and baste it with cooking juices. Cook 20 minutes more. Serve in the baking dish.

Joel Rubuchon's "Chicken with Mushrooms & Tarragon" - (Poulet aux champignons et a l'estragon)

***Now that the holidays are over (and the wedding cake is finished!), I finally have time to sift through the new cookbooks that I got for Christmas and try out some of the recipes. I present to you...the first one!

As I mentioned before, Joel Rubuchon is the man...he's even been proclaimed the "Chef of the Century." In his wonderful cookbook, "The Complete Rubuchon", he shares a multitude of fabulous French recipes in what some call the "Joy of Cooking" for French cuisine.

This seemed like a great recipe to start with. It's got a classically delicious flavor...not too fussy or complicated but with a complex flavor. I think you'll love this one!***

Chicken with Mushroom and Tarragon

(Poulet aux champignons et a l'estragon)

From: The Complete Rubuchon by Joel Rubuchon

Serves: 4

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. small white button mushrooms, stem ends trimmed, caps rinsed clean, and drained; quarter them if they are on the large side

2 tbsp. butter

1 free-range chicken, about 3 1/2 lb., cut into 8 pieces

Salt

Pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 bouquet garni (2 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 4 stems parsley, wrapped and tied in a green leek if possible)

2 cloves garlic, peeled, degermed, and minced

5 shallots, peeled and minced

4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (I took a shortcut here and used a can of diced tomatoes)

2 tbsp. minced tarragon

Directions:

Put the mushrooms in a saucepan with 3 tbsp. water and 1 scant tbsp. butter. Cover, bring to a boil, and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and save their cooking liquid.

Season each piece of chicken with a good pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. In a Dutch Oven just large enough to hold the chicken pieces in a single layer, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil and then 1 tbsp. butter. When the butter foams, turn the heat to low and add the pieces of chicken, nestled against each other. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes to brown, turning to color evenly. Add the wine, bouquet garni, garlic, and shallots. Scatter the diced tomatoes and sprinkle 1 tbsp. tarragon. Add the mushroom cooking juice and bring the liquid to a "shiver" just below the boiling point. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

At the end of cooking, add the mushrooms to the pot just long enough to warm them. Sprinkle the chicken with the rest of the tarragon and taste for salt and pepper.

French Yule Log (a.k.a. A Bûche de Noël)....YULE Love It! :)

It's that time again!!! The Daring Bakers tackled a traditional, French Yule Log this month. And whew....WHAT a recipe! I was really worried at first...I mean, an 18 page recipe?!? But once you break the elements down and tackle each one separately, it isn't that bad at all.

I always really, really look forward to the Daring Bakers challenge every month. After not participating last month, I was particularly excited about December. I knew that December would bring a fabulous challenge for the holidays. I was thrilled when I read the news. Chocolate...check! More chocolate...check, check! :)

I was extremely happy with my results this month. The taste was AMAZING! All of the flavors blended together so well. It's extra yummy with a hot cup of coffee, too!

This month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux. They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand.

The recipe is below...I've only included the flavors/recipes for the combinations that I chose to use, in order to keep the post from being 5 miles long..lol.

I broke this recipe out as follows:

Day 1: Dacquoise Biscuit + Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Day 2: Dark Chocolate Mousse + Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert + Cardamom Crème Brulée

Day 3: Dark Chocolate Icing

FRENCH YULE LOG OR ENTREMETS RECIPE

by Flore of Florilège Gourmand

Element #1 Dacquoise Biscuit (Almond Cake)

Preparation time: 10 mn + 15 mn for baking

Equipment: 2 mixing bowls, hand or stand mixer with whisk attachment, spatula, baking pan such as a 10”x15” jelly-roll pan, parchment paper

Note: You can use the Dacquoise for the bottom of your Yule Log only, or as bottom and top layers, or if using a Yule log mold (half-pipe) to line your entire mold with the biscuit. Take care to spread the Dacquoise accordingly. Try to bake the Dacquoise the same day you assemble the log to keep it as moist as possible.

Ingredients:

2.8 oz (3/4cup + 1Tbsp / 80g) almond meal

1.75 oz (1/2 cup / 50g) confectioner’s sugar

2 Tbsp (15g) all-purpose flour

3.5oz (100g / ~100ml) about 3 medium egg whites

1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

1. Finely mix the almond meal and the confectioner's sugar. (If you have a mixer, you can use it by pulsing the ingredients together for no longer than 30 seconds).

2. Sift the flour into the mix.

3. Beat the eggs whites, gradually adding the granulated sugar until stiff.

4. Pour the almond meal mixture into the egg whites and blend delicately with a spatula.

5. Grease a piece of parchment paper and line your baking pan with it.

6. Spread the batter on a piece of parchment paper to an area slightly larger than your desired shape (circle, long strip etc...) and to a height of 1/3 inches (8mm).

7. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 15 minutes (depends on your oven), until golden. 8. Let cool and cut to the desired shape.

Element #2 Dark Chocolate Mousse

Preparation time: 20mn

Equipment: stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment, thermometer, double boiler or equivalent, spatula

Note: You will see that a Pate a Bombe is mentioned in this recipe. A Pate a Bombe is a term used for egg yolks beaten with a sugar syrup, then aerated. It is the base used for many mousse and buttercream recipes. It makes mousses and buttercreams more stable, particularly if they are to be frozen, so that they do not melt as quickly or collapse under the weight of heavier items such as the crème brulee insert. In the Vanilla Mousse variation, pastry cream is made to the same effect.In the Mango Mousse variation, Italian meringue is made to the same effect. Italian meringue is a simple syrup added to egg whites as they are beaten until stiff. It has the same consistency as Swiss meringue (thick and glossy) which we have used before in challenge recipes as a base for buttercream.The Whipped Cream option contains no gelatin, so beware of how fast it may melt.Gelatin is the gelifying agent in all of the following recipes, but if you would like to use agar-agar, here are the equivalencies: 8g powdered gelatin = 1 (0.25 oz) envelope powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp Agar-Agar. 1 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes is equal to 1 tsp. of agar-agar powder.

Ingredients:

2.5 sheets gelatin or 5g / 1 + 1/4 tsp powdered gelatin

1.5 oz (3 Tbsp / 40g) granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp (10g) glucose or thick corn syrup

0.5 oz (15g) water

50g egg yolks (about 3 medium)

6.2 oz (175g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1.5 cups (350g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water. (If using powdered gelatin, follow the directions on the package.) I used 1/4 cup cold water to soften the powdered gelatin. Heat the gelatin in the microwave for a few seconds to liquify it before mixing with the other ingredients.

2. Make a Pate a Bombe: Beat the egg yolks until very light in colour (approximately 5 minutes until almost white).

2a. Cook the sugar, glucose syrup and water on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach 244°F (118°C). If you do not have a candy thermometer, test the sugar temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water, if it forms a soft ball in the water then you have reached the correct temperature.

2b. Add the sugar syrup to the beaten yolks carefully by pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream while continuing to beat the yolks. You can do this by hand but it’s easier to do this with an electric mixer.

2c. Continue beating until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The batter should become thick and foamy.

3. In a double boiler or equivalent, heat 2 tablespoons (30g) of cream to boiling. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.

4. Whip the remainder of the cream until stiff.

5. Pour the melted chocolate over the softened gelatin, mixing well. Let the gelatin and chocolate cool slightly and then stir in ½ cup (100g) of WHIPPED cream to temper. Add the Pate a Bombe.

6. Add in the rest of the WHIPPED cream (220g) mixing gently with a spatula.

Element #3 Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert

Preparation time: 10mn

Equipment: pan, whisk. If you have plunging mixer (a vertical hand mixer used to make soups and other liquids), it comes in handy.

Note: Because the ganache hardens as it cools, you should make it right before you intend to use it to facilitate piping it onto the log during assembly. Please be careful when caramelizing the sugar and then adding the cream. It may splatter and boil.

Ingredients:

1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp/ 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

5 oz (135g) dark chocolate, finely chopped

3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).

2. While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.

3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.

4. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Element #4 Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Preparation time: 10 mn (+ optional 15mn if you make lace crepes)

Equipment: Small saucepan, baking sheet (if you make lace crepes).Double boiler (or one small saucepan in another), wax paper, rolling pin (or I use an empty bottle of olive oil).

Note: Feuillete means layered (as in with leaves) so a Praline Feuillete is a Praline version of a delicate crisp. There are non-praline variations below. The crunch in this crisp comes from an ingredient which is called gavottes in French. Gavottes are lace-thin crepes. To our knowledge they are not available outside of France, so you have the option of making your own using the recipe below or you can simply substitute rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K for them. Special note: If you use one of the substitutes for the gavottes, you should halve the quantity stated, as in use 1oz of any of these cereals instead of 2.1oz.

To make 2.1oz / 60g of gavottes (lace crepes - recipe by Ferich Mounia):

1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk

2/3 Tbsp (8g) unsalted butter

1/3 cup – 2tsp (35g) all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp / 0.5 oz (15g) beaten egg

1 tsp (3.5g) granulated sugar

½ tsp vegetable oil

1. Heat the milk and butter together until butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat.

2. Sift flour into milk-butter mixture while beating, add egg and granulated sugar. Make sure there are no lumps.

3. Grease a baking sheet and spread batter thinly over it.

4. Bake at 430°F (220°C) for a few minutes until the crepe is golden and crispy. Let cool.

Ingredients for the Praline Feuillete:

3.5 oz (100g) milk chocolate

1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) butter

2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline

2.1oz (60g) lace crepes(gavottes) or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K (I used Rice Krispies)

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.

2. Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.

3. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Element #5 Vanilla Crème Brulée Insert

Preparation time: 15mn + 1h infusing + 1h baking

Equipment: Small saucepan, mixing bowl, baking mold, wax paper

Note: The vanilla crème brulée can be flavored differently by simply replacing the vanilla with something else e.g. cardamom, lavender, etc...I flavored mine with Cardamom!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (115g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

½ cup (115g) whole milk

4 medium-sized (72g) egg yolks

0.75 oz (2 Tbsp / 25g) granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean

1. Heat the milk, cream, and scraped vanilla bean to just boiling. Remove from the stove and let the vanilla infuse for about 1 hour.

2. Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).

3. Pour the vanilla-infused milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.

4. Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. Pour the cream into the mold and bake at 210°F (100°C) for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center. (Many DBers noticed that their creme brulee would not set at 210...including me. I raised the temperature to about 325 after an hour and kept baking. It finally set and became a nice golden brown on top.)

Tartelette says: You can bake it without a water bath since it is going to go inside the log (the aesthetics of it won't matter as much since it will be covered with other things)....BUT I would recommend a water bath for the following reasons:

- you will get a much nicer mouth feel when it is done

- you will be able to control its baking point and desired consistency much better

- it bakes for such a long time that I fear it will get overdone without a water bath

Now...since it is baked in a pan and it is sometimes difficult to find another large pan to set it in for a water bath, even a small amount of water in your water bath will help the heat be distributed evenly in the baking process. Even as little as 1 inch will help.

5. Let cool and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm up and facilitate the final assembly.

Here's the Yule Log before adding the icing...

Element #6 Dark Chocolate Icing

Preparation time: 25 minutes (10mn if you don’t count softening the gelatin)

Equipment: Small bowl, small saucepan

Note: Because the icing gelifies quickly, you should make it at the last minute.For other gelatin equivalencies or gelatin to agar-agar equivalencies, look at the notes for the mousse component.

Ingredients:

4g / ½ Tbsp powdered gelatin or 2 sheets gelatin

¼ cup (60g) heavy cream (35 % fat content)

2.1 oz (5 Tbsp / 60g) granulated sugar

¼ cup (50g) water

1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes. (Again, I used 1/4 cup water)

2. Boil the rest of the ingredients and cook an additional 3 minutes after boiling.

3. Add gelatin to the chocolate mixture. Mix well.

4. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

How To Assemble your French Yule Log

Depending on whether your mold is going to hold the assembly upside down until you unmold it or right side up, this order will be different. THIS IS FOR UNMOLDING FROM UPSIDE DOWN TO RIGHT SIDE UP. You will want to tap your mold gently on the countertop after each time you pipe mousse in to get rid of any air bubbles.

1) Line your mold or pan, whatever its shape, with rhodoid (clear hard plastic, I usually use transparencies cut to the desired shape, it’s easier to find than cellulose acetate which is what rhodoid translates to in English) OR plastic film. Rhodoid will give you a smoother shape but you may have a hard time using it depending on the kind of mold you’re using.You have two choices for Step 2, you can either have Dacquoise on the top and bottom of your log as in version A or you can have Dacquoise simply on the bottom of your log as in version B:

I used Version A:

2A) Cut the Dacquoise into a shape fitting your mold and set it in there. If you are using an actual Yule mold which is in the shape of a half-pipe, you want the Dacquoise to cover the entire half-pipe portion of the mold.

3A) Pipe one third of the Mousse component on the Dacquoise.

4A) Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.

5A) Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.

6A) Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.
7A) Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.

8A) Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.

9A) Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight eidge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.

10A) Close with the last strip of Dacquoise.

Freeze until the next day.

If you are doing the assembly UPSIDE DOWN with TWO pieces of Dacquoise the order is:

1) Dacquoise

2) Mousse

3) Creme Brulee Insert

4) Mousse

5) Praline/Crisp Insert

6) Mousse
7) Ganache Insert
8) Dacquoise

THE NEXT DAY...Unmold the cake/log/whatever and set on a wire rack over a shallow pan. Cover the cake with the icing. Let set. Return to the freezer. You may decorate your cake however you wish. The decorations can be set in the icing after it sets but before you return the cake to the freezer or you may attach them on top using extra ganache or leftover mousse, etc...Transfer to the refrigerator no longer than ½ hour before serving as it may start to melt quickly depending on the elements you chose.

Homemade French-Style Macarons - "Cook's Illustrated"

***Finally...I'm making progress with the ever-hard-to-make French Macaron. I found this recipe in the recent "Holiday Baking" special issue of Cooks Illustrated. Their recipes have never failed me...they test, re-test, and test again every single recipe...until they are almost fool-proof. I noticed that this recipe for macarons was a little different from the ones I've been using. One big difference was the addition of Cream of Tartar to the egg whites. It acts as a stabilizer and helps to stiffen the egg whites. Also I recently purchased a silicon baking mat....what a great investment! I only have one right now, so I had to make the other batches of macarons on regular parchment paper. The macarons baked on the silicon mat looked much better, seemed to bake more evenly, and even rose higher. It looks like I'll be buying a few more of those mats soon. Hmm...maybe Santa can leave a few of those in my stocking? ;)

So, here's a list of some things I did differently this time around:

1. Added a pinch of Cream of Tartar to the egg whites

2. Aged the egg whites at room temperature for 24 hours (covered)

3. I processed my own almond flour by processing 11 ounces of slivered almonds to a fine flour in a food processor.

4. Used a silicon baking mat on one batch.

Cookies

3 3/4 cups (15 ounces) almond flour (see my note above)

3 1/3 cups (13 1/3 ounces) confectioner's sugar

1/8 tsp. table salt

5 large egg whites, room temperature

Pinch cream of tartar

5 tsp. granulated sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit large pastry bag with 1/2 inch plain tip; set aside. Process half of almond flour, half of confectioner's sugar, and salt together in food processor until mixture is very finely ground, about 20 seconds. Transfer to bowl and repeat with remaining almond flour and confectioner's sugar; stir together and set aside.

2. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-low speed until opaque and frothy, about 30 seconds. Add cream of tartar, increase speed to medium-high, and continue to beat until white, thick, and voluminous, with consistency of shaving cream, about 90 seconds. Slowly sprinkle in granulated sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form and sugar is incorporated, about 60 seconds.

3. Gently fold one-quarter of almond flour mixture into whites, followed by vanilla. Gradually fold in remaining almond mixture until thick batter forms.

4. Fill prepared pastry bag with batter. Twisting top of bag to apply pressure, push batter down toward tip and pipe twenty 2-inch mounds about 1 inch apart. Use back of teaspoon or finger dipped in bowl of cold water to even out shape and smooth surface of piped mounds. Repeat with remaining batter and baking sheet. Let cookies sit at room temperature until tops are dry and smooth skin has formed, 1 to 2 hours.

5. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until lightly browned, about 20 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Carefully slide parchment paper with cookies onto wire rack and cool completely. Bake second batch of cookies while first batch cools.

***Note: If your macarons stick to the parchment paper and won't easily come off, put about 2 tbsp. of water between the parchment paper and baking sheet. Let sit for about 15-30 seconds and try again. Don't wait too long...the water will make the macarons soggy!***

Chocolate Ganache Filling

6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Combine the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream just to a boil. Remove from the heat and immediately pour over the chocolate and butter. Stir with a wire whisk until the chocolate and butter melt and are smooth. Let cool until spreadable. (I chilled the ganache in the fridge until it was the consistency that I wanted.)

To Assemble:

Spread about 1 tbsp. chocolate ganache over flat sides of half of cooled cookies and gently cover with flat sides of remaining cookies to form sandwich cookies.

Source: Cooks Illustrated - Holiday Baking special issue, Holiday

Braised Fingerling Potato Coins

***This is another yummy side dish that I found flipping through the pages of Gourmet magazine (October 2008 issue). It was extremely easy to prepare, and the taste was delicious and satisfying. I served this dish with chicken, but I think it would also be the perfect complement to a beautiful steak.***

From Gourmet:

"Alice Waters, founder and owner of Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California, champions the environmental benefits of organic produce and highlights vegetables’ freshness with simple preparations. In this adaptation of her potato coins, we coax the starch out of waxy, thin-skinned fingerlings to create a silky pan sauce. The faint vegetal sweetness of this dish pairs well with just about anything. "

Ingredients:
2 pounds fingerling potatoes, peeled if desired
2 cups water
3/4 stick unsalted butter, cut into bits
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer

Preparation:
Cut a round of parchment paper to fit just inside a 12-inch heavy skillet and butter one side.

Slice potatoes 1/8 inch thick with slicer. Arrange in skillet. Add water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dot top with butter. Cover potatoes with parchment, buttered side down, and briskly simmer until tender and most of liquid has evaporated, 30 to 35 minutes.

Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Sauteed Chicken in Riesling (Poulet au Riesling)

***I know, I know...you're probably wondering why in the world I haven't been posting as much lately. I apologize...things have been kind of busy. I did accomplish something pretty cool though. I ran my first 5K this weekend! It was the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. I had a blast! It's such an amazing thing to see SO many people unite for one cause. There was somewhere between 13,000 - 16,000 participants!

But, don't fear...I have A LOT of posting to catch up with. I've been in the kitchen almost every night, and there are tons of photos on my camera right now...and they can't wait for their turn in the spotlight. :)

Tonight's post is yet another wonderful dish from my new favorite cookbook, Williams-Sonoma: Paris. This dish was incredibly tasty...I can't imagine chicken sauteed in a fabulous wine not being good...can you? The meat was so tender, and we were all glad there were left-overs for the next night.

You'll enjoy this one!***

Ingredients:

4 1/2 lbs. chicken pieces, preferably legs with thighs attached

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive-oil

6-8 shallots, about 1/2 lb. total weight, chopped (I used onion)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bottle dry Riesling (I used Relax Riesling...in a blue bottle)

3 Tbsp. small pieces dried mushrooms such as chanterelle, cepe, or fairy ring (I left these out)

2 cups chicken stock

2 tbsp. coarsley chopped fresh tarragon

3/4 cup heavy cream

A few drops fresh lemon juice (optional)

2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

1-2 tbsp. chopped fresh chervil (I used fresh parsley)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper, then rub with the olive oil. In a large, heavy nonstick pan over medium-high heat, brown the chicken in batches, turning occasionally, 10-15 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter.

2. Pour off all but 1 tbsp. of fat from the pan and return to medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the Riesling, raise the heat to high, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half, 10-15 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, stock, and half of the tarragon. Pour the sauce into a roasting pan at least 4 inches deep and large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer. Arrange the chicken on the sauce.

3. Bake the chicken until opaque throughout when pierced with a knife, 35-40 minutes. Raise the heat to 400 degrees F. and continue baking until the edges of the skin are crisp, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a deep platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.

4. Spoon off any fat from the sauce. Place the pan over high heat, bring the sauce to a boil, and cook, stirring, until reduced by about half, 7-8 minutes. Stir in the cream and taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and with lemon juice, if using. Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the chives, chervil, and remaining tarragon. Serve at once.

Source: Williams-Sonoma: Paris Cookbook

Red Berry Macarons & Europe!

***So, I just had to give the macarons another shot. After all, practice makes perfect, right? These came out really pretty...I plan to continue my quest for the perfect macaron, though. My macaron skills still need improvement! I found a yummy-looking recipe over on Tartelette for Red Berry Macarons. You can find the recipe HERE. The cream cheese buttercream and berry jam combination is simply divine!

You may have noticed that I've made several posts lately that include French cuisine. That's because Brad and I will *hopefully* be going to Europe at the beginning of the year. I am SO stinkin' excited, that I can hardly stand it!!! We'll be taking 2 weeks to travel throughout several different countries...France, Germany, and Italy.

Brad's aunt & uncle are living in Germany right now...his uncle is in the military and is stationed at Ramstein Air Force Base. They are so sweet and have invited us to stay with them for a few days while we're over there. I'd love to go see some of the castles in Germany.

So far, my international travel has been limited to Mexico and the Bahamas....never to Europe! If everything works out, we'd love to visit Paris, Germany, Venice, and Rome. We don't have an itinerary set in stone yet...we have an awesome travel agent (visit Travel Planners before your next vacation!) and just really started researching things. Paris is a must, though...we will definitely be going there. As a result, expect to see some yummy Parisian recipes coming up...most likely from the Williams-Sonoma: Paris cookbook mentioned in the post below.

I'd love to hear from you if you've been to Europe (or live there!). I need all the tips and advice that I can get!

Au Revoir!...that reminds me, I need to brush up on my French, German and Italian...oh my!!***

Before going into the oven...

Steak with Shallot Sauce (Onglet Aux Echalottes)

***I was walking the aisles of HomeGoods the other day, when my eyes alighted on this fabulous cookbook...Williams-Sonoma: Paris. I immediately grabbed it up and started flipping through the pages. The beautiful thing about this book is all the photographs...and they aren't all of food. The pages are filled with gorgeous photos that transport you to the streets of Paris. Now I want to go more than ever! Oh, J'aime Paris!

This recipe for Steak with Shallot Sauce actually made it onto the cover of this cookbook. It looks scrumptious, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. I'm sure glad that I did!

I did make just a few slight changes to the original recipe. First, I went to 2 grocery stores looking for shallots...I couldn't find the first one! I was disappointed, but I knew that onions would make a fine substitute. Second, I couldn't find the particular cut of meat the recipe calls for, so I just bought NY strips...they worked just fine! And finally, I have yet to perfect the method of cooking a steak indoors. I always end up with a smoky kitchen and steaks that could have been better. So, I grilled the steaks outside on the gas grill. Once the sauce was just about finished, I added the steaks to the sauce and simmered for just a few minutes before serving.

And with that my friends, bon appétit!!!***

Steak with Shallot Sauce

Onglet Aux Echalottes

Ingredients:

4-6 onglets or hangar steaks (I used NY strips), 8-12 oz each, trimmed of most fat and lightly marbled if possible, at room temperature

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil for brushing

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

12 shallots, about 3/4 lb total weight, thinly sliced

3/4 cup dry red wine

1 cup beef stock

Directions:

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper, and brush lightly with olive oil.

Heat a large, heavy nonstick frying pan over high heat until very hot. Cook the steaks until browned and slightly crusty on the first side, 45-60 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook the steaks for 2 - 4 minutes longer on each side, depending on the thickness. To test for doneness, press your finger firmly against one of the steaks; the rarer the meat, the more soft and fleshy it will feel. If desired, make a small cut in the meat to check the color. Transfer the steaks to a platter and cover looselly with aluminum foil. (The steaks will continue to cook slowly as they rest).

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Melt 1 1/2 tbsp. of the butter in the pan. Add the shallots and saute until golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Add the wine, raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring, until the liquid is almost evaporated, 5-6 minutes. Add the stock and cook until the shallots are very tender and the liquid is reduced to a flavorful sauce, 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp. butter.

Transfer the steaks along with any accumulated juices to individual plates. Spoon the shallots and sauce over the steaks. Serve at once.

Source: Williams-Sonoma: Paris Cookbook

Parsleyed Potatoes with Saffron

***Here's another super simple side dish. I served this with "Steak with Shallot Sauce", which I will post tomorrow. It's always fun to use saffron, and I really like the taste it adds to dishes...very unique!***

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb small red potatoes (preferably 1 1/2 inches in diameter; 20 to 24), peeled

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Small pinch of saffron threads, crumbled

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Preparation:
Steam potatoes in a steamer rack, covered, over boiling water until tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Melt butter with saffron in a medium skillet over medium heat until it foams, then add potatoes, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook, shaking skillet to coat potatoes well, until heated through, about 1 minute.

Source: Gourmet Magazine

White Asparagus with Brown Butter Sauce

***I needed a quick side dish the other night, and I saw this recipe right on the white asparagus package. It sounded pretty simple (and it was!), so I gave it a try. This was my first time cooking with white asaparagus. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was really tasty! Brad and I try to eat really healthy, so next time I'll probably find a recipe that doesn't use butter and bread crumbs...but hey, it was a nice change.***

Ingredients:

12 white asparagus spears, peeled & trimmed to 6" lengths

Salt & fresh ground pepper

2 ounces butter

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Cook the asparagus for 10-12 minutes, until tender. Drain the asparagus and set aside.

In a large saute pan heat the butter. Add the breadcrumbs and saute until golden. Add the reserved asparagus and saute until well coated with browned butter and bread crumbs.

Sprinkle with parsley, season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Espresso-Blackberry Macarons - Gourmet Magazine

***I was flipping through the most recent issue of Gourmet (a special issue about Paris), admiring all the Parisian cuisine when I spotted these macarons. Macarons are one of those things that I've always avoided because I just thought they would be too complicated...but this recipe is actually pretty simple! After reading the article, I was inspired to give these a try. I made half of them with blackberry jam, and I made a chocolate filling (recipe below) for the other half. When we make it to Paris one day (it just might be sooner than later...hopefully!) I want to visit some of the famous French Patisseries...like Laduree, Pierre Herme, and Fauchon to name a few. And what trip to Paris would be complete without a visit to La Maison Du Chocolat? One day...

Now, these aren't the prettiest macarons that you'll ever see, but they were okay considering it was my first time making them. I am going to make them again very soon. I found THIS yummy looking recipe for Red Berry Macarons on Tartelette's blog that I just might tackle next. I want to perfect the macaron cookie...after reading some other blogs it seems like it might be a little difficult to make them rise perfectly...practice makes perfect, though!

Appréciez cette recette!!!

From Gourmet:

"These cookies should set for a while before serving. The fillings help soften the meringue—and your patience will be rewarded with a wonderfully chewy texture.

For more recipes inspired by the City of Light, visit our Paris City Guide."

For macarons:
3 oz almond flour (2/3 cup) or blanched sliced almonds (3/4 cup) or slivered almonds (2/3 cup)
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon instant-espresso powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large egg whites, at room temperature 30 minutes
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
For filling
About 1/2 cup blackberry jelly

Equipment:
- a food processor with a sharp blade or an electric coffee/spice grinder

- a large pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch plain tip or a qt-size sealable bag with a corner snipped off

- an offset spatula

Make macaron batter:
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Grind almond flour or almonds with confectioners sugar in food processor until powdery, 30 seconds for almond flour, about 2 minutes for almonds. (If using grinder, grind in small batches.) Sift through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl (if not fine enough for almost all of nuts to go through sieve, regrind). Sift again into a large bowl.

Stir together espresso powder and vanilla in a cup until powder has dissolved. (I used regular instant coffee granules, and heated the vanilla a little to help the granules completely dissolve.)

Beat egg whites with salt in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in granulated sugar, a little at a time. Increase speed to high and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks, about 1 minute. Add espresso mixture and mix at low speed until incorporated. Fold meringue into almond mixture with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. (Meringue will deflate and batter will be loose.)

Pipe and bake macarons:
Put small dabs of batter under corners of parchment to secure to baking sheets.
Spoon half of batter into pastry bag. Holding bag vertically just above baking sheet, pipe 1 1/2-inch-wide mounds of batter about 1 inch apart, stopping pressure and flicking tip sideways to avoid peaks (tamp down any peaks with a wet finger). Refill pastry bag and repeat. Let macarons stand, uncovered, at room temperature until a light crust forms, 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.

Bake macarons, switching position of sheets halfway through, until crisp and interior does not give easily when a macaron is gently pressed, 22 to 28 minutes total. Cool completely on baking sheets (for residual heat to harden bottoms) on racks, about 30 minutes. Loosen macarons from parchment with offset spatula (they will be fragile).

Assemble cookies:
Sandwich flat sides of macarons together with a thin layer of jelly.

Layer macarons between sheets of parchment in an airtight container and let stand at room temperature at least 2 hours to soften before eating.

Here's the recipe for the chocolate filling that I used:

Chocolate Filling:

Softened butter

Powdered sugar

Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I used the Starbucks Mocha Powder)

Directions: Mix about 1 cup powdered sugar and several tablespoons cocoa powder together thoroughly. Beat into softened butter (about 3/4 stick), taste. You might have to adjust the measurements slightly...adding a little at a time to get your desired consistency. The measurements above are a good starting point.

Cooks’ note: Filled macarons can be kept in an airtight container wrapped in plastic wrap, chilled 2 days or frozen 1 month. Bring to room temperature in wrapped container (to avoid condensation), about 1 hour if chilled or 2 hours if frozen.

NOTE: If you have trouble removing the macarons from the parchment paper, put a thin layer of water between the parchment paper and cookie sheet (be careful not to let the cookies get wet!). This will loosen the paper from the cookies. Don't let the cookies sit on the water for too long...they will get soggy.

Chocolate Mocha Eclairs - Pierre Herme

***Recipes like this are why I love being a part of the Daring Bakers. This month our big challenge was Chocolate Eclairs from Pierre Herme's fabulous cookbook - Chocolate Desserts. This month's hosts were: Tony Tahhan and Meeta K. Be sure to check out their blogs too!

This is another recipe that I probably never would have tried if not for DB. I know that I say that every month, but hey...it's the truth! The recipe called for a classic chocolate pastry cream with a chocolate ganache on top. I decided to kick things up a notch and add a little instant coffee to the pastry cream. It was out-of-this-world delicious...definitely the best pastry cream I've ever tasted. So, I ended up with Mocha Eclairs...talk about good. I topped them off with pecan pieces.

I was a little worried about the eclairs coming out right...from reading other DB's stories, I realized that I might have a problem getting the eclairs to be hollow on the inside. I anxiously waited while they puffed up in the oven...which was pretty fun to watch, by the way...and excitedly took them out to let them cool. To my delight, they were perfectly hollow. They looked like mini baguettes, which I thought was adorable.

The recipe says to open the oven door slightly with a wooden spoon during the baking process. I did not do this! I also changed the cooking time slightly. I put them in for about 15 - 20 minutes and THEN rotated them as the recipe calls for...baking them for an additional 15 - 20 minutes. Then, remove eclairs from oven, immediately prick the side of each eclair with a sharp knife. Now, turn the oven off and put the eclairs back in the oven, with the oven door open about 6 inches...let them cool inside the oven. This allows the eclairs to dry out. I think I ended up baking them a little longer than it says to...maybe 30 minutes compared with 20 minutes. I just kept an eye on them until they looked right.

I ended up slicing most of them in half like the recipe calls for, and I piped the pastry cream directly into the rest (without cutting). Both ways tasted great, but the ones that were cut in half looked a little prettier in my opinion.

Another technique that really helped me was holding the tops of the eclairs upside down and then dipping the entire eclair into the chocolate ganache...instead of using a metal icing spatula. This allowed for a prettier, more uniform look.

The recipe makes a good bit of chocolate sauce, so you'll probably have some left over. It goes perfectly with ice cream and makes wonderful chocolate milk!

Daring Bakers - Thanks for another great challenge!!!***

Piped and ready for the oven...

Looks like little baguettes...Aren't they cute?

Uh oh...topless eclairs...haha...

The pastry cream was my favorite part...
Pierre Hermé’s Chocolate Éclairs

Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 20-24 Éclairs)

• Cream Puff Dough (see below for recipe), fresh and still warm
1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide the oven into thirds by positioning the racks in the upper and lower half of the oven. Line two baking sheets with waxed or parchment paper.
2) Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 2/3 (2cm) plain tip nozzle with the warm cream puff dough. Pipe the dough onto the baking sheets in long, 4 to 41/2 inches (about 11 cm) chubby fingers. Leave about 2 inches (5 cm) space in between each dough strip to allow them room to puff. The dough should give you enough to pipe 20-24 éclairs.
3) Slide both the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 7 minutes. After the 7 minutes, slip the handle of a wooden spoon into the door to keep in ajar. When the éclairs have been in the oven for a total of 12 minutes, rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking for a further 8 minutes or until the éclairs are puffed, golden and firm. The total baking time should be approximately 20 minutes.
***Please see my notes above...I baked the dough a little differently than listed here.***

Notes:
1) The éclairs can be kept in a cool, dry place for several hours before filling.

Assembling the éclairs:
• Chocolate glaze (see below for recipe)
• Chocolate pastry cream (see below for recipe)

1) Slice the éclairs horizontally, using a serrated knife and a gently sawing motion. Set aside the bottoms and place the tops on a rack over a piece of parchment paper.
2) The glaze should be barely warm to the touch (between 95 – 104 degrees F or 35 – 40 degrees C, as measured on an instant read thermometer). Spread the glaze over the tops of the éclairs using a metal icing spatula. Allow the tops to set and in the meantime fill the bottoms with the pastry cream.
3) Pipe or spoon the pastry cream into the bottoms of the éclairs. Make sure you fill the bottomswith enough cream to mound above the pastry. Place the glazed tops onto the pastry cream and wriggle gently to settle them.

Notes:
1) If you have chilled your chocolate glaze, reheat by placing it in a bowl over simmering water, stirring it gently with a wooden spoon. Do not stir too vigorously as you do not want to create bubbles.
2) The éclairs should be served as soon as they have been filled.

Pierre Hermé’s Cream Puff Dough - Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 20-24 Éclairs)
• ½ cup (125g) whole milk
• ½ cup (125g) water
• 1 stick (4 ounces; 115g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature

1) In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to theboil.
2) Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough comes together very quickly. Do not worry if a slight crust forms at the bottom of the pan, it’s supposed to. You need to carry on stirring for a further 2-3 minutes to dry the dough. After this time the dough will be very soft and smooth.
3) Transfer the dough into a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your handmixer or if you still have the energy, continue by hand. Add the eggs one at a time,beating after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough.You will notice that after you have added the first egg, the dough will separate, once again do not worry. As you keep working the dough, it will come back all together again by the time you have added the third egg. In the end the dough should be thick and shiny and when lifted it should fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.
4) The dough should be still warm. It is now ready to be used for the éclairs as directed above.

Notes:
1) Once the dough is made you need to shape it immediately.
2) You can pipe the dough and the freeze it. Simply pipe the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets and slide the sheets into the freezer. Once the dough is completely frozen, transfer the piped shapes into freezer bags. They can be kept in the freezer for up to a month.

Chocolate Pastry Cream Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
• 2 cups (500g) whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 6 tbsp (75g) sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• 7 oz (200g) bittersweet chocolate, preferably Velrhona Guanaja, melted
• 2½ tbsp (1¼ oz: 40g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1) In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. In the meantime, combine the yolks, sugar and cornstarch together and whisk in a heavy‐bottomed saucepan.
***I added 2 tbsp. of instant coffee granules to the boiling milk in this stage of the recipe.***
2) Once the milk has reached a boil, temper the yolks by whisking a couple spoonfuls of the hot milk into the yolk mixture. Continue whisking and slowly pour the rest of the milk into the tempered yolk mixture.
3) Strain the mixture back into the saucepan to remove any egg that may have scrambled. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk vigorously (without stop) until the mixture returns to a boil. Keep whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 more minutes (still over medium heat). Stir in the melted chocolate and then remove the pan from the heat.
4) Scrape the pastry cream into a small bowl and set it in an ice‐water bath to stop the cooking process. Make sure to continue stirring the mixture at this point so that it remains smooth.
5) Once the cream has reached a temperature of 140 F remove from the ice‐water bath and stir in the butter in three or four installments. Return the cream to the ice‐water bath to continue cooling, stirring occasionally, until it has completely cooled. The cream is now ready to use or store in the fridge.

Notes:
1) The pastry cream can be made 2‐3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
2) In order to avoid a skin forming on the pastry cream, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the cream.
3) Tempering the eggs raises the temperature of the eggs slowly so that they do not scramble.

Chocolate Glaze Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 1 cup or 300g)
• 1/3 cup (80g) heavy cream
• 3½ oz (100g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 tsp (20 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature
• 7 tbsp (110 g) Chocolate Sauce (recipe below), warm or at room temperature


1)In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly begin to add the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula.
2) Stirring gently, stir in the butter, piece by piece followed by the chocolate sauce.

Notes:
1) If the chocolate glaze is too cool (i.e. not liquid enough) you may heat it briefly
in the microwave or over a double boiler. A double boiler is basically a bowl sitting over (not touching) simmering water.
2) It is best to glaze the eclairs after the glaze is made, but if you are pressed for time, you can make the glaze a couple days ahead of time, store it in the fridge and bring it up to the proper temperature (95 to 104 F) when ready to glaze.

Chocolate SauceRecipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 1½ cups or 525 g)
• 4½ oz (130 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup (250 g) water
• ½ cup (125 g) crème fraîche, or heavy cream
• 1/3 cup (70 g) sugar

1) Place all the ingredients into a heavy‐bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil, making sure to stir constantly. Then reduce the heat to low and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens.
2) It may take 10‐15 minutes for the sauce to thicken, but you will know when it is done when it coats the back of your spoon.

Notes:
1) You can make this sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for two weeks. Reheat the sauce in a microwave oven or a double boiler before using.
2) This sauce is also great for cakes, ice-cream and tarts.

French Chicken in a Pot

***I came across this recipe in a recent issue of Cooks Illustrated. It sounded wonderful, and it was an excuse to use my new Dutch oven! ;) Let me just say that this chicken was tender enough to cut with a butter knife! It was also very moist. However, if you're looking for a beautifully crisp and brown bird when you pull it out of the oven, this one isn't for you. It makes a much prettier presentation carved and on a platter. Don't judge a book by its cover though! It was delicious!***


French Chicken in a Pot
Cooks Illustrated magazine

Ingredients:
1 roasting chicken (4 1/2 - 5lbs), giblets removed and discarded, wings tucked under back
2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped medium (about 1/2 c.)
1 small stalk celery, chopped medium (about 1/4 c.)
6 medium garlic cloves, peeled and trimmed
1 bay leaf
1 medium sprig fresh rosemary (I used dried rosemary)
1/2–1 tsp juice from 1 lemon

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken breast-side down; scatter onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary (if using) around chicken. Cook until breast is lightly browned, about 5 mins.

Using a wooden spoon inserted into cavity of bird, flip chicken breast-side up and cook until chicken and vegetables are well browned, 6 to 8 mins. Remove Dutch oven from heat; place large sheet of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Transfer pot to oven and cook until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, 80 to 110 mins.

Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with foil, and rest 20 mins.

Meanwhile, strain chicken juices from pot through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids (you should have about 3/4 c. juices). Allow liquid to settle 5 mins, then pour into saucepan and set over low heat. Carve chicken, adding any accumulated juices to saucepan. Stir lemon juice into jus to taste.

Serve chicken, passing jus at table. (I sprinkled the chicken with thyme before serving.)