Crispy chicken au jus
“How many different ways can you prepare a chicken?” Rosaria asked me the other night. She was watching me put two free-range birds up on the cutting board as I was getting ready to de-bone them.
“I don’t know, about a million,” I suggested off handedly. “Why, are you tired of the way I make chicken?” She smiled at me, batted her eyelashes and vigorously nodded her head.
“Fine, try this,” I retorted.
Here’s what I made and how I did it. I called it Robert’s FRC-Free Range Chix au jus.
For the chicken:
1 organic/free range chicken, about 3-3 ½ lb, cut up into 8 pieces with skin on
4 Tbsp canola oil
salt & pepper
For the au jus:
1 cup white wine
½ cup rice wine vinegar (Chinese Black vinegar, preferably)
¼ cup light soy sauce
¼ cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp honey
4 star anise, whole
2 tsp Sichuan pepper (or black peppercorns)
4 whole cloves
2 allspice berries, ground in a mortar
2 tsp cassia bark (substitute 2 cinnamon sticks)
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp cumin
For the chive oil:
1/3 cup chopped chives
½ cup sesame oil
For the Vegetables:
2 medium onions
½ head of garlic, peeled and minced
4 red jalapeño peppers, seeded and cut into strips (or Thai bird chilies, if available)
4 Tbsp peanut oil
• Put all the ingredients for the “au jus” in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes.
• For the chive oil, put chopped chives and sesame oil in a blender and process until smooth. Transfer from the blender to a metal bowl, inserted in a larger bowl filled with iced water (the friction of the blender blade can overheat the oil).
• Take the onions, garlic, and jalapeño and put them in a sauté pan with 4 Tbsp of peanut oil and cook covered over very low heat for 25 minutes or until tender and translucent. Make sure to stir frequently to avoid burning and sticking.
• Meanwhile, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and sauté them skin side down in the canola oil over medium heat. Cook them until the skin is golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Keep an eye on them and move them around in the pan so they don’t burn or stick. When they’re browned, flip them over and continue to cook the other side for another 8 minutes. When both sides are nicely browned, put a lid on the pan and transfer it to a 350° oven for about 10 minutes.
• To plate, warm the serving plates in the oven or the microwave. Place a small mound of the onions and peppers in the center of the plate. Add two pieces of the chicken on top and spoon some of the au jus on and around the chicken. Top the chicken with some of the chive oil and serve. Will yield 3-4 servings.
And, yes, it was a new way to make chicken, and Rosaria seemed to like it. That only leaves 999,999 more ways to go.
RMA