Lemongrass Whole Roasted Chicken Food

CHICKEN ROASTED WITH LEMONGRASS AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Puree the first 7 ingredients, 3 tablespoons oil, and 2 tablespoons sugar in blender. Place chicken in resealable plastic bag. Add lemongrass marinade and seal; turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and season with salt. Add chicken, skin side down, to skillet. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Turn skin side up; transfer skillet to oven. Roast until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add green beans, bell pepper, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and cook until beans are tender and liquid reduces enough to coat beans, about 5 minutes. Divide between 2 plates. Top with chicken.
• *Available at Asian markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

LEMONGRASS WHOLE ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove 2 Tbsp of lemongrass and set aside in a small bowl. Combine the remaining lemongrass, shallot, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, fish sauce, chili flakes and salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat, tucking some marinade underneath the skin. Pour any excess marinade into the bird cavity. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap, then marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Bring the chicken to room temperature before baking.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Put the chicken, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Turn the bird over and roast until the chicken is cooked and nicely browned, about 20 to 30 minutes more. About 10 minutes before the chicken is done, combine the remaining 2 Tbsp lemongrass with the cilantro and oil. Brush the mixture on the bird, then continue to roast until it is done and the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce and fried or steamed rice. (The pan juices are delicious on the rice).
• Sauce:.
• Place the garlic, chilies and sugar in a mortar and pound into a paste. (You can also chop the garlic and chilies by hand.) Transfer to a small bowl and add the soy sauce, lime juice and water. Stir until well blended. This sauce will keep up to 3 weeks if stored in the refrigerator in a tight-lidded jar.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMON GRASS

Steps:

• If you are using fresh lemon grass, discard the outer leaves and upper half of the stalk. Cut into thin slices and chop fine. If you are using dried lemon grass, soak in warm water for 1 hour, then drain and chop fine. Place the lemon grass, garlic, shallots, chilies, sugar, salt, fish sauce and 2 tablespoons water in a blender and blend to a paste.
• Rinse the chicken well and pat dry. Carefully loosen the skin on the breast and legs, pushing your fingers between the skin and meat to form a pocket. Rub half of the lemon grass paste over the meat under the skin. Rub the remaining paste over the skin and inside the cavity. Tuck the wings underneath; tie the legs with twine. Let stand for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue roasting for 1 1/4 hours, basting the chicken with the vegetable oil and the pan juices. The chicken is done when it registers 180 to 185 degrees on an instant-reading meat thermometer. Let the chicken stand for 10 minutes. Serve with white rice and nuoc cham dipping sauce (see recipe).