Salt Baked Chickens With Spring Vegetable And Mushroom Ragout Food

MUSHROOM AND SPRING VEGETABLE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Cut asparagus just below the tips, then on an angle at 1/4-inch intervals, discarding the woody part at the bottom. Set aside.
• Bring water to a simmer and add 2 teaspoons of the salt. Keep on a low simmer.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and browned. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste, and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, add another 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat and let brown slightly until nutty. Add the shallot to the pot and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir so that it is coated with the butter and glossy, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Add the vermouth and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it is absorbed by the rice. Add the thyme springs. Ladle in about 1/2 cup of the simmering water and stir constantly, until the rice again absorbs the liquid, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Continue ladling in about 1/2 cup of water at a time, stirring between additions and letting the rice absorb the liquid before adding more.
• When rice has absorbed about half the water (about 10 minutes into cooking process), stir in lemon zest. Continue stirring and adding water, 5 minutes more. Add asparagus. When rice is tender but al dente, after 20 or so minutes of cooking time, stop adding water. Vigorously beat in the remaining butter and cheese. Add the mushrooms, peas and lemon juice and stir just until heated through. Remove from heat. Let risotto rest for a minute or so before serving. Divide among 4 warm bowls, grind a generous amount of pepper over each, and serve.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH SPRING VEGETABLE GRAVY

Steps:

• Let the chicken sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425˚. Remove 4 strips zest from the lemon with a vegetable peeler. Cut the lemon in half and set aside. Toss the sliced fennel, garlic, onion and lemon zest with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a roasting pan; set a rack on top. Place the chicken breast-side up on the rack. Squeeze 1/2 lemon over the chicken, then rub with the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; season inside and out with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then place the squeezed lemon half and fennel tops (breaking to fit) in the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
• Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast 45 minutes. Mix the broth and vermouth in a measuring cup. Spoon a few tablespoons over the chicken and into the pan. Continue roasting, basting every 15 minutes with the broth mixture, until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching the bone) registers 165˚, 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes (halfway through, tip the cavity juices into the pan). You should have about 1/2 cup of the broth mixture left.
• Let the chicken rest 10 minutes in the pan. Tip the cavity juices into the pan again, then transfer the chicken to a cutting board; let rest 30 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the rack from the pan and pour in any remaining broth mixture, scraping up any browned bits; gently smash the vegetables. Pour the broth and vegetables into a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium saucepan; press to release the juices (discard the solids).
• Bring the juices to a simmer over medium heat; season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, add the butter and swirl to melt. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice from the remaining 1/2 lemon. Carve the chicken and serve with the gravy.

CHICKEN RAGOUT

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add in the onion; cook/stir 9-10 minutes, until golden.
• Add in mushrooms; cook/stir for 4 minutes; set mixture aside.
• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; heat a 5-quart Dutch oven over med-high heat.
• Add in chicken; brown it on each side.
• Deglaze pan with the wine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom.
• Add in the soup mix, dried fines herbs, broth, bay leaf, and reserved onion/mushroom mixture.
• Cover the pan and simmer for 45 minutes, turning chicken several times during the cooking time.
• Remove bay leaf and serve.

CHICKEN & MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• Put a large pot of water on to boil.
• Pour tomatoes and their juice into a medium bowl. Using your hands, break the tomatoes into chunks.
• Heat oil in an electric pressure cooker on Sauté mode. Add onion, carrots and mushrooms; cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, garlic and tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is coated and the mixture at the bottom of the pan is beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add wine, salt, crushed red pepper and the tomatoes. Cook, scraping up the browned bits, until beginning to boil, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Close and lock the lid. Cook at High pressure for 10 minutes. Release the pressure manually. Stir in rosemary.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and serve topped with the sauce, cheese and parsley.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper, then place skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Squeeze 1/2 lemon over the chicken and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes and radishes in half and cut the scallions into thirds. Toss the potatoes, radishes, carrots and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the oven and scatter the vegetables around it. Continue to roast until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is golden and cooked through, about 20 more minutes. Squeeze the remaining 1/2 lemon over the chicken and vegetables. Top with the dill and season with salt.

CHICKEN WITH SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450˚ F. Toss the carrots and fennel with 2 tablespoons olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring halfway through, until tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Add the asparagus, season with salt and roast until bright green and crisp-tender, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and cook until well browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 3 to 5 more minutes. Carefully add the vermouth to the skillet and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the chicken to a cutting board to rest, about 5 minutes. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the heavy cream and mustard to the pan juices, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley and vinegar.
• Divide the vegetables among plates. Slice the chicken and add to the plates; spoon the pan sauce on top.

MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• In a small bowl, soak the dried mushrooms in 1/4 cup of hot water for 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid and coarsely chop. Strain and reserve the liquid.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and shallots, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, porcini, rosemary, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and the reserved mushroom liquid and simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half. Add the tomatoes and a 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and butter over high heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the mushrooms. Lower the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and season with pepper to taste. Add the mushrooms to the tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve as is, or with pasta, polenta, or toasted bread.