Spatchcocked Chicken With Sourdough Croutons Schmaltz Food

SPATCHCOCKED CORNISH HEN WITH BABY LEAF SALAD AND SOURDOUGH CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and leave the bread slices out on the wire rack to dry a little.
• To spatchcock the Cornish hen, get some strong, sharp scissors (or poultry shears) and cut down either side of the spine, take out the spine, then press down on the breast to open it out flat. Cut the Cornish hen in half. Put it into a small roasting pan; you can toss in the spine to give extra flavor for the dressing later.
• Drizzle the hen with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, sprinkle with paprika and thyme sprigs, and throw in the unpeeled garlic cloves. Roast until the Cornish hen is reddish-gold on top, and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the golden raisins into a small saucepan with the vermouth or white wine. Bring to a bubble over low heat on the stove top. Remove the pan from the heat, and leave for about 10 minutes or, better still, leave it to cool while the Cornish hen is roasting.
• Toast the pine nuts in a hot, dry frying pan over low heat until golden. Remove the pine nuts from the pan to a small bowl. Slice the crusts from the bread and cut into croutons. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the frying pan and fry the croutons until golden and crisp. Remove to a plate.
• Once the bird is cooked, take the pan out of the oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Discard the spine and thyme sprigs. Arrange the salad leaves on a couple of plates. Whisk together the Dijon mustard, salt, vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of the cold-pressed canola or extra-virgin olive oil in a bowl. Remove the Cornish hen and garlic cloves to a board, add the juices from the roasting pan to the dressing, and whisk again. If you want to get every last bit of pan-flavor out, add a little hot water from a recently boiled kettle and swirl it around the pan Add this liquid to the dressing, then whisk in the soused golden raisins.
• Set each half of Cornish hen on top of the salad on the plates and add 2 garlic cloves (provided they don't look too burned, though scorched and caramelly is good). Give the dressing a final whisk and pour it over the hen and the salad. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, croutons, and a few fresh sprigs of thyme.

SPATCHCOCK ROAST CHICKEN WITH SCHMALTZY POTATOES AND GREEN GODDESS SAUCE

Steps:

• Locate the backbone of the chicken and cut all the way through the bird along both sides of the backbone. Save the bone for stock. Turn the chicken over and press down firmly to crack the keel bone. Your chicken is now spatchcocked and will lay flat.
• Sprinkle salt all over the chicken from 8 inches above the bird. That ensures the salt falls evenly over the chicken. Place on a baking sheet or a baking pan and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 hours and up to 36 hours.
• When the chicken is ready, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a sheet tray. Place the chicken over the bed of potatoes, breast-side up and wings tucked under, then brush with olive oil.
• Roast for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 400 degrees F and roast until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F, about 40 minutes more. You can make the Green Goddess Sauce now.
• When the chicken is fully cooked, place it on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. While waiting for the chicken, put the potatoes back in the oven at 450 degrees F and roast until crispy, another 10 to 15 minutes.
• To serve, slice the chicken breasts off the bone and slice each breast at an angle into 1-inch slices. Remove the wings and leg quarters and separate the thigh from the drumstick. The remaining carcass can be saved and frozen to make chicken stock. Serve the chicken with the schmaltz potatoes and Green Goddess Sauce.
• Soak the cashews in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain, then add the soaked cashews, 6 tablespoons water, the lemon juice, olive oil, horseradish, maple syrup, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a high-speed blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Add the cilantro, parsley, tarragon, dill and green onion and blend until all the herbs are fully incorporated. The sauce can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. If it becomes thick, thin with water as needed.

ROASTED SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Rinse the chicken, pat dry and rub all over with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Generously season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot, place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan. Cook until the skin starts to crisp on the edges and the color is golden brown. Flip the chicken over with tongs, taking care not to splatter oil toward yourself, and add the garlic, rosemary and thyme around the chicken in the pan. Squeeze a lemon half over the top and place both lemon halves in the pan, cut sides down.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the chicken (skin side up) for 30 to 35 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 155˚ F when inserted in the thickest part of a breast. Let rest for about 10 minutes, then carve and serve with pan juices.

SOURDOUGH CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Combine melted butter, Italian seasoning, olive oil, and kosher salt in a large bowl; add bread cubes and toss to coat. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the bread cubes; toss to coat. Spread onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN ROASTED ON SOURDOUGH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Whisk to combine and then set aside.
• Lay the chicken on a cutting board breast-side down, with the legs closest to you. Use kitchen shears to cut out the back bone. Open the chicken sides like a book to reveal the ribs and sternum. Use a chef's knife to score the sternum vertically down the center then use your hands and body weight to crack the sternum and flatten the breasts and rib cage. Season the chicken all over with 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of pepper.
• Melt the butter in a large, oven-safe skillet and then take off of the heat. Brush about 1 tablespoon of the butter over the top (the skin side) of the chicken. Dust the chicken with the spice mixture and season with additional salt and pepper. Rub the edges of the bread slices with the garlic. Turn the slices of bread in the butter to coat, then arrange them in an even, slightly overlapping layer in the skillet; sprinkle with the pepper flakes. Place the chicken on top, skin-side up. Roast, rotating the chicken in the skillet halfway through (so that any previously uncovered bread gets covered, until the skin is golden brown and an instant read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 160 degrees F, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Let the chicken rest 5 minutes then carve and serve topped with parsley, with the bread and lemon wedges on the side.