Fantastic with 2002 Bell Mountain Ranch 'Red'
The grapes are being harvested, the leaves are starting to change color and the mornings are staying darker for longer. This is the perfect time to rework classic recipes with the goal of enjoying simple, comforting yet elegant dishes. Nothing else helps you to assimilate to the change in seasons like great food and wine – enjoy with 2002 Bell Mountain Ranch Red and you will not be disappointed.
Heat the Oven to 375?F. Place the cleaned, washed and dried bird into a roasting pan and rub it all over with butter. Don’t be afraid to use a lot of butter but make sure that the entire chicken is covered and a good amount deposited inside the cavity as well. Cut the lemon in two and put one half inside the chicken alongside the butter (for company) and squeeze the other all over the outside. Place the freshly squeezed half into the roasting pan with the head of garlic. Season the chicken with plenty of good quality sea salt (Maldon is delicious) and freshly ground black pepper before putting into the oven for the hour and half or so it will take to transform your dish into a bubbling, golden-skinned delight. Cooking time depends on the size of the bird but one thing remains constant – once it is cooked, let it rest for ten minutes or so before serving. One of the most satisfying ways of ‘carving’ a chicken is to separate quarters by hand. The legs and wings will come away easily from a well cooked bird, as will each breast which can then be carved. The pan juices can be augmented with a glass of white wine to help remove the caramelized goodness that rests in the bottom – squash the lemon and the garlic that have reduced down into the resulting liquid. Don’t forget to season the resulting juice with salt and pepper to taste (minus garlic and lemon carcass) before serving over the finished dish.
One thing that works great with this dish are roasted potatoes. Find a nutty, floury variety (preferably locally grown) and peel them. Boil for ten minutes in salted water before draining and tipping them into the roasting pan alongside the chicken for the final hour of cooking. Take care to shake the potatoes a little when draining them to ensure that their edges become flaky and bruised – a key step in creating the ultimate crisp, frilly edged roasted potato. Feel free to prepare other seasonal vegetables in a similar fashion – parsnips, shallots and fennel are my personal favorites. Another way to tweak this dish is to coat the chicken with slabs of bacon half way through the cooking process….delicious!
Call 707.431.8845 | Reservations
