Better than the New Restaurant

Wine: (from Bea)
Melville Chardonnay 2003
Kosta Browne 2005 Pinot Noir Reserve


We wanted to have a roast chicken for dinner and planned a meal around it.
The LA Times reviewed a new French Bistro, so we went there on Monday night and had a whole chicken for two. Lots of leftovers.

We planned to make our own version the next night.
We used a recipe from the New York Times, by: Laurent Tourondel named: A Bird with a Secret Under its Skin. This dish was far better than the chicken from the restaurant. We love it!
Once again we made a Fall Salad of: Pomegranate, Persimmons, Almonds, Prosciutto dressed with Saba. Cheese, Almonds and Saba from The Cheesestore of Silverlake.

The Potatoes are cooked under the chicken with lots of butter and onions they were delicious.

For desert we served German Chocolate Cake from Perfectly Sweet.

A great meal!

Roast Chicken with Preserved Lemons
Adapted from Laurent Tourondel
Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

1 6 1/2- to 7-pound chicken
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) soft butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons finely diced onions, plus 2 large onions, sliced
1/4 cup finely diced preserved lemons (available at Middle Eastern markets and specialty food stores)
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
3 pounds unpeeled fingerling potatoes, cut in two lengthwise
8 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/4 cup olive oil.

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Using a cleaver, chop wings from chicken at joint closest to breast; reserve.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter, one tablespoon rosemary, diced onions, lemons and bread crumbs to form a thick paste. Using your fingers, separate skin from breast of chicken, and slather mixture under skin about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle skin liberally with salt.
3. Place wings in a roasting pan, and place chicken on top. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining rosemary, the potatoes, garlic, sliced onions, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to mix well and add to pan around chicken. Roast, occasionally basting chicken and tossing potatoes, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife at joint of leg, about 1 1/2 hours. Carve and serve each portion with some seasoned skin and potatoes and onions.
Yield: 6 servings.