It's Chicken Day!

[Chef Kate]

Today is the day!
We'll be roasting chicken in the French style with Chia's fabulous pictures.

There are a number of recipes from which to choose:

Poulet Roti With Wild Mushrooms #187191
Poulet Rôti En Crapaudine (Roast Chicken Breasts Matou) #187188
Poulet Roti Au Beurre (Butter Roasted Chicken) #187187
Roast Chicken With Ginger, Macaroni and Caramelized Tomatoes #135400
French Roast Chicken Julia Child's recipe posted by Chipotle Chuck #57199

and a fusion kind of recipe--Djedj Mechoui (Algerian Poulet Roti/Roast Chicken) #187196

[chia]

i will be roasting and taking step by step photos of Poulet Roti With Wild Mushrooms-
hope you can all cook along!

[Tasty Tidbits]

I did a whole thing on my blog on how to roast the perfect chicken back in June.

http://journals.aol.co.uk/mariealicejoan/MariesMuses/entries/2006/07/20/how-to-roast-a-chicken/1672

[Chef Kate]

Great linkl--I've bookmarked it, MarieAlice.

You do chicken the French way! Come to class and share your tips!

[PanNan]

I'll make chicken today - French Roast Chicken by ChipotleChick.

I'm not sure I can cook along, as it will be for our dinner this evening, and I have some errands to run this afternoon, so I may follow your footsteps a little afterwards, if that's okay.

[Chef Kate]

So happy you'll join us, Nan!
Why am I not surprised that you, Miss Julia Child Rose, have chosen to make Julia's recipe?

[PanNan]

You know me well!

I've had that one earmarked in my book for some time, and thought this was a good time to make it.

[Chef Kate]

Drop in when you can. And the class will be archived...

[PanNan]

MarieAlice wrote:
I did a whole thing on my blog on how to roast the perfect chicken back in June.

http://journals.aol.co.uk/mariealicejoan/MariesMuses/entries/2006/07/20/how-to-roast-a-chicken/1672

Nice blog MarieAlice. I just love your cottage - it reminds me of fairy tales.

[chia]

i think i am serving my chicken for lunch, as dd3 is home for the holiday with her bf-
here's my mis-en-place

minus the bird

[Chef Kate]

Chia roasting her poulet in her Le Creuset.

[chia]

and with-


i should note that i am using a fresh kosher chicken, and no giblets were included, i cut off the neck to use for the gravy.

[Chef Kate]

A word about what sort of chicken to use. My preference is always for a fresh, farm-raised chicken. Kosher chickens, organic chickens rather than the typical packaged supermarket chicken.

I use Bell and Evans chicken a lot--which is available at my local market. I also buy chicken at the farmers' market where I know the chicken has been raised on orgainic feed (no drugs or chemicals) and allowed some freedom of movement.

For the most part, the roasting chickens I get weigh between 3 and 1/2 pounds and five pounds, with most closer to 4 pounds.

It's interesting to know what you all use and what is available to you.

[Chef Kate]

From MarieAlice's Blog on roastting chicken:

"Start off with a free range organic bird. The flavour just can't be beat. "

We agree!

There are those who suggest brining supermarket birds -- soaking them over night in a heavily salted water bath, but it seems to me to be a lot of effort with questionable results.

[Queen Dragon Mom]

PanNan wrote:

MarieAlice wrote:
I did a whole thing on my blog on how to roast the perfect chicken back in June.

http://journals.aol.co.uk/mariealicejoan/MariesMuses/entries/2006/07/20/how-to-roast-a-chicken/1672

Nice blog MarieAlice. I just love your cottage - it reminds me of fairy tales.

Yes, me, too! I have supper planned for tonight and tomorrow and until about Thursday, egad, but am making the french-roast chicken then. That picture got me drooling and it's only going to get worse as this whole procedure rolls along today.