Roast Chicken for Two (Balthazar)

Submitted by Brookelynne26

• Ready In: 1hr 15mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 2

ingredients

• 3 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
• 6 sprigs thyme, finely chopped
• 8 sprigs flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 3 1⁄2 lbs chicken, rinsed and dried
• 1 head garlic, sliced horizontally in half
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 lb of peeled baby carrots
• 1 medium celery root, peeled and diced into 1-inch chunks
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, and quartered
• white wine

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, combine half the rosemary, thyme and parsley with the softened butter, using a fork to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Gently loosen the skin from the breast meat. Slide in a small dab of the herb butter. Massage the skin a little to work the butter around. Next do the same thing to the skin on the back. Season the cavity with salt, pepper and stuff in the leftover chopped herbs and the garlic. Smear the skin with any remaining herb butter and season with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with a small piece of butcher's twine and fold the wings under.
4. Over a high flame, heat the olive oil in a heavy, oven-proof saute pan or roasting pan until it smokes. Place the bird on its side, searing the leg and breast. Leave it untouched in the pan for about 4 minutes unbtil the skin has turned golden brown. The cookbook used the word "burnished" which I sort of love. Using a pair of tongs, turn to brown the other breast, and then the top and bottom of the bird, being carefull not to pierce the skin with said tongs.
5. At this point add the vegetables and toss to coat in the olive oil and rendered chicken fat. Add the chicken stock and place the pan in the oven. Roast the chicken for about 40 minutes (for 5 pound birds, I roasted them for 1 hour). If the chicken starts to get too dark, cover with a loose foil tent. To test for doneness, pierce the joint where the leg connects to the body - the juices should run clear (the internal temperature should be 155 degrees F).
6. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the roasting pan and cover with foil. Place the pan on the stove over a high heat. If it seems to oily, remove some of the fat with a spoon. Add the wine and deglaze the pan to make the pan sauce. Continue to cook the sauce until it's reduced by half and thickened. You probably won't need to add any flour or anything, although I did add about a teaspoon of butter right at the end.