Author Notes
This is a no fail recipe that I taught my male friends in university when they wanted to impress a date and pretend they could cook (they called it "third date chicken"). It is a modified version from my Great Uncle who lived to be 98 and worked for Vogue. He referred to it as "beauty paste" and it is, because the chicken will never be dryed out. There is no basting and the result is a light rich crust that will make Sunday chicken a thing of beauty with such simplicty. Just add the vegetables and a crisp salad and your done. Easy, elegant. —SaySchwartzAndBeSure
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Ingredients
- Beauty Paste for the Chicken
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5 tablespoons
soft unsalted butter
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5 or 6 tablespoons
dry hot mustard powder
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1 tablespoon
fresh thyme leaves
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Fresh ground black pepper
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1
organic free range roaster (3-5 pounds)
- Roasted Vegetables
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3
organic carrots
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2
leeks (white part)
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2
celery stalks or 3/4 cup of celeric root
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2
small white turnips (apple size)
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12
baby purple or red potatoes
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1
red onion quartered
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1 teaspoon
smoked herb sea salt
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Fresh ground white pepper
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Pinch
lemon zest
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1 tablespoon
olive oil
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Large yellow onion for chicken
Directions
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Take an organic freerange roaster that will feed 6 comfortably, wash inside and out and trim excess fat. Pat dry and set aside.
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In a small bowl put softened butter and dry mustard, whisk until smooth.
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Add pepper to taste and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Mix again gently and set aside.
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Gather organic vegetables wash and cut into large bite size pieces except for the potatoes which will be fine as they are.
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Toss in a large bowl with smoked herb sea salt, pepper, zest and oil until well covered. Put all veggies in a low roasting dish that you can serve to the table.
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When chicken is completly dry put a generous amount of salt and pepper on the inside and a large yellow onion quartered.
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Take chicken firmly in one hand and use the other to scoop the beauty paste and smother the outside of the chicken thickly. It is important it is very well covered. If the chicken is larger than you thought, make more paste, it only takes a minute. Don't worry about the very bottom.
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Place the chicken in a roasting pan that is not much larger than the chicken. Do not worry about the amount of butter - it melts off and leaves a light crisp crust of mustard that is amazingly mild and rich. DO NOT BASTE.
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If you like save a little of the butter for the veggies to glaze them at the end. Roast the veggies at a higher heat, 450 for 30-45 minutes and turn so they do not stick.
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Cook the chicken at a high heat, 400 for twenty minutes, then turn down to 350 until done -about 1 1/4 hours. Remove from pan and rest 10 min.
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Serve on a platter whole as the crust will be golden and textured, the interior incredibly moist. Carve at the table. (This works equally well with chicken pieces if you are just learning and don't know how to carve). Enjoy
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