Roast chicken with Rosemary
Ingredients
For the chicken:
Whole chicken with skin, neck and giblets removed from the cavity: 1 (800 to 900 gm)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Rosemary sprigs: 2 (7-inch)
Olive oil: quarter cup
Unsalted butter: 100 gm
8 to 8 sauce: half teaspoon
Worcestershire sauce: half teaspoon
Medium onion: 2, cut roughly
Medium carrot: 2, cut roughly
Medium garlic cloves: 4, smashed
For the sauce:
Unsalted butter: 2 tablespoons
Finely chopped shallot: 2 tablespoons
All-purpose flour: 3 tablespoons
Low-sodium chicken broth or stock: 2 cups
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
For the chicken:
Mix the ingredients all together and keep it aside.
Place the chicken on a work surface or cutting board and pat it dry with paper towels. Season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight.
Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature.
Place the chicken in the reserved frying pan and brush it with some of the reserved butter-oil mixture. Place in the oven and roast, basting every 15 minutes, until the skin is browned, the juices run clear, and a thermometer inserted into the inner thigh (but not touching the bone) registers 165°F, about 60 to 1hour 15 minutes.
Remove the tray and drain the juice and strain and keep it aside.
For the sauce:
When the chicken is done, transfer it to a cutting board, tipping the chicken as you remove it from the pan to let the juices from the cavity drip back into the pan. Cover the chicken with a piece of aluminium foil. Finely chop the remaining two lemon wedges, and, using your fingers, crumble the reserved rosemary leaves; set both aside separately.
Pour the drippings from the roasted chicken into a medium heatproof bowl. Let it sit for a few minutes for the fat to rise to the top, then skim the fat off with a spoon and discard (alternatively, use a fat separator); set the drippings aside.
Place the frying pan over medium heat and add the butter. When it foams, add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about three minutes. Add the drip and stir for three minutes until the stock is reduced by half, about three minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the raw taste has cooked off, about two minutes.
Slowly whisk in the broth or stock, whisking out any lumps. And add the crumbled rosemary. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let cook until thickened and slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Classic Carrot Cupcakes
Yields: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour One and a half cup
Baking powder: One and a half teaspoon
Baking soda: One and a half teaspoon
Ground Cinnamon:One and a half teaspoon
Ground nutmeg: Half teaspoon
Salt: Half teaspoon
Coconut oil, melted: One tablespoon
Egg: One
Vanilla essence: Two teaspoon
Low fat yogurt: One fourth cup
Maple syrup or honey: Half a cup
Low fat milk: One fourth cup
Grated carrots:Two cups
Method:
Preheat the oven to 175°C.
Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg, and vanilla essence.
Mix in the yogurt, stirring to achieve smooth consistency without lumps.
Mix in the maple syrup.
Add the flour mixture and then milk, stirring just until incorporated.
Now fold in the carrots.
Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 175°C for 23-25 minutes, or check with a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean, then they are done.
Let it stand in the pan for few minutes before turning them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
You may frost these with cream cheese frosting. Ensure they are completely cooled before frosting them.
Courtesy: Woodrose Club - Brigade Hospitality Services
