I start prepping out some herbs, but the blush on that chicken keeps drawing my eye, almost as if it were pulsing. Nobody’s making great art with chicken, but it might be fun to play around. Which knife, I wonder? The santoku would certainly bring her to heel. But the vintage carbon-steel French chef’s knife would be more pleasurable. Or the steely discipline of the Wüsthof? That rack truly holds a knife for my every mood.
“Yes, quite a collection,” I say aloud. It suddenly occurs to me that this beautiful chicken is like a virgin block of marble, just waiting for a sculptor’s tools to elevate it above the everyday. This bird’s delicious, glowing shade of pink seems to want to prove to me that a real artist, one with finesse, technique, and a good knife, could make a transcendent chicken.
“I couldn’t agree more,” I mumble to myself, impressed by my own idea. I count my knives to calm myself. “Fifty blades, to be precise. This kitchen is my domain. I need to have complete control when I prep.”
I realize I’ve been talking to myself, so I may as well talk to the chicken. I remember Julia used to do that on her show. My television babysitter as a child. I remember the constant smell of Tater Tots. Fucking hell.
I don’t want to repeat the whole radish experience. Am I ready to take on a new Ingredient, something as humdrum as chicken? How do you finesse chicken? I groan inwardly at all the possibilities this presents. Well, getting there is going to be half the fun.
“It’s all about finesse, Miss Hen.” Christ, I’m lecturing a fucking chicken. “I have enormous respect for food. To derive deep satisfaction from the mundane: tournéing a radish, cutting a potato, portioning a syllabub. These form the foundation of what I do.”
A syllabub? I might be losing my marbles. But the chicken draws me onward with her ravishing skin. Everything about this humble, exquisite bird points to how the ordinary can be raised to the extraordinary. Through the disheveled plastic I can make out the curve of her perfect breast.
And there you have it. I have to come up with fifty recipes by next month, I’m talking to a chicken, and I have a hard-on.
Taters, Baby
Rival Radish Salad
Beaten Chocolate Foam
Hot Bird Cocktail
Taters, Baby
crispy roasted potatoes with garlic and thyme
SERVES 4
Kosher salt
1½ pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes
6 garlic cloves, smashed but not peeled
3 tablespoons chicken fat, olive oil, or peanut oil
Freshly ground black pepper
6 thyme sprigs
1 Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes until just tender, 15 to 25 minutes depending upon how big they are. Drain and let cool.
2 Preheat the oven to 425°F. Use your hands to lightly smash the potatoes. Toss the potatoes and garlic with the chicken fat or oil and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with more salt and pepper and top with the thyme sprigs. Roast until golden brown all over, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve with chicken.
Rival Radish Salad
radish salad with cucumbers, sesame, and ginger
SERVES 4
3 cups thinly sliced radishes (from 1 bunch)
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
4 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoons grated ginger
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
3 Kirby cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 Combine the radishes, chives, sesame oil, lemon juice, ginger, and salt in a small bowl and toss to combine. Let stand 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, toss the cucumbers and soy sauce.
2 Mound the radishes in the center of a large platter and place the cucumbers all around. Serve.
Beaten Chocolate Foam
bittersweet chocolate sabayon
SERVES 2 TO 4
¼ cup sugar
⅓ cup ruby port
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of fine sea salt
Fresh raspberries, for serving
1 Bring a medium pot filled halfway with water to a simmer. In a heatproof bowl large enough to sit over (but not touch) the water, whisk together the sugar, port, egg yolks, cocoa, and salt.
2 Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture is thick, foamy, and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.
3 Fill serving dishes with berries and immediately spoon the sabayon over the top.
Hot Bird Cocktail
bourbon with rosemary syrup and lemon
SERVES 1
2 ounces bourbon, preferably 100-proof, such as Wild Turkey or Fighting Cock
1 teaspoon Rosemary Simple Syrup (see box)
Splash of Old Speckled Hen ale
Twist of lemon
Rosemary sprig, for garnish
Stir the bourbon and syrup with ice. Strain into a chilled rocks glass and add a splash of ale. Rub the rim of a glass with a lemon twist. Garnish with the twist and a rosemary sprig, or, optionally, a clean roasted chicken bone.
ROSEMARY SIMPLE SYRUP
In a small saucepan, heat ½ cup of sugar with ½ cup water and 2 tablespoons of roughly chopped rosemary needles. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the syrup thickens and the sugar dissolves. Let cool. Store in the refrigerator.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THANK YOU to all the people who made this book possible.
First and foremost, many thanks to the Poultry Posse at Clarkson Potter: Doris Cooper, Erica Gelbard, Carly Gorga, Stephanie Huntwork, Pam Krauss, Donna Passannante, Jane Treuhaft, and Kate Tyler.
Thanks to the photography team responsible for the food porn—photographer and chicken wrangler John von Pamer and chicken stylist Michelli Knauer.
Finally, thank you to my understanding spouse, who claimed not to mind eating chicken every night for weeks, and put up with the endless “why did the chicken cross the road” jokes. (One answer: there was a racy cookbook on the other side.)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
FL FOWLER is a pseudonym.
INDEX
Almond and Herb Pesto, Butterflied Roasted Chicken with, photo, 3.2
Apples and Cinnamon, Roasted Chicken Thighs with
Apricot Jam, Sage, and Lemon Zest, Baked Chicken with, 1.1, photo
Avocado
Hearts of Palm, and Orange Salsa, Roasted Chicken with, 3.1, photo
Jalepeño Chicken Wings with
Bacon
Maple-Glazed Wings with, 2.1, photo
and Sweet Paprika, Roasted Chicken with, photo, 1.2
Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches
Basil, Fresh, Mustard, and Garlic, Roasted Chicken with, photo, 1.2
Beans
Chicken Chili, photo, 1.2
Roasted Chicken with Harissa, Preserved Lemons, Chickpeas, and Mint
Beaten Chocolate Foam
Beer-Can Chicken, Grilled, with Cajun Mayonnaise
Bourbon
and Brown Sugar, Chicken Fingers with, photo, 2.2
with Rosemary Syrup and Lemon
Brandy-Vanilla Butter, Roasted Chicken with, photo, 1.2
Brown Sugar and Bourbon, Chicken Fingers with, photo, 2.2
Carrots, Celery, and Onion, Roasted Chicken with
Cashews and Coconut Curry, Crispy Chicken Tenders with, 2.1, photo
Cheese
Chicken Submarine Sandwiches with Mozzarella, 3.1, photo
Crunchy Chicken Parmesan Croquettes, 3.1, photo
Cherries and Herbs, Roasted Chicken with, 1.1, photo
Chicken (breasts)
Chicken Strip Tease
Chicken Sub, 3.1, photo
Extra-Virgin Breasts
Flattered Breasts
Go Get the Butter Breasts, 2.1, photo
Pound Me Tender, 2.1, photo
Steamy White Meat, 2.1, photo
&
nbsp; Sticky Fingers, photo, 2.2
Chicken (cooked)
Chicken Under the Covers, photo, 3.2
Coquettish Croquettes, 3.1, photo
Hashing It Out the Morning After, 2.1, photo
Inner Green Goddess Chicken Salad, 2.1, photo
Pulled Pullet
Chicken (cut-up pieces)
Blushing Parts, 2.1, photo
Chile-Lashed Fricassee, 1.1, photo
Cock au Vin
Cream-Slicked Chick
Flame-Licked Chick
Jealous Chicken, 2.1, photo
Jerked-Around Chicken
Please Don’t Stop Chicken, 1.1, photo
Totally Fried Chicken, 1.1, photo
Chicken (ground)
Sexy Sliders, photo, 3.2
Spicy Fowl, photo, 1.2
Chicken (legs)
Holy Mole Chicken
Chicken (livers)
Whipped Livers
Chicken (thighs)
Chicken Thighs, Stirred Up and Fried Hard, 2.1, photo
Dripping Thighs, 2.1, photo
Red Cheeks
Skewered Chicken, photo, 2.2
Thighs Spread Wide
Chicken (whole)
Backdoor Beer-Can Chicken
Basted Bird
Chicken with a Lardon, photo, 1.2
Chicken with Hearts and Flowers, 3.1, photo
Come Hither Chicken
Erect Chicken, photo, 3.2
Happy Ending Chicken, photo, 3.2
Hog-Tied and Porked Chicken
Hot Rubbed Chicken
Learning to Truss You, 1.1, photo
Mustard-Spanked Chicken, photo, 1.2
Plain Vanilla Chicken, photo, 1.2
Popped-Cherry Pullet, 1.1, photo
Roast Me All Night Long Chicken
Safeword Fowl
Spatchcocked Chicken, photo, 3.2
Spread-Eagle Chicken, photo, 3.2
Chicken (wings)
Bacon-Bound Wings, 2.1, photo
Holy Hell Wings
Chili, Chicken, photo, 1.2
Chilies
Chicken Chili, photo, 1.2
Jalepeño Chicken Wings with Avocado
Roasted Chicken Legs with Mole Sauce
Spices, Rum, and Lime, Marinated Chicken with
Chocolate
Bittersweet, Sabayon
Roasted Chicken Legs with Mole Sauce
Chorizo Stuffing, Trussed Roasted Chicken with
Coconut Curry and Cashews, Crispy Chicken Tenders with, 2.1, photo
Cranberry Baked Chicken with Apple Cider, 2.1, photo
Croquettes, Crunchy Chicken Parmesan, 3.1, photo
Crostini, Chicken Liver
Cucumbers, Sesame, and Ginger, Radish Salad with
Fried Chicken, Crispy, 1.1, photo
Garlic
Olives, and Wine, Sautéed Chicken Breasts with
and Thyme, Crispy Roasted Potatoes with
Tomatoes, and Tarragon, Roasted Chicken with
Ginger and Soy Sauce, Glazed Chicken Skewers with, photo, 2.2
Harissa, Preserved Lemons, Chickpeas, and Mint, Roasted Chicken with
Hash, Chicken, with Sweet Potatoes, 2.1, photo
Hazelnuts and Aromatic Brown Butter, Sautéed Chicken Breasts with, 2.1, photo
Hearts of Palm, Avocado, and Orange Salsa, Roasted Chicken with, 3.1, photo
Herb(s). See also specific herbs
and Almond Pesto, Butterflied Roasted Chicken with, photo, 3.2
Butter, Classic Roast Chicken with, photo, 3.2
and Horseradish, Chicken with, 2.1, photo
Honey Mustard and Lime, Crisp Baked Chicken with
Horseradish and Herbs, Chicken with, 2.1, photo
Hot Bird Cocktail
Lemon(s)
and Golden Onions, Skillet-Roasted Chicken with, photo, 3.2
Olive Oil, and Rosemary, Roasted Bone-In Breasts with
Preserved, Harissa, Chickpeas, and Mint, Roasted Chicken with
Maple-Glazed Wings with Bacon, 2.1, photo
Mole Sauce, Roasted Chicken Legs with
Mushrooms
Red Wine, and Onions, Braised Chicken with
Roasted Chicken Thighs with
Mustard, Fresh Basil, and Garlic, Roasted Chicken with, photo, 1.2
Olives, Garlic, and Wine, Sautéed Chicken Breasts with
Onions
Golden, and Lemon, Skillet-Roasted Chicken with, photo, 3.2
Red Wine, and Mushrooms, Braised Chicken with
Sweet-and-Sour, Roasted Chicken Thighs with, 2.1, photo
Orange, Hearts of Palm, and Avocado Salsa, Roasted Chicken with, 3.1, photo
Peanuts
Roasted Chicken Legs with Mole Sauce
and Spinach, Stir-Fried Chicken with, 2.1, photo
Peppers. See also Chilies
Sweet, Prosciutto, and Tomatoes, Chicken Fricasse with, 1.1, photo
Potatoes
Crispy Roasted, with Garlic and Thyme
Spicy Tomato, Vertical Roasted Chicken with, photo, 3.2
Sweet, Chicken Hash with, 2.1, photo
Pot Pie, Creamy Chicken, photo, 3.2
Prosciutto, Tomatoes, and Sweet Peppers, Chicken Fricasse with, 1.1, photo
Radish Salad with Cucumbers, Sesame, and Ginger
Rival Radish Salad
Rosemary
and Balsamic, Chicken Breast Strips with
Olive Oil, and Lemon, Roasted Bone-In Breasts with
Syrup and Lemon, Bourbon with
Rum, Spices, Chilies, and Lime, Marinated Chicken with
Sabayon, Bittersweet Chocolate
Salads
Chicken, with Green Goddess Dressing, 2.1, photo
Radish, with Cucumbers, Sesame, and Ginger
Sandwiches
Barbecued Chicken
Chicken Sliders with Thai Flavors and Sriracha Mayonnaise, photo, 3.2
Chicken Submarine, with Mozzarella, 3.1, photo
Scallions and Sesame Oil, White Wine–Steamed Chicken Breasts with, 2.1, photo
Slow-Roasted Chicken
Soy Sauce and Ginger, Glazed Chicken Skewers with, photo, 2.2
Spinach and Peanuts, Stir-Fried Chicken with, 2.1, photo
Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Hash with, 2.1, photo
Tandoori Spices, Grilled Chicken with
Tangerine and Sage, Roasted Chicken with, 1.1, photo
Taters, Baby
Thai Flavors and Sriracha Mayonnaise, Chicken Sliders with, photo, 3.2
Tomatoes
Chicken Submarine Sandwiches with Mozzarella, 3.1, photo
Garlic, and Tarragon, Roasted Chicken with
Prosciutto, and Sweet Peppers, Chicken Fricasse with, 1.1, photo
Truffle Butter, Roasted Chicken with
Wine
Garlic, and Olives, Sautéed Chicken Breasts with
Red, Mushrooms, and Onions, Braised Chicken with
White, –Steamed Chicken Breasts with Sesame Oil and Scallions, 2.1, photo