The coming of fall invariably provokes in me this initial thought: Winter’s coming. Damn. That’s just how I roll, doncha know? Always looking for the dark side. However, this year found that moody musing immediately followed by this: Time to warm up the oven. There are certain recipes that are tailor-made for autumn and winter, and they are perhaps my favorites to prepare and consume.
Here’s one, courtesy of Abigail Johnson Dodge and Fine Cooking: Baked Chicken with Herbs, Garlic & Shallots.
Yes, ma’am.
1 chicken (3-1/2 to 4 lb.), cut into quarters
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
6 medium shallots, cut in half and peeled
8 large garlic cloves, peeled
Leaves stripped from 10 sprigs fresh thyme1
Leaves stripped from 8 sprigs fresh rosemary
1-1/2 tsp. coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepperHeat the oven to 425°F. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut away any excess fat and tuck the wings behind each breast.
Put the butter into a large, shallow baking pan (the 10-1/2×15-1/2-inch Pyrex pan is ideal for this). Put the pan into the oven while it’s heating. When the butter is melted (about 10 min.), remove the pan and set it on a heatproof surface or on a couple of potholders. Add the shallots, garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and swirl the pan to coat the ingredients in the butter.
Dredge the chicken, skin side down, in the butter and herb mixture, and arrange, skin side up, in the pan. Sprinkle the chicken generously with the salt and pepper. Bake until the chicken is browned and cooked through, 50 to 60 min. Serve with the shallots and garlic along with a drizzle of the pan drippings.
From Fine Cooking 38, pp. 39
April 1, 2000
More to come. The cooler months have just begun.
- Feel free to substitute other herbs hardy enough to withstand 425° heat. For example, the dish in the above picture includes sage instead of thyme. ↩
