One Chicken, Three Meals

I know chicken can sound boring, but it is inexpensive and flexible. Also, chicken, though not a totally environmentally-friendly source of protein, is generally speaking the "most green" meat choice at the grocery store. Ensuring however, that a chicken was humanely raised and slaughtered is a virtually impossible task on Saipan. So, unless your neighbor grows happy chickens and wants to sell you one at slaughter time, the provenance of the chicken from the grocery store will remain a mystery.

My favorite part about buying a whole chicken is knowing that I can use every part of it for something and I will have a week's worth of dinners ahead. So, enough blathering. Here it is.

                           Brined and Roasted Chicken

Brining a chicken ensures it will stay moist and tasty. It's also a great way to save that freezer-burned turkey you found at Joeten for thanksgiving.  Roast with "sturdy" root vegetables that can stand the long roast time. 

Brine 
Adapted from Thomas Keller's recipe in "Ad Hoc"
These measurements are approximate and you can add pretty much whatever you want to the brine.

I use a big bowl or a big plastic pitcher depending on the size of the bird. To make sure I make the right amount of brine, I put the thawed bird (minus the organs and neck) into the container I will be using. Then I fill it up with water so the chicken is submerged. It helps to measure how much water you put in as you go along, so you can get the salt proportion right. Remove the bird from the water and set aside on a plate. Wash hands and according to the below ratio, add the rest of the brine ingredients.

1 cup or 10oz. kosher salt for every gallon of water

Optional Seasonings
3-4 lemons, halved
10 bay leaves
1/2 cup honey
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
1/4 cup peppercorns

Stir everything together until the salt has dissolved. If the water is cold, you may need to warm it up to dissolved the salt.

Submerge your bird in the brine overnight or up to 24 hours maximum. Too long in the brine and the chicken will become too salty.

Roast
Preheat oven to 425F. Remove the chicken from the brine, discard the brine, and rinse the chicken inside and out. Pat dry (less water on the chicken means a crispier skin). Stuff the cavity with fresh garlic, lemon halves and a bunch of thyme if desired. Rub the outsides of the chicken with a few tablespoons and add salt and pepper. Using kitchen string, Truss the chicken. Place roughly cut carrots, onions, and potatoes in the bottom of a roasting pan and place the chicken on top, breast up. Roast the chicken for about 1.5 hours or until the temperature of the meat reaches 165F on a meat thermometer. Be careful to insert the thermometer into the flesh of the chicken and not all the way to the bone. The outside should be golden and crispy.
Remove from oven and cover with tin foil. Let rest for 20 min. Slice and serve with the veggies.


                                                       Pesto Pasta Chicken Salad

1 box of whole wheat penne pasta, cooked al dente

1/2 cup basil pesto

3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

3 green onions, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 tablespoon mayo, nayonaise (soy mayo), or olive oil

1/4 cup shredded parmesan

All the picked-off leftover roasted chicken (save the carcass)

Mix ingredients together and add seasoning to taste.

Pesto Tip

Whether you make your own pesto or score a large jar at Joeten Superstore, storage can be easy. Divide pesto evenly in an ice cube tray and cover well with plastic wrap. Keep it in the freezer and pop out a cube when you need it.

Biscuit Dumpling Soup

Biscuits

1 cup cake flour*

1 cup regular flour

1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes and chilled

3/4 buttermilk**

Combine the flours, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the chilled butter and mix by hand, until the pieces of butter are no bigger than small peas. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Stir and lift the mixture with a sturdy spoon, gently working the flour into the buttermilk. When the dough has come together in a mass, dust a work surface with flour and and turn out the dough. Divide the dough into 8 or 16 balls (depending of size of dumplings desired). Put aside until ready to use.

*Make cake flour from regular flour by sifting the desired amount through a fine-meshed sieve several times.

** Add a 1/2 tablespoon of white vinegar to milk and let sit for a minute for buttermilk substitute.

Soup

olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 head of garlic, chopped

3-4 stalks celery, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

Any fresh herbs on hand (thyme, rosemary)

2 quarts homemade stock (see recipe below)

In a large pot, heat some olive oil and all the ingredients except for the stock. Cook well over medium heat until the onions are caramelized and the carrots are almost cooked through. Add the stock, cover and bring to a rolling boil. Add the dumplings, cover and cook for about 20 minutes (for large dumplings), gently stirring halfway through.

Chicken Stock

Put the chicken carcass in a large pot and add, in whole or scraps, carrot, celery and onion ends. Slice a garlic head in half crosswise and throw in some salt and pepper, bay leaves, and dried or fresh herbs (this is great for fresh herbs that have seen better days).

Pour in enough water to cover everything. Put over medium heat and cover. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer slowly for 1 to 2 hours.

Turn off the heat and let cool; strain out the carcass and vegetables. Chill the stock in the refrigerator, spoon off the fat and discard. Freeze or refrigerate the stock until needed.