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Thawing Chicken
Thaw chicken in the
refrigerator (not on the countertop) or in cold water. It takes approximately 24
hours to thaw a 4 pound chicken in the refrigerator; cut-up parts, 3 to 9 hours.
Chicken may also be safely thawed in cold water. Place chicken in its original
wrap or watertight plastic bag in cold water; change water often. It takes about
2 hours to thaw a whole chicken.
For quick thawing of chicken (raw or cooked), use
the microwave. Thawing time varies according to form in which chicken is frozen
(whole or parts; number of parts frozen together). Use defrost or medium-low
setting. Microwave 2 minutes; let stand 2 minutes. Repeat if needed. Turn
chicken and separate parts as it thaws, taking care that it does not begin to
cook. Defrosted chicken feels soft and moist and is cold but not hard and stiff.
It is not recommended that either cooked or uncooked chicken be refrozen once it
has been thawed. If improperly stored or handled, quality can be affected. |
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Chicken Grand-mère
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
One 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
salt and freshly ground white pepper
4 T. unsalted butter
12 cippolini onions, peeled and trimmed
4 shallots, peeled and trimmed
2 heads garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
3 sprigs thyme
4 small yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 small celery roots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 oz. slab bacon, cut into short, thin strips
12 small cremini or oyster mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
2 C. homemade unsalted chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
Working over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil in a 12-inch ovenproof sauté
pan or skillet - choose one with high-sides and a cover. Season the chicken
pieces all over with salt and pepper, slip them into the pan, and cook until
they are well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Take your time - you want
a nice, deep color and you also want to cook the chickens three-quarters through
at this point. When the chicken is deeply golden, transfer it to a platter and
keep it in a warm place while you work on the vegetables.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the cooking fat from the pan. Lower the heat
to medium, add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the onions, shallots, garlic and
thyme and cook and stir just until the vegetables start to take on a little
color, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, celery root, and bacon and cook 1 to 2
minutes, just to start rendering the bacon fat. Cover the pan and cook another
10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.
Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and return the chicken to the
pan. Cook for 10 minutes, until the vegetables and chicken are completely cooked
through. Spoon everything onto a warm serving platter or into an attractive
casserole and keep warm while you finish the sauce.
Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat,
scraping up the bits of vegetable and chicken that may have stuck to the bottom
of the pan. Cook the stock at a boil until it is reduced by half. Remove the pan
from heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
To serve: Strain the sauce over the chicken and vegetables, and serve
immediately with plenty of pieces of crusty baguette to sop up the sauce and
spread with the soft, caramely garlic that is easily squeezed out of its skin.
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