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Tatiana Rhinevault
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La Belle Cuisine - More Poultry Recipes

Fine Cuisine with Art Infusion

"To cook is to create. And to create well...is an act of integrity, and faith."

Parisian Casserole-Roasted Chicken
(Poulet Rôti en Cocotte)

 

“...But Parisians still want to know where their chickens are from,
and that the Sunday roast bird was a well-fed and happy lass.”
~ Michael Roberts, 'Parisian Home Cooking'

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Casserole-Roasted Chicken


Parisian Home Cooking:
Conversations, Recipes, and Tips from
the Cooks and Food Merchants of Paris
by Michael Roberts, 1999, William Morrow and Co.

“Casserole-roasting is one of the most common ways of cooking in Paris, where, in years past, the oven had no real thermostat, just a knob that regulated the flow of gas. Roasting in a casserole protected the Sunday chicken from changeable conditions in the oven. And for people with tiny ovens or no ovens at all, a tight-lidded casserole, almost too heavy to lift, became the oven-surrogate.
There are only a few essentials to remember about this cooking method. You must use a heavy pot with a heavy tight-fitting lid. Copper pots are fine, but often their lids are ill-fitting and too thin to reflect heat back into the pot. Cast iron reacts with acids – wine, onions, shallots, even garlic. My preferred vessel is enameled cast iron, which distributes heat evenly across its bottom surface, and whose heavy lid radiates the interior heat back into it.
Whereas roasting occurs, or should occur, in a dry-air environment, casserole-roasting occurs under moister, less brutal conditions. Little of the natural moisture escapes the vessel and the result is browned, crisp, well-cooked chicken that is unbelievably moist.”
 

Makes 4 to 5 servings

One 4 1/2- to 5-pound roasting chicken
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, preferably canola
5 large shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
1/2 cup homemade chicken broth or low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
2. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Turn the wings under the bird and tie the legs together.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Lay the bird on its side, cover, and transfer the casserole to the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. and roast for 30 minutes. Carefully turn the chicken onto its other breast, cover, and roast for another 20 minutes. Turn the bird on its back, cover, and roast for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced. Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover, and keep warm.
4. Skim the fat from the juices in the casserole. Place the casserole over medium heat and cook the shallots, stirring, until soft but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Boil the liquid until reduced by half, then remove from the heat and pour in any collected juices. Stir in the remaining2 tablespoons butter. Pour the sauce into a sauceboat
and serve on the side.

  
Featured Archive Recipes:
Casserole-Roasted Chicken with Peas and Bacon
Casserole-Roasted Chicken with Garlic Cream
Casserole-Roasted Chicken with Aromatic Vegetables
Tra Vigne's Chicken with Roasted Lemon and Rosemary Sauce
Roemertopf Chicken
 

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