Why I Roast My Chicken Under a Brick

Chicken under a brickI think the first time I ever had chicken roasted under a brick was at Obelisk, one of my favorite restaurants in DC.  I had never seen it prepared this way before--a golden brown crispy skin with a juicy, juicy, juicy interior-- and honestly I was hesitant to "just get chicken" at a restaurant of Obelisk's calibre.  (It was actually called "poussin" on the menu, which is a chicken less than 28 days old).  Our waiter assured me that it would be chicken like I had never tasted before.  She was right!

I think I finally perfected my recipe, but please comment if you would do something different.  I've tried making Cooks Illustrated's version (in the Jun '09 issue), but I thought that cooking the garlic and herbs added an unnecessary extra step and the grill, although it added a nice flavor, dried out the chicken.  I cook mine inside, starting it on the stove and then finishing it in the oven.  I brine my bird first and then (thanks to the Cook's Illustrated recipe) add a combination of herbs, lemon zest, olive oil, and salt directly under the skin of the bird.  This adds tons of flavor, but prevents the herbs and garlic from burning when you crisp the skin.

If you want to taste the juciest chicken you have ever eaten before, try this recipe.  I promise you won't be disappointed!

By the way, I'm taking the day off tomorrow.  Luckily my friend Jannine has graciously agreed to fill in for me!  Happy eating.

Kitchen Therapy

I find cooking very relaxing.  I love to come home, listen to NPR, and prepare dinner.  I honestly believe that there are few better stress reliefs than making dough (except maybe a glass of wine).  You can punch, pull, twist, and tweak; the rougher the better!

Curried Crab LinguiniI am making homemade pasta tonight. I have leftover crab which I will incorporate into the sauce.  It's damp and dreary here so I think I'm going to make a more comforting sauce with curry powder and coconut milk.  I was out of pre-mixed curry powder (whole foods has a great blend) so I tried to blend it from scratch (curry powder is a mix of spices with turmeric as a base which imparts its characteristic red color) but I was also out of coriander and the flavor just wasn't the same.  Luckily my husband works next to a grocery store!