Julia's Kitchen Wisdom

Though there is a small cookbook by this name, this post has nothing to do with that book. It's a good book, I've owned it for a few years now, and it is one of the few cookbooks that I actually use, but the inspiration for the post came about as I was perusing the pages of "Julia and Jacques: Cooking at Home", with the eventual goal of looking up a recipe for roast chicken. It seems almost a contradiction in terms to talk of a "recipe for roast chicken" as almost all that is important about roasting a chicken cannot really be encapsulated in a recipe. The basics, some butter and maybe some olive oil, a lot of garlic and a goodly amount of salt and pepper, seem to go without saying. Would anyone really think of roasting a chicken without bgsp (butter, garlic, salt, pepper)? Many other additions are possible (lemons, sage, other herbs, onions, stuffing,...), but the only other thing that really matters, and it certainly matters the most, is how the chicken is cooked. Brown crispy skin and tender juicy meat seem like such simple things. But any who have tasted a perfectly roasted chicken and tried to replicate it themselves, know how elusive that simple delight can be. Which brings me back to the idea of recipe. The two things which matter most (earlier, I neglected the second), proper cooking, and the selection of a good quality chicken, cannot really be conveyed in a recipe. But, it's a good place to start. If all this has got you wondering, I'll outline the basics
1. Find a good butcher. Buy a fresh chicken, we'll say a three and a half pound bird.
2. Preheat oven to 425, rinse and dry the chicken.
3. Massage the chicken with butter.
As the late Mrs. Child said:
Not everything that I do with my roast chicken is necesssarily scientific. Many aspects of my method are based on my feeling and experience. For instance, I always give my bird a generous butter massage before I put it in the oven. Why? Because I think the chicken likes it—and, more important, I like to give it.
4. Salt, pepper, garlic, and whatever else your heart desires.
5. Cook the chicken.
This is where things get complicated. Should the chicken be trussed or not? To use a v-shaped rack or not (or, Julia vs Jacque, he prefers to roast the chicken on its side on the pan). So select a method, follow it a few times, and then experiment with your own variations. For example, after 15 min, Julia reduces the heat to 350, whereas Jaques reduces it to 400 after 25 mins.
6. Testing for doneness: The chicken is done when the juices run clear, no matter where you poke (breasts and under the thigh). If you're very skilled, you might just prod the thighs and drumsticks with your finger, they should be tender. I once ate turkey that was cooked to perfection using the simple finger prodding method to check for doneness.
7. Let the chicken rest for 15 mins before carving.
8. Don't forget to have a glass or two of wine while your cooking. It keeps things jovial and Julia would be happy (because you're enjoying the wonderful process of culinary creation, not because you're a lush).

I don't yet have my 'own' roast chicken method, but I'm working on it. Until then, I don't think that I'll feel complete as a cook.

I'll let y'all know how tonight's went. Kitty is preparing her own version of Mrs. Child's method.