by Chef Gavan Murphy
Roast Chicken with Apricot and Rosemary Glaze
Though I grew up eating root veg and I thoroughly enjoy winter crops, I must be ready for spring because I found myself craving some spring/summer fruit at the farmers market the other day. This got me thinking about how I could satisfy my craving without having the in-season fruit at hand. Like mint and lamb, apple and pork, I love the combination of apricots and roast chicken.
True, you should be able to find Chilean imported apricots in most major stores from January until early August, there’s something special in buying locally farmed produce. California apricots are available from May through July while Washington apricots are on the market from June through early August. Being that it’s late February I decided to improvise using sugar free preserves to see if I could create the taste I was hoping for.
Isn’t cooking grand?
Roast Chicken with Apricot and Rosemary Glaze
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Chicken
2 x 4 lbs organic chickens
S&P
1 bunch fresh rosemary- divided in half
1 lemon – cut in half
1 cup chicken brothGlaze
3 tbsp sugar-free apricot jam
¼ tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp fresh rosemary – chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger – chopped
2 tsp warm water
Directions
Mix all the glaze ingredients together in small mixing bowl.
Preheat oven to 400F(200C)
1. Begin by rinsing the chickens under cold water inside and out.
2. Pat dry with a paper towel, inside and out.3. Season generously with S&P inside and out and place fresh rosemary sprigs and ½ lemon in the cavity of each bird.
4. Brush each bird generously with apricot glaze.
5. Place on foiled rimmed roasting tray and pour chicken broth in tray.
6. Pop in the oven for about 1 – 1¼ hours.
7. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer registers 165F (74C) when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh or the juices run clear when cut into.
8. Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
TIP I like to add some broth to the chicken when roasting as it helps create steam whilst cooking which helps keep the bird moist. Enjoy!
From Pépin's Public Television Shows
Jacques Pepin's Table is a comprehensive compendium of dishes presented on the author's many public television shows. This encyclopedic volume of more than 300 recipes by the master chef and PBS superstar covers not only first courses, main courses, side dishes, desserts, and breads but also provides detailed instructions on how to bone a chicken, flute a mushroom, and keep a souffle from falling. There are menu suggestions on combining dishes into taste-tempting meals, with appropriate wine pairings. Dozens of stunning food photographs, as well as Pepin's own charming line drawings, bring these dishes to life. As always, the recipes emphasize lower-calorie, health-conscious, easy-prep cooking that includes more fiber, less saturated fat, more fish, less meat, and vegetables cooked to preserve their nutrients.Hand selected books are at Foodie's Emporium! Click here.