Provence Cooking The South Of France Recipe Roast Chicken with Herbs
and Olive Oil
A short hunt in the hills around the village for wild rosemary and thyme could
replenish your supply of herbs de Provence, the magic potion that so often will
elevate your Provence cooking to something special.
You can enjoy a hike while at the same time gathering spices that will enhance
your cooking vacation in Provence.
The spices are plentiful in the markets but to forage in the hills for thyme and
rosemary will give a special meaning to your cooking vacation and your dinner
of roast chicken.
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Provence Cooking,
The Culinary Vacation in Provence
Provence Cooking The
South Of France Recipe,
Roast Chicken with Herbs and
Olive Oil Provence Culinary
Vacation Inspired Recipe.
Roast Chicken with Thyme and Rosemary
with Provence Fruit Dessert
Roast Chicken with Thyme and Rosemary
Provence Cooking could start as
a day of gathering.
You might walk to the baker for your
morning pastry and pick up the
freshly baked French bread for the
evening meal. After coffee, a walk to
the grocer will provide fresh
tomatoes, onions, garlic, cucumber
and salad greens. A later walk to the
butcher will result in a chicken for
roasting.
Later in the day you drive out to the
vineyard and choose a bottle of Cote
du Rhone or you bring a jug and
stock up on bulk wine, On the way
back you stop by a hillside and after
a short hike you harvest a few sprigs
thyme and wild rosemary. You then
walk to the olive oil mill and fill
another jug with some first cold press.
Now you are ready to begin.
After washing and drying the chicken,
smear the outside and inside with
olive oil and a dusting of Herbs de
Provence spice mix. (stuffing see
below)
Place a bed of rosemary on a deep
cooking platter on which you have
placed six or so cloves of garlic
peeled. and several sliced sections
of onion Place the chicken on top of
the rosemary after tying the legs.
Surround the chicken with tomato
slices, onion slices, and more sprigs
of rosemary.
Provence Fruit Dessert
The chicken then goes into a preheated 400 degree oven and cooks for 20 minutes Turn heat to 350 and
cook 20 minutes per pound or approximately one hour for the average size roaster. Stuffing will add a half
hour to the cooking time.
When the chicken browns it is ready. Test by moving the legs; if they move easily it is done. A thermometer
inserted into the center of the breast should read 160 f.
You will notice that the rosemary will have darkened and the tomatoes around the edge will look burnt but
they will have sent their juices down to the bottom of the baking dish to mix with the garlic and onion to
create a sauce. The rosemary will have toasted and released its scent into the chicken.
Place the chicken in a serving dish and cover to keep warm.
Remove the garlic and place it around the chicken on the serving dish.
Pour the remaining juices, onions, and tomato through a strainer into a cup and pour off the excess oil as it
cools and settles to the top.
Reheat the sauce in a small pan or in the roasting pan. Place a teaspoon of corn starch in a eight ounces of
cold water and mix in a cup. Deglaze the pan with wine if desired and add the cornstarch mix to the pan,
continually stirring until the sauce thickens. Serve on the side with the chicken
Brown wild boar sausage in a pan with olive oil. Mix in other ground meats such as hamburger if desired.
After lightly cooking the meat, pour off the excess oil and set the meat aside. Blend in a half teaspoon (to
taste) of Herbs de Provence mix. (these are available in the local markets and could include thyme,
rosemary, sage, savory, and lavender)
Lightly sauté (optional pre-cook) chopped celery, chopped onion, and a chopped clove of garlic. Let cool
and then place in a food processor and blend coarsely. Cube left over french bread and add to the
chopper. (a cup and a half of loosely cubed bread to three quarter cup of meat approximately should yield
two cups (16 ounces) of stuffing once you add the onion and garlic mix)
Add the meat.
You can do this in a chopper and mix coarsely or mix by hand after finely chopping the celery, onion and a
clove of garlic.
Place the stuffing in the cavity of the chicken after washing the inside and swabbing it with olive oil and a
Herbs de Provence mix
Wild Boar Stuffing
Cherries, goat cheese wine dessert
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Speed limits will be clearly marked and the Rotary will be a welcome site with its directions to various
towns. Gassing up is similar to US with credit card and automatic shut-off at modern pumps. Car rental are
available in all large cities and at many TGV Train Stations..
Information for those renting a vehicle in Provence
Shop for your rental car online well ahead of your trip and
choose diesel (more economical) or gas, luggage
space,(important) standard or automatic,(important) two door,
four door and other options. See renting a vehicle in Provence