Jacques Pépin - Poulets & L�gumes: My Favorite Chicken and Vegetable Recipes

Copyright 2016 by Jacques Ppin

Illustrations copyright 2015, 2016 by Jacques Ppin

Artwork photographed by Tom Hopkins

Some of the illustrations were previously published in Jacques Ppin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen

The recipes in this book were previously published in:

The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen

Jacques Ppin Fast Food My Way

Jacques Ppin More Fast Food My Way

Essential Ppin: More Than 700 All-Time Favorites from My Life in Food

Jacques Ppin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen

All rights reserved.

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to or to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 3 Park Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10016.

hmhco.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN 978-0-544-92093-4 (hbk); 978-1-328-90072-2 (ebk)

Book design by Rachel Newborn

v1.0218

serves 4

The classic way to cook chicken is still the simplest and best. Roasting the bird at high temperature crisps the skin as it protects the flesh, keeping it moist. And roasting the chicken on its side helps the legs, which usually take longer than the breast, cook faster, and also keeps the breast moist. Do not cover the bird with foil after it is roasted, or it will steam and taste reheated. For maximum flavor, the chicken should be served no more than 45 minutes after roasting.

• chicken (about 3 pounds)
• teaspoon salt
• teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• tablespoon olive oil
• tablespoons water
• bunch watercress, trimmed, washed, and dried

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with the salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet until it is hot but not smoking. Place the chicken on its side in the skillet and brown it over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Turn the chicken over and brown it on the other side for 2 minutes.

Place the skillet, with the chicken still on its side, in the oven and roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken onto its other side and roast for another 20 minutes. Finally, turn the chicken onto its back, baste it with the fat that has emerged during cooking, and roast for 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads between 150 and 160 degrees.

Remove the chicken from the oven and place it, breast side down to keep the breast meat moist, on a platter. Pour the drippings from the skillet into a bowl and set aside.

Deglaze the skillet by adding the water and stirring to loosen and melt the solidified juices. Add to the drippings in the bowl and let stand briefly, then skim off and discard most of the fat, leaving the natural pan juices.

To serve, carve the chicken, separating the drumsticks from the thighs and cutting each breast in half. Arrange a piece of dark meat and a piece of white meat on each of four plates. Garnish each serving with a few sprigs of watercress and serve with the pan juices.

serves 4

I make this when I am in a hurry, because splitting and flattening the chicken and cutting between the joints of the leg and the shoulder reduce the cooking time by half. I pour the cooked chicken juices into a fat separator with a spout, leaving the fat behind.

mustard crust

• tablespoons chopped garlic
• tablespoons Dijon mustard
• tablespoons dry white wine
• tablespoon soy sauce
• tablespoons olive oil
• teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• teaspoon herbes de Provence
• teaspoon salt
• chicken (about 3 pounds)
• Fluffy Mashed Potatoes (see )

Mustard Crust: Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut alongside the backbone of the chicken to split it open. Spread and press on the chicken with your hands to flatten it. Using a sharp paring knife, cut halfway through both sides of the joints connecting the thighs and drumsticks and cut through the joints of the shoulder under the wings as well.

Put the chicken skin side down on a cutting board and spread it with about half the mustard mixture. Place the chicken flat in a large skillet, mustard side down. Spread the remaining mustard mixture on the skin side of the chicken. Cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, then place the skillet in the oven and cook the chicken for about 30 minutes. It should be well browned and dark on top.

Let the chicken rest in the skillet at room temperature for a few minutes, then cut it into 8 pieces with clean kitchen shears. Defat the cooking juices. If you like, mound some Fluffy Mashed Potatoes on each of four warm dinner plates and place 2 pieces of chicken on each plate. Pour some juice on the mashed potatoes and chicken and serve.

serves 4

Use fresh bread crumbs if possible for this dish. If you use dried crumbs, youll need only half the amount called for.

The chicken can be prepared in advance to the point where it is marinated in the olive oil, Tabasco, and salt. The herb coating can also be prepared ahead, but dont put it on the bird until you are ready to cook it.

While the chicken is baking, saut the liver briefly to serve with aperitifs, or enjoy it yourself while you are cooking.

• chicken (about 3 pounds)
• tablespoon olive oil
• teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• teaspoon salt

herb crumbs

• fresh thyme sprigs or teaspoon dried thyme
• fresh oregano sprigs or teaspoon dried oregano
• slices firm white bread (3 ounces), processed to crumbs in a food processor (about 1 cups)