What's For Lunch? Roast Chix & Onion Soup

A storm brewed in my kitchen today ... the mad scientist at work again!

The lunch menu:

• Onion soup
  
• Roast Chicken with vegetables
• Pilaf

The roast chicken is a favourite with the family. My 5 year old son right after lunch asked me to make it again soon. The recipe is a modified from one in Thomas Keller's cookbook "Bouchon".

Recipe for Roast Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 chicken about 1.5kg
• 1 tablespoon of kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon thyme
  
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt + 1/2 tablespoon of black pepper + 1 teaspoon of dried thyme for marinating the inside cavity
• 2 teaspoon of mustard
• 2 piece of butter, about 1 teaspoon each

Preparations

1. Wash the chicken clean remove all innards. Cut off the feet and neck (leaving a bit for trussing)
2. Dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towel
3. Coat the inside cavity with the salt+pepper+thyme marinate
4. Truss the chicken. Google "truss chicken" if you don't know how. Trussing will keep the chicken moist
5. Insert the butter under the skin of the breasts, one for each side
6. Coat the chicken with the mustard and let it marinate for about 30mins

Directions

1. Warm the oven till 230 celsius
2. Coat the chicken with the tablespoon of kosher salt
3. Roast it, breast up, in the oven in a baking pan with a rack under it for 50mins
4. Baste the chicken with the jus or liquid from the pan
   
5. Turn the chicken over, breast down, and return to the oven to roast for another 10mins
6. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 10mins before carving and serving

Recipe - Gravy (Optional)
Make about 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 2 tablespoon butter
• Jus or cooking liquid from the pan
• 250ml of chicken stock, or water if not available
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• Wine to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Make a roux by combining the flour and butter in a sauce pan over a slow fry. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth and "gooey"
2. Add the chicken stock, pan jus, wine and mustard to the roux and reduce till the right consistency. A gauge will be if the gravy coat the wooden spoon used for stirring.
3. Season to taste
4. Sieve the gravy and serve in a gravy boat or a bowl. Taste great over the chicken, rice or potatoes

Voila! Bon Appetit!