Baked Chicken, Gougeres, Lemon Herb Honey Vinaigrette

So my class last Saturday was on Compound Butter, Salad Dressing & Trussing up a chicken.

So I took my knowledge home with me after class and heading straight to Albertson's cause thats where the best chickens are, did you know that, me neither. Once home I stored all the ingredients to wait for Sunday to come along.

Upon awakening I decided to read my book until 9 then I would start with the Gougeres.

4 TBSP Unsalted Butter
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Cups Flour
4 Eggs
1 Cup Freshly grated Emmenthal, Gruyere, Cantal or Cheddar Cheese. (Gruyere)
1 Cup Freshly grated Parmesan or other hard Cheese
1 Cup Water

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 425.

In a medium saucepan, comine water, butter and salt. Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until butter melts. Turn off heat, add flour all at once and cook, stirring constantly, until dough holds together in a ball, 5 minutes or less. Dough will get stiffer as you stir; keep stirring until dough is smooth. Transfer batter to a large mixing bowl or the work bowl of a standing mixer.

Add eggs one at a time, beating hard after each addition (this is a little bit of work; a hand mixer will probably not be powerful enough). Stop beating when mixture is glossy. Stir in the cheeses.

Drop teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet and bake until puffed and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

So I made the batter and put them on the cookie sheet then in the fridge to wait until after the chicken was done so that I could serve them hot. Then I started the Salad dressing.

Lemon Herb Honey Vinaigrette

Zest of 1 Lemon
Juice of 3 Lemons
1/3 Cup Warmed Honey
1 1/2 Tsp Fresh chopped French Shallots
2 Tsp Fresh Thyme leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste

Blend all the above ingredients together in a 3 cup size bowl, let set at room temperature for a minimum of 1 hour. The finished flavor should be lightly sweet with a fresh lemon finish and light herb flavor.

So I let that sit out to absorb the flavors from the herbs and started my compound butter for the chicken.

Basil Butter

1/4 Lb Butter
1 TBSP Minced fresh Basil
1 TBSP Minced Shallots

Let this sit for awhile, and prepare the chicken.

So I took a spoon and with the back side up slowing pushed it under the skin and each side of the breast. You don't want to go down the middle part of the breast for that will break the skin. Once that is loose you get the butter and with your fingers start stuffing it inside of the chicken. It helps to massage the butter after you insert it so that you evenly distribute it and don't rip the skin. No to truss your chicken you need a good size of cooking string. You start off with the equal sides under the pope's nose (butt end of chicken, tail??) then take it around the outsides of the legs and cross over the top and down the sides to the wings just under the elbow joint and around to the neck and pull tight and secure with a knot. It is beautiful after you are done. Then insert the probe from a themometer into the chicken from the leg between the breast and insert 2 inches. Cook at 400 for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the probe registers 160. Remove and but a tinfoil tent over the top. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Gougeres: Brad=8, Kris=9, Stevie=8
Lemon Herb Honey Vinaigrette: Brad=8, Kris=9, Stevie=6
Baked Chicken: Brad=8, Kris=10, Stevie=10, Hayden=10