Split Roast Chicken with French Herbs, Fennel and Baby Potatoes
Split Roast Chicken with French Herbs, Fennel and Baby Potatoes
Makes 4 servings
Gluten Free and From From the Top 8 Allergens
Splitting a chicken encourages even roasting and beautiful presentation. This French bistro classic makes the most of spring herbs, delectable fennel, tiny potatoes, and shallots. Bon Appetit!
2 medium bulbs fennel, ends removed, rinsed and cut into 8 wedges each
1 pound baby potatoes, new potatoes (halved) or fingerling potatoes (halved lengthwise)
3 shallots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
½ tsp salt, plus additional for chicken
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for chicken
3 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, divided
1 3½ – 4 pound chicken
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
½ cup dry white wine
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine fennel, potatoes, shallots, 3 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon tarragon in a large bowl. Transfer vegetables with seasoning to a roasting pan. Top with a roasting rack.
3. Rinse and pat chicken dry. Split chicken down the backbone with a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Flip and use the palm of your hand to press down firmly on the breastbone, to flatten. Beginning at the tail end, separate, but do not remove, the skin from the breast.
4. In a small bowl, combine lemon zest, 2 tablespoons tarragon, basil and thyme. Use fingers to spread and massage zest-herb mixture under chicken skin. Use toothpicks to secure the skin at the tail end, if needed.
5. Place chicken cavity side up on rack over vegetables. Season liberally with salt and pepper (about ¼ teaspoon each). Combine lemon juice with wine and pour over chicken.
6. Roast chicken and vegetables for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and flip chicken using tongs. Baste chicken with pan juices then brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with more salt and pepper (about ⅛ teaspoon each). Return to oven and roast 15 minutes more.
7. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Bake chicken and vegetables for 1 hour, undisturbed, until skin is crispy, juices run clear when pricked with a skewer and an instant thermometer reads 185°F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
8. Remove chicken from oven and let rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with roasted vegetables and top with pan juices.
Split Roast Chicken with French Herbs, Fennel and Baby Potatoes © 2014 by Cybele Pascal
This recipe first appeared in the Spring 2014 issue of Allergic Living Magazine
Allergy Friendly Spring Vegetable Risotto
Spring Vegetable Risotto
Serves 4
Free From: gluten and all top allergens
Brimming with the bounty of spring, this risotto is so flavorful that you won’t even miss the customary Parmesan. Tender asparagus, baby zucchini, and young peas are rounded out by the delicate notes of sweet onions, fresh herbs, and early season tomatoes. Luckily, you can find these ingredients year round, so bring a little spring to your table, all year long!
Prep all ingredients, read the recipe through, and be ready to go. Risotto is easy, but requires continuous attention.
4½ cups vegetable or chicken broth (or stock)
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dairy-free, soy-free margarine or buttery spread
1 cup finely chopped sweet onion (e.g. Vidalia or Walla Walla)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1½ cups uncooked Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 small zucchini, finely chopped
12 ounces small asparagus, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
1 cup fresh shelled peas, the smaller the better
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt, plus a pinch for finishing
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, divided
¼ cup chopped fresh basil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, to serve
Black truffle salt, to serve (optional)
1. In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer over lowest possible heat.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and margarine over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until aromatic. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add rice and sauté until glistening, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook while stirring until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
3. Add ½ cup heated broth to rice. Simmer while stirring continuously over medium heat until all broth is absorbed. Repeat, continuing to add 3 more cups heated broth, a half cup at a time, stirring continuously after each addition, until completely absorbed. After 10 minutes, stir in zucchini, asparagus, peas, tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add another ½ cup broth and continue cooking as before, for 8 to 10 minutes, (reduce heat if simmering too hard) or until rice and vegetables are just tender, and ½ cup broth remains. Turn off heat.
4. Add final ½ cup broth, half of herbs, pinch salt and a few turns of black pepper. Cover and let rest 2 minutes.
5. Serve immediately, topped with remaining fresh herbs, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a little black truffle salt, if using.
Allergy-Friendly Spring Vegetable Risotto © 2014 by Cybele Pascal
This recipe first appeared in the Spring 2014 issue of Allergic Living Magazine
Fruit Kebabs with Allergy Friendly Creamy Strawberry Dip
Fruit Kebobs with Creamy Strawberry Dip
Serves 4 to 6
Gluten Free and Free From the Top 8 Allergens
No picnic is complete without watermelon. But why not jazz it up with some additional fruit on highly portable skewers? Add a little allergy-friendly strawberry vegan dip, and bingo – kid-friendly picnic food! As an added bonus, my boys like to help me make this treat. Or better yet, to make it for me! It’s Mother’s Day tomorrow, and I’m putting in a request. Happy Mother’s Day, everyone!
½ cup sliced strawberries
8 oz (¾ cup) plain vegan cream cheese (use Daiya for soy-free)
6 oz plain vegan yogurt (I like So Delicious coconut milk yogurt)
2 tbsp honey, agave nectar or maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups fruit, such as cubed watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes
Wooden or bamboo skewers
1. Puree sliced strawberries in a blender.
2. Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and whip with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add yogurt, honey and vanilla, and mix until smooth and creamy. Add strawberry puree and mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, thread fruit onto skewers, alternating, as you go. Serve skewers alongside dip.
Fruit Kebabs with Creamy Strawberry Dip © 2013 by Cybele Pascal
This recipe first appeared in the Summer 2013 issue of Allergic Living Magazine