For the past maybe 5 or 6 years I’ve put Julia Child’s on my Christmas wish list. For some reason no one has EVER bought it for me. I was ordering books from Amazon a few weeks ago and decided to finally make my own Christmas and finally buy the book myself (cue: sister’s are doing it for themselves…).
BEST.DECISION.EVER.
I’m kind of obsessed with this book. I’ve made crepes and quiche so far and they have been great. The quiche recipe is going to be my standard base. I love how Julia Child uses tons of butter and cream. She was a woman after my own heart really. I’ve been pouring over the recipes and have all sorts of things marked that I would like to make. When I came upon this recipe for a chicken sauteed in bacon fat and roasted with bacon, onions and potatoes I couldn’t resist.
This recipe is definitely not a weekday meal (unless your weekdays allow you time for involved recipes) but it is perfect for a Sunday dinner. It’s not that the recipe is difficult to follow it just involves a few intense steps. The most intense step is sauteeing an ENTIRE CHICKEN in bacon and butter. You’re supposed to sautee the bird until it’s golden… I couldn’t make that happen. AND you’re not supposed to break the skin while turning the chicken. I failed at that epically. I think I just have to be more patient and really let each side brown. Plus it would make the final outcome more attractive if the bird was browned.
This turned out so great! I mean, what’s NOT to love about eat potatoes cooked in chicken and bacon fat? Seriously. Plus the chicken was really flavourful and delicious. It would never occur to me to cook a chicken in one of my Le Creusets! But it turned out perfectly. I wouldn’t make this every week given all that is required to make it happen but as a special occasion or once in a while dish – this is perfect.
Poulet en Cocotte Bonne Femme
- 1/2-pound piece bacon
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3-pound roasting chicken, trussed and buttered
- 15 to 25 peeled white onions (about 1-inch diameter)
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Herb bouquet made with 4 parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme tied in washed cheesecloth
1. Remove the rind and cut the bacon into lardons (strips 1/2 inch wide and 1 1/2 inches long). In 2 quarts water, simmer the bacon for 10 minutes. Rinse in cold water and dry. In a fire-proof casserole, saute the bacon for 2 to 3 minutes in 1 tablespoon of the butter until lightly browned. Transfer to a dish.
2. Brown the chicken in the hot fat, breast side down. Brown for 2 minutes, regulating heat so the butter is always very hot but not burning. Turn the chicken on another side using 2 wooden spoons or a towel. Continue browning and turning the chicken until it is a nice golden color almost all over, particularly on the breast and legs. This will take 10 to 15 minutes. Add more oil, if necessary, to keep the bottom of the casserole filmed.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan. Pour the fat out of the casserole. Set the oven at 325 degrees.
4. Drop the onions into boiling, salted water and boil slowly for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
5. Peel the potatoes and trim them into uniform ovals about 2 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Drain immediately.
6. In the casserole, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter until foaming. Add the potatoes and roll them around over moderate heat for 2 minutes to evaporate their moisture; this will prevent their sticking to the casserole. Spread them in the pan. Salt the chicken and place it breast up in the casserole. Place the bacon and onions on the potatoes and add the herb bouquet. Baste all the ingredients with the butter in the casserole, lay a piece of foil over the chicken, and cover the casserole.
7. Heat the casserole on top of the stove until the contents are sizzling. Transfer to the oven and roast for 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes or until the chicken leg registers 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Baste once or twice with the juices in the pan.
Adapted from “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” Volume One, printed in the Boston Globe.
(Recipe found on She’s Becoming DoughMessTic)
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if i was eating chicken, or bacon, this could be a weekday meal for me!
btw, still loving the fact you are eating chicken now
RARELY! preferably when cooked in bacon.
Tons of bacon = good! It looks great! I’ll have to invest in Julia’s cookbook. I bet they’re well worth it.
What a coincidence, reading Julie & Julia right now, was wondering where to find some of the recipes. Looks Yummy !
I just put this chicken in the oven. I couldnt get it as brown as I wanted either. I was concerned about the intense heat further burning the bacon bits on the bottom my of le creuset and setting off the smoke detector. I figured I dont eat the skin anyway. I just wont harp on the lack of presentation and concentrate on the fact that this should be one delicious chicken. I am so grateful for the movie highlighting julia. Her cooking methods are perfect for me. She is my kind of teacher! My cooking has improved 400% since reading her books.
Now I am going to peruse your blog. I love finding new ideas.
PS…..its a delicious dish!
Notice in the film that Julia didn’t brown the chicken much. There’s an America’s Test Kitchen article and recipe for Chicken on Cocotte out there, too, that deals with technique.
thanks for the tip. will have to check that out.