Roast Chicken with Mustard Tarragon Sauce

Every now and then I find myself yearning for the simple luxury that only French food can provide. There is wonderful variety in what can be achieved with staples like wine, cream, and fresh herbs. In this case they are combined with a sharp, grainy mustard, while the wine and cream provide contrasting sweetness and tarragon some complexity. This quintessentially French combination of flavors makes a highly versatile sauce to compliment almost any meat.

For me, this sauce is all about the mustard and the delicious, locally-made Ozark Stout Ale Mustard that I came across is just perfect. Just be sure to choose a flavorful, course-ground mustard for your sauce. Compared to many similar recipes, mine is heavy on the mustard and light on the cream. I definitely recommend adapting the proportions of this simple sauce recipe to your personal taste.

Serving suggestions and notes: This recipe goes all out with instructions for a whole, roasted chicken; however, sautéed or roasted chicken breasts or thighs would be a satisfactory substitute with a quicker cook time. I recommend serving with fingerling potatoes and green peas or a green salad. Or, for the less carb-conscious, make your sauce heavier on the cream and serve chicken over rice or buttered noodles with lots of parsley.

Roast Chicken with Mustard Tarragon Sauce

Ingredients

1 whole free-range chicken, approx 4-5 lbs

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried thyme, ground to powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 TBS salt, divided

2 TBS butter, softened

3 TBS fat drippings from roasting chicken

1/3 cup course-ground mustard

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 TBS chopped fresh tarragon 

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Rinse chicken in running water, then pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.  Place chicken in roasting pan or dutch oven.

 I used a dutch oven without the lid and found that this worked really well. I oiled the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking and then, after cooking, scraped the browned chicken bits off the bottom and saved them with the drippings for my sauce.

Sprinkle chicken with 1 tsp salt, pepper, thyme,  and minced garlic , and rub inside and out. Cover with softened butter, and finally sprinkle the remaining salt all over the chicken for a crispy, flavorful skin. Truss the chicken with kitchen twine and place it in your roasting dish. Cook for around 1.5 hours, or when the internal temp reaches 165° F.

Once the chicken is done, remove from pan and set to rest on a serving plate or wooden cutting board. Collect drippings (and browned bits if using a dutch oven), and begin your sauce.

 Pour white wine into a hot skillet and cook for about 1 minute, until reduced by half. Reduce heat and whisk in mustard, cream, tarragon, and chicken drippings. Cook for 2 minutes until mixture thickens, 2-3 minutes. Carve chicken and serve with sauce. 

Fish and Chips

Is there anything more British than fish and chips? This hot, greasy, delicious meal is a staple of British cuisine and a worldwide favorite. Fortunately the pleasure of this fast food doesn't have to be an entirely guilty one. This health conscious version sacrifices none of the taste and makes this comfort food easy to enjoy. 

First, the chips are doused in olive oil, seasoned, and then both baked and broiled in the oven for soft insides and crispy outsides. This leaves you and your stovetop free for the fish, and eliminates the complicated task of preparing two fried dishes at once. When it comes to frying your fish it's really all about the oil you choose, and there are some great alternatives to traditional frying oils. Both coconut and avocado oil hold up well at high temps, are full of healthy, saturated fats, and are mild in taste, making them wonderful, guilt-free options for fried food. 

The most complicated and subjective part of this meal is undoubtedly the breading, as there are many different ways to achieve the agreed upon light and crispy texture. The two main options for achieving this lightness are to add either baking powder or yeast as a raising agent, or to use the carbonation in beer or sparkling water. For me the flavor that a dark lager or a malty ale adds to the batter is unmissable, so it's a easy decision. 

Fish and chip connoisseurs (something I sadly cannot claim to be) are full of tips for creating the ideal fish batter and I found lots of interesting information in this article, written by a journalist with far greater access to authentic fish and chips than I have. I found her comparisons and tips very helpful for refining my recipe choices.

Beer-Battered Fried Fish

serves 4

Ingredients

1.5 lbs of white fish (cod or haddock are good, traditional choices)

2 1/2 cups flour 

1 tsp baking powder

12 oz very cold lager beer

Salt, pepper, garlic powder 

1 quart frying oil 

For serving:

Malt vinegar

Lemon

Instructions

Heat oil to 375°F in a large frying pan or dutch oven.

Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide fish into approximately 1.5- 2oz portions. (A 1/2 lb fillet should be cut into 4-6 pieces.)

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, 1 tbs salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, and whisk together, then transfer 3/4 cup of the mixture to a separate, shallow bowl. Add baking powder to the flour remaining in the mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add beer slowly, stirring until well combined.  

Dip fish pieces in the batter, then roll in the seasoned flour mixture until coated. Place coated fish in the hot oil, working quickly and carefully until all the fish is frying (or in two batches, if needed). Once the fish is added you will probably need to raise the temperature to high to keep the oil hot enough. 

Cook 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until breading is golden brown and crispy. Remove fish from pan onto paper towel covered plate, to absorb grease. Keep warm in oven or serve immediately. 

Oven-Baked Seasoned Chips

serves 4

Ingredients

4 large russet potatoes

About 1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

For a non-traditional twist, we love our fries seasoned with this 

Homemade Creole Seasoning

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, ground to powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, ground to powder

Instructions

Peel potatoes, then slice into chips of desired thickness. (Note: While thick chips are traditional, thinner chips are quicker and easier to cook using the baking sheet method. Cooking time will greatly vary based on thickness.) Store in water if not cooking immediately.

Preheat oven to 425°F. 

Spread potato slices in a single layer on two large baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, or homemade creole seasoning, then toss on the baking sheet until potatoes are completely covered in both oil and seasoning. 

Place both baking sheets in the oven, switching them between the top and bottom racks every 30 minutes. After 1hr remove baking sheets and flip potato slices to prevent sticking; return to oven and cook for up to 1 more hour (again, this will all depend on the thickness of your chips). Test for doneness periodically; chips should be soft throughout.

Just before serving, set oven to broil. Place baking sheets one at a time underneath the broiler and cook until chips begin to brown and become crispy; about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.