Last weekend we made another trip to Breezy Willow Farm. After greeting the chickens, sheep, and alpacas, I picked up some beets, garlic, onions, & a whole chicken. Most of my DDC meals are made on Saturday or Sunday, and to make this a bit more challenging, I wanted to see if a little Sunday prep would help me pull this meal together quickly on a week night. Here's what I did:
Sunday: - spatchcock chicken, saved spine for chicken stock - marinade chicken in olive oil, garlic sage & thyme in a plastic freezer bag - scrub beets
Tuesday: - roast chicken - roast beets - eat
Ingredients: - chicken spatchcocked - 3 large beets, scrubbed - 4 cloves of garlic, crushed - fresh sage & thyme - 2 onions, thick sliced - olive oil - salt & pepper - cherry glen chipotle chèvre
Method: - marinade the chicken in olive oil & herbs 24-48 hours (no salt) - preheat the oven to 450 - place the thick cut onions on a large metal rimmed baking sheet - remove the chicken from the plastic bag, and onto the onions. slide the garlic & herbs under the chicken skin - discard the rest of the oil & juices - salt & pepper the chicken, both sides - on second baking sheet, put the beets into foil, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper & rosemary - roast the chicken & beets for 45-60 mins, checking at 45 mins for doneness. The chicken thigh temp should be 175, carryover cooking will take it to 180 - the beets are done when a fork easily slides in & out. My beets were softball-size and needed 60 minutes. Remove the beet skin by allowing them to steam for 10 mins after they finish cooking, then stuff off the skin with a fork. Or just use a peeler - but be careful! Slice and serve with goat cheese. garnish with a drizzle of olive oil & sea salt
I was surprised at how easy Tuesday dinner came together. Just a little bit of planning resulted in a fabulous dinner that was enjoyed by all. My three year old (4 next week!) was particularly taken with our discussion about how beets turn EVERYthing pink!
Instead of a glass of wine, which easily turns into a bottle of wine, we opted for one of my husbands homebrews. This particular set of beer ingredients came from very dear friends that we wish we could see - and drink beer with - more often!
