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Roast tarragon chicken

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 3 lb Chicken - (roasting broiling - or frying)
• 2 ts Dry tarragon (or dbl. amt.) Freshly ground pepper
• 4 tb Butter; at room temperature
• 1 sm Carrot; sliced
• 1 Celery stalk; sliced
• 1 sm Onion; sliced
• 1 tb Safflower oil
• 2 tb Melted butter
• 1 tb Minced shallots
• 1 1/2 c Chicken stock

Instructions:

PREHEAT OVEN TO 425F. Lightly pepper the inside of chicken and smear with butter then sprinkle with 2 teaspoons tarragon. Truss the chicken then dry the outside thoroughly and rub with another 1 tablespoon butter all over the skin. TO BROWN THE CHICKEN: Set the chicken on a rack breast side up in the roasting pan place in the oven for 5 minutes. Turn on its left side and baste quickly with the oil and butter return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Turn on its right side for another 5 minutes basting as before. TO ROAST THE CHICKEN: Leave the chicken on its right side. Reduce oven temperature to 350F. Strew the vegetables under the chicken and baste it again. Leave it for a total of 15-20 minutes basting it at least every 10 minutes. Salt the chicken turn it on its other side and cook another 15-20 minutes basting at least every 10 minutes. Turn the chicken breast up and continue basting every 10 minutes until it is done. TO TELL IF THE CHICKEN IS DONE: Prick the thickest part of the drumstick with a fork. If the juices come out clear yellow it is done. If not roast another 5 minutes and test again. As a final check lift the chicken and drain the juices from its vent into the pan; if the last few drops are clear yellow it is definitely done. Put the chicken on a warm platter remove the trussing string and let it sit at least 5-10 minutes before carving so that the juices will not retreat into the tissues. It can wait a good 30 minutes with foil over it. Remove the vegetables and all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan leaving as much of the brown juices as you can. Stir in the minced shallot and cook 2-3 minutes. Add the stock 2 teaspoons of tarragon and boil rapidly over high heat. As the juices boil scrape up coagulated juices (deglaze the pan) with a wooden spoon. Let the liquid reduce to about 1/2 cup. Carve the chicken at this point unless you are going to carve it at the table. Any juices may be added to the sauce. Just before serving swirl the final 2 tablespoons of butter into the hot sauce until it has been absorbed and lightly thickened. Dribble the sauce on the chicken sprinkle with minced parsley.

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