Lemon, Garlic & Herb Roasted Spatchcock Chicken | 香草檸檬蒜香烤雞

附中文食譜

Nothing quite beats a perfect chicken roast, especially when it can be done with ease and in a short time! A homey chicken roast sounds sublime for a cozy Sunday dinner in with the family or loved ones, yet it is also impressive enough to wow your friends and neighbors. This roast chicken will fill your kitchen with the tantalizing scent of garlic, rosemary, and lemon, giving you impossibly juicy meat and skin so crispy it easily beats the pants off any rotisserie chicken.

Spatchcocking your chicken is a surefire way to ensure juicy results and crispy skin every time. Not only do you cut short on the cooking time, it also makes for easy marinading the night before. Works great also on the grill for a summery outdoors barbecue. As I shared in my last post, ever since I started spatchcocking I've never turned back; in fact, a simple spatchcock chicken roast has saved me many a time when I invited friends over for dinner!

• Go to my tutorial: How to Spatchcock a Chicken: A Step-by-Step Guide

Lay the bird on a bed of root vegetables, onion, and garlic for a wholesome, easy meal all in one pan!

Let the bird marinate overnight for extra flavor and tenderness

To make for a complete meal in one pan, I like to throw in chopped root vegetables, onion wedges, whole garlic cloves, and hearty vegetables like brussels sprouts to roast together. For a even more scrumptious treat, however, I like to build a layer of thinly sliced potatoes and sweet potatoes underneath the chicken, which soaks up the juices from the roast and crisps up with crunchy bits towards the end. Now, that is truly irresistible.

The roast will generate a copious amount of drippings, which you can use to whip up a luscious gravy if you are feeling extra fancy. Personally, I find the chicken in and of itself so flavorsome and moist that I'd skip completely on the gravy. Rather, I would reserve the lemon-infused, richly-flavored, garlicky drippings for cooking another day - whether it's in roasting baby potatoes, stir-frying vegetables, or cooking another chicken dish. It is absolutely sensational in preparing my Lemon Chicken Piccata with Zoodles recipe!

• Get the recipe: Lemon Chicken Piccata with Zoodles

Pair this roast chicken with a perfect side dish: Brown Butter Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Sage, and Almonds - work on the stove while the chicken is roasting, then pop the dish into the oven once the bird is out resting!

•  Get the recipe: Brown Butter Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Sage, and Almonds

The chicken is so tender the leg freely wriggles off without even using a knife - watch as the juices flow!

Ingredients
1 whole chicken
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh herbs, chopped (rosemary/thyme)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 whole lemon
Potatoes (optional) 


Directions
1. Spatchcock the chicken: Pat the chicken dry. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut along each side of the spine to remove the backbone. Trim excess fat and clean out the cavity. With breast side up, press down firmly in the middle of the breastbone to flatten the bird. (For my step-by-step guide, click here)

Get under the skin: using your fingers, carefully separate the skin and the flesh in the breast and thigh. Spread marinade nicely in these "pockets" and evenly all over the whole chicken.

2. Season the chicken: Combine garlic, herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub marinade evenly throughout the chicken and under the skin. Drizzle with lemon juice from half of the whole lemon. Reserve the squeezed half lemon for roasting. Marinate overnight.

3. Roast the chicken: Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Remove chicken from fridge and allow 20 minutes to return to room temperature. In a large cast iron skillet or sheet pan, scatter thinly sliced potatoes and salt generously. Place squeezed lemon half in center to help prop up chicken for better air circulation. Place chicken on top and tuck the wing tips under to prevent burning. Slice remaining half lemon and scatter around chicken.

4. Roast for 20 minutes. Baste the potato slices with drippings. Rotate the pan and return to the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until golden and crispy, depending on size of the chicken. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Dig in!

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【 香草檸檬蒜香烤雞 】

材料：
急凍全雞                          1 隻
蒜末                                   3 大蒜瓣
新鮮迷迭香/百里香       適量（剁碎）
初榨橄欖油                      3 湯匙
粗鹽                                   1 湯匙
黑胡椒                               1 茶匙
檸檬                                   1 個
薯仔                                   隨意

做法：
1. 先將全雞來個蝶式開邊。（詳細做法：蝴蝶式全雞開邊法）
2. 準備醃料：把蒜末、香草、橄欖油、鹽和胡椒拌勻。
3. 用手指輕輕把雞胸和雞腿的皮與肉之間分隔開，有助塞進醃料。把整隻雞塗滿醃料，擠上半個檸檬汁，放進雪櫃醃過夜。擠完的檸檬半保留備用。
4. 醃好的雞置室內解凍約 20 分鐘。預熱焗爐至 425°F/220°C。
5. 薯仔切薄片，平鋪在烤盤上並撒上鹽和胡椒。擠過的檸檬半放在中間。
6. 放上雞隻，將雞翼尖向下疊好以防止燒焦。剩餘半隻檸檬切片，撒在烤盤上。
7. 放進焗爐烤 20 分鐘。薯仔掃上雞油，再烤 15 - 20 分鐘至雞隻金黃皮脆，即成！

Tried this recipe?
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Charred Cauliflower with Brown Butter Cauliflower Purée | 香烤椰菜花扒兩食

附中文食譜

To many people including myself once upon a time, cauliflower on its own just screamed bland, boring and bleh. And then charred cauliflower "steaks" and whole roasted cauliflowers started appearing everywhere, offering a satisfying, meaty meat-alternative worthy as a main event. I have been dying to jump on that bandwagon for long, and the opportunity finally presented itself when I lay my eyes on a crate of gorgeous cauliflower at a market in Amsterdam.

Indeed, plain steamed or blanched cauliflower may taste rather uninspiring. Roasting cauliflower and giving it a little char brings out its hidden sweetness and nutty aroma, thereby transforming it into something else mouthwatering. Here cradling my heavy head of cauliflower in my kitchen half a planet away, I decided to let it shine and be the star ingredient in a delicious main course two-ways.

For those of you looking to curb your carbohydrates intake, rejoice! Cauliflower purée is not only creamy and comforting like mashed potatoes, it is also healthier and, well, much lower in carbs. Being free of starch, cauliflower purée also has the benefit of not being prone to over-whipping like potatoes can be. So whip it all day and it will still be lusciously creamy!

Puréed cauliflower can be made first by simply boiling or steaming the vegetable, but boiling leaches flavor and nutrients out of the florets and steaming does little to enhance the flavor. By roasting we bring out the rich, nutty flavors - resulting in a purée that is complex and robust in flavor and eliminating any need for excessive seasoning. Stirring in a touch of brown butter adds depth and a magical toasty flavor that perfectly rounds out the nuttiness of the cauliflower. 

For a more luscious, full-bodied purée, go for heavy cream as your choice of liquid, or use chicken stock for a more savory direction. Of course you can also use regular milk or plant-based milk like I did! Last but not least, serve with a dollop of fresh homemade pesto or chimichurri to take the experience up a notch! Click below for my pesto recipe:
Fresh Homemade Pesto 

Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower
2 tablespoon butter
1 cup milk, cream, or chicken stock
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Optional: fresh pesto or chimichurri, to serve

Directions

Charred Cauliflower Steaks

1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Remove the tough outer leaves from cauliflower and halve the cauliflower. From top to bottom, cut two large 3/4-inch thick steaks, one steak from each of the two halves.

2. Season the steaks with salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and sear the cauliflower for 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply golden. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.

Brown Butter Roasted Cauliflower Purée

 1. Roughly chop the remaining cauliflower into small pieces until they resemble crumbs. Place on a foil-lined baking tray, toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast, flipping cauliflower halfway through roasting, about 18 minutes or until cauliflower is browned and tender.

2. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Watch closely as butter foams up and begins to deepen in color from golden tan to a toasty brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat proof bowl once you smell a nutty aroma.

3. In the same saucepan, add roasted cauliflower crumbs and choice of milk/cream/chicken stock. Bring to a simmer then cook gently until cauliflower has softened in the liquid, about 5 minutes. Reserve a small amount of cooked liquid. Using a blender or immersion blender, blend cauliflower to form a smooth purée, adding more liquid if necessary to reach desired consistency. Fold in brown butter and serve warm.

Tried this recipe?
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【 香烤椰菜花扒兩食 】

在疫情的威脅下，公眾都減少了外出。今個情人節，倒不如就與情侶齊齊煮餐溫馨晚餐。忘了訂玫瑰花也別操心，有椰菜花代替啊～！ 又一走肉主食主意，或作可口拌菜，配上牛排烤雞就最適合不過了。

材料：
椰菜花                               1 大顆
牛油                                   30 克
牛奶/鮮奶油/高湯          250 ml
初榨橄欖油                      適量
海鹽、黑椒                      適量

做法：

香烤椰菜花扒

1. 預熱焗爐至 200C/400F。將椰菜花一開為二，再於每邊切出一件 0.75 寸厚的椰菜花扒。兩面撒點海鹽和黑椒簡單調味。
2. 鑄鐵鍋燒熱，注入橄欖油。平放椰菜花扒，每邊煎 3 至 4 分鐘至金黃色。
3. 把椰菜花扒連鍋放進焗爐烤 8 至 10 分鐘。

焦香牛油椰菜花蓉

1. 把剩餘椰菜花切碎，鋪放在蓋了錫紙的烤盤上，撒上適量橄欖油、海鹽和黑椒，烤約 18 分鐘。
2. 牛油以中慢火煮溶，期間會起泡。
3. 偶然用膠刮攪拌，煮至牛油開始呈現咖啡色小塊及聞到焦香後可以熄火。
4. 將焦香牛油倒入耐熱容器內備用，以防燒焦。
5. 鍋裡加入烤好的椰菜花碎及牛奶或高湯。 慢煮約 5 分鐘至椰菜花變軟。
6. 將部分煮過椰菜花的牛奶或高湯留起備用。用攪拌器把椰菜花打成蓉 ，期間慢慢一點點的加入牛奶或高湯調整濃度。
7. 最後將準備好的牛油加進，伴勻，香香滑滑的椰菜花蓉就完成喇。

在碟上塗一層椰菜花蓉，再放上香烤椰菜花扒，最後淋上剩餘的 brown butter 即成！配上新鮮自製 pesto sauce 就更份外滋味！

Tried this recipe?
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Find me on Instagram @alvinckl and @alvin.penthousekitchen and follow my Facebook Fan Page!

Gluten-free Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust | 玉米派皮雞肉派 — 不含麩質

As I write, I have just completed my two intensive weeks working at Sweetpea Cafe, Hong Kong's only entirely gluten free patisserie serving up decadent cakes and healthy brunch classics. How it all happened was almost like a dream. Just a month ago my friend and I wandered the quaint backstreets of Central and walked into Sweetpea for an afternoon of cake, coffee, and conversation. I gawked at the cake display, started conversing with the friendly and bubbly owner Angel, took a bite of the delightfully fluffy Tiramisu cake, and it didn't take much else for me to fall in love with this place.

My eyes rested on the "We Are Hiring" sign. With my annual two-week leave just weeks away, the idea of hitching an interim job here at Sweetpea Cafe sprouted. I stayed up all night. The next thing I know, I texted Angel with my proposal in the morning, and she responded: "I'd say yes in a heartbeat!" BAM, the stars aligned. I dropped my original plans of a (rather expensive) cooking holiday in the rustic countryside of Brittany, France and landed a part time job working in a charming little patisserie in my hometown. Call it a working holiday or apprenticeship, it was a dream come true in every sense for me to work in a cafe, to experience the operations behind the scenes and to open my eyes to the harsh reality of running a business in Hong Kong.

The two weeks had gone by in a blink. My experience reminded me of the television show on one of the travel channels where the host ventures around the world to master a new skill in two days' time. My two weeks were no short of challenges, discoveries, failures, stress, laughter, and sense of achievement. To fully delineate my experience in today's entry would be nearly impossible, so I will leave it at that for now and draw our attention back to the yummy dish of the day... Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust - and it's gluten free!

Thanks to Sweetpea Cafe and my Toronto-based cousin whom I worship for her talents and stamina in everything she does, I have become increasingly interested in gluten-free cooking and diet. I began digging around in books and online and in groceries in the U.S. and decided to experiment a little. I even bribed my flatmate to haul a ton of assorted flours back from Toronto (where they are readily accessible and affordable) in efforts to create my own blend of gluten free flour.

What we have today is my all-time favorite, Chicken Pot Pie, topped with golden cornbread instead of the traditional shortcut pastry. It's like taking a baby step towards making gluten-free choices. The cornbread adds such a delectable crunch and flavor to the creamy filling that I am not so sure I miss the buttery pastry crust so much anymore! The following recipe is based on my Individual Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust post from 2015 but is modified and improved. As for the crust, it's basically a cornbread baked on top of the filling, so it would work perfectly on its own any other time! This recipes produces a cornbread that has a perfect crumb - neither too dry nor too cakey!

What you'll need...
For the pie filling:
3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 - 3 ribs celery, diced
6 cremini mushrooms, stems intact, diced
3 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup chicken broth (from cooking the chicken thighs)
1/2 cup warmed milk
Thyme, fresh or dried

For the Cornbread Crust:
1 cup gluten-free cornmeal
1 cup gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparing the Chicken Pot Pie Filling

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add bay leaf (and any unwanted vegetable trimmings) and chicken thighs and cook for 8 minutes. Turn heat off and leave chicken in the pot covered for another 5 minutes. Rinse chicken under the tap and let cool in refrigerator while prepping the other ingredients to allow for easier cubing. Reserve chicken broth.

2. Heat butter in a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and mushrooms until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir to combine with the vegetables, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup of broth and bring to a boil. On low heat, stir in warmed milk, cubed chicken, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and stir until mixture thickens.

Making the Cornbread Crust Topping

Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
Whisk together dry ingredients, add milk, eggs and butter, mixing until just combined. Pour batter over pie filling and bake (line with baking tray to catch drips) for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm!

《玉米派皮雞肉派 — 不含麩質》

最近對不含麩質飲食的興趣日益增長，
決意把個人最愛的 Chicken Pot Pie 研製出更健康的無麩質版本，
希望更多人能夠愛上這道傳統美式菜！

雞肉派 材料：
去皮去骨雞上髀肉  3 件
月桂葉  1 塊（可免）
牛油  1 湯匙
洋蔥  1 小隻
蒜頭  3 瓣  剁碎
甘筍  2 條  切粒
西芹  2-3 條  切粒
啡蘑菇  6 隻  切粒
不含麩質麵粉  3 湯匙
雞高湯  120 毫升
牛奶  120 毫升 用微波爐叮暖
百里香  適量

做法：

1. 滾水加入月桂葉和雞肉，用中火煮 8 分鐘後熄火加蓋焗 5 分鐘。將雞肉取出洗淨並放進雪櫃片刻，以便稍後切粒。雞湯去油備用。
2. 鑄鐵鍋燒熱後加入牛油，炒香洋蔥、蒜頭、甘筍、西芹及蘑菇，約 5 分鐘。
3. 加入麵粉拌勻，約 1 分鍾。
4. 倒入 120 毫升雞高湯，拌勻並用中火煮至沸騰。
5. 將火收細，加入牛奶、雞肉粒和適量百里香及調味，待材料稍微呈糊狀後熄火備用。（假如沒有鑄鐵鍋的話，可將材料倒進適合焗爐的盤子內備用）

不含麩質玉米派皮 材料：
不含麩質玉米粉  150 克
不含麩質麵粉  120 克
砂糖  50 克
發酵粉  1 湯匙
幼鹽  半 茶匙
黃原膠  1/4 茶匙
雞蛋  2 隻
牛奶  240 毫升
牛油  30 克 溶掉

做法：
1. 焗爐預熱 180 度。
2. 把幹成分拌勻，拌入牛奶、雞蛋和牛油。
3. 拌勻後倒在鍋中的雞肉材料上，放入焗爐焗 25-30 分鐘，或知呈金黃色以及牙簽能夠乾淨拔出。慢用！

[Follow me on Instagram @alvinckl and @alvin.penthousekitchen and check out my Facebook Fan Page!]

Gourmet Skillet Spinach Mac 'n' Cheese

附中文食譜

Okay, let's get straight to the point - Mac 'n' Cheese ain't the healthiest food out there, nor is it ever pretending to be. But it is so downright scrumptious that we should all just indulge once a while. After all, it gives us another reason to exercise... right?
Right.

Well, the good news is at home you do have the choice to easily create a mac 'n' cheese from scratch your way that is lighter without sacrificing anything that makes a great mac 'n' cheese what it is.

Every time I set foot on New York City, I cannot help but get seduced into artisan cheese shops, their pungent aroma guiding me like a beacon. Many of these gourmet meccas also serve up grilled cheese and delectable mac 'n' cheese. On my recent food crawl in East Village, a sudden spring shower had me ducking under an awning for shelter. As I looked up, there I stood right before S'MAC, a tiny storefront specializing wholly in the almighty mac 'n' cheese. Well, I guess fate has it all planned out.

Beecher's serves up their "World's Best" Mac & Cheese

Beecher's Handmade Cheese (Union Square)
900 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

Murray's Cheese Shop and Bar (Greenwich Village)
264 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

S'MAC (East Village)
345 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003

Macaroni and cheese these days manifests itself in so many varied ways that long gone are the days when good old mac 'n' cheese only comes in a box with fluorescent orange powdered cheese mix. Whether it is Brie, Cheddar, Gouda, Manchego, or a combination, the cheese defines your mac 'n' cheese. You can load up on garlic and herbs, go green with broccoli, portobello and quinoa, toss in chicken or chorizo, make it gluten-free or vegan, add a touch of Cajun or even an Indian twist - the possibilities are endless. Despite all the permutations, one thing remains constant that makes this American classic truly irresistible: the dreamy creaminess and cheesiness.

My kitchen now equipped with cast iron skillets (my latest obsession), I am determined to make a mean mac 'n' cheese from scratch. I opted for 2% fat milk and went light on cheese and butter; packed in a sizable amount of baby spinach and added just a hint of Roquefort for a grown-up twist; then finally, a crispy homemade Parmesan breadcrumb to top it all - making a macaroni and cheese that is just scrumptiously delicious.

P.S. I promise to get on the treadmill... maybe another day.





What you'll need...
2 cups elbow macaroni, cavatappi, or sea shells
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup low fat milk
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
3/4 scant cup freshly grated Manchego cheese
2 tablespoon blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled (optional)
Pinch of nutmeg* (optional)
Pinch of paprika

For the quick Homemade Seasoned Parmesan Breadcrumbs recipe, click here!

Directions...

1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Bring a pot of salted water to boil, add pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, microwave milk on HIGH until warm, about 60 seconds.

 

2. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat, add shallots and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about two minutes. Add flour and, stirring constantly with a whisk, cook until smooth, one minute.

3. Gradually whisk in warm milk and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until thickened and smooth. Using your hands, roughly rip handfuls of baby spinach and fold into the milk mixture. Off the heat as soon as the spinach begins to wilt.

4. Add the cheeses and season with salt, pepper, paprika, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into individual sized gratin dishes if not using cast iron. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.  

Serve immediately, sauce it up with hot sauce and savor every luscious bite!

*Note: though not a must, adding just a pinch of nutmeg enhances and rounds off the creamy cheese sauce with a surprisingly bright, earthy tone.

《焗烤芝士菠菜通心粉》 

材料：

永不吃膩的經典焗芝士通心粉！

通心粉  200 克
蒜頭  3 瓣（切碎）
乾蔥  3 個（切碎）
牛油  1 1/2 湯匙
麵粉  2 湯匙
低脂奶  240 毫升
幼嫩菠菜  200 克
曼徹格芝士碎  75 克
藍紋芝士碎  10 克
肉豆蔻粉  少許
辣椒粉  少許

自製香草帕爾馬麵包糠：
多士麵包  2-3 塊（已放數天的更合適）
帕爾馬芝士碎  25 克
橄欖油  少許
香草碎  少許
蒜鹽  少許
黑胡椒  少許

預熱焗爐至 150C / 300F。用食物處理器將所有材料打碎，然後平鋪在烤盤上焗約5分鐘，直至金黃香脆。取出晾涼後置密封盒內可冷藏存放四星期。

做法：
1. 預熱焗爐至 200C / 400F。
2. 滾水裡加鹽，煮意粉時間約比包裝上指示的少1-2分鐘，煮好撈起備用。
3. 牛奶用微波爐稍為叮熱，約1分鐘。
4. 牛油用慢火煮溶，放入乾蔥及蒜蓉炒香。
5. 倒入麵粉，攪拌約1分鐘，形成均勻的麵粉糊。
6. 慢慢倒入暖奶，期間不停攪拌至麵粉糊均勻融化。融化好了以後用中小火持續加熱和攪拌，直到醬汁收乾呈濃稠狀。
7. 菠菜用手稍微撕碎，再放入醬汁。攪拌好後關火。
8. 加入芝士，持續攪拌至開始融化。此時可以試味並加入適當調味。
9. 將煮好的意粉拌入醬汁中，置入烤盤再撒上自製香草帕爾馬麵包糠。放入焗爐烤約20分鐘直至表面金黃香脆、內裏醬汁沸騰，香味四溢即成！

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