Serves 4
Welcome the Jewish New Year with family and friends and a beautiful whole chicken glazed with honey and roasted with apples as the centerpiece of your dinner. This is a simple recipe, and the only tricky part is watching the glaze on the chicken carefully to make sure that the honey does not burn. In an instant it can go from beautifully golden to blackened. When the chicken has finished roasting, turn the garlic and onions at the bottom of the pan, which will have melted, into gravy. At the table, spoon the gravy over the carved chicken and apples.
1
whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds)
2
tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1
large onion, sliced
6
cloves garlic, thickly sliced
4
cooking apples (Cortland, Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty, Baldwin, Jonagold), cored and quartered
2
tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2
tablespoons honey
1
cup chicken stock or water
1½
teaspoons cornstarch
1
teaspoon cold water
1
tablespoon cider vinegar
Few sprigs fresh thyme (for garnish)
1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. Have on hand a large flameproof casserole or Dutch oven or a large roasting pan.
2. Remove the giblets and pockets of fat from the cavity of the chicken. Save the giblets for another dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub it all over with 1 tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. In the pan, place the onions and garlic. Sprinkle them with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Set the chicken on the onions. Transfer to the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Scatter the apples around the pan and sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons thyme. Roast for 30 minutes more.
4. Remove the chicken from the oven and brush it all over with half of the honey. Return the chicken to the oven and continue roasting for 10 minutes. Brush with the remaining honey. Roast 5 minutes more, or until golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken in three places registers 165 degrees. (Total roasting time is 1 hour and 15 minutes.)
5. Transfer the chicken and apples to a platter; keep warm.
6. For the gravy: Place the Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the stock or 1 cup water. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits.
7. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon cold water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan with the vinegar. Bring the liquids to a boil, stirring often, and cook for 1 minute, or until thickened. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper.
8. Ladle the gravy onto a serving bowl. Garnish the chicken with fresh thyme and serve with the gravy.
Karoline Boehm Goodnick
Serves 4
Welcome the Jewish New Year with family and friends and a beautiful whole chicken glazed with honey and roasted with apples as the centerpiece of your dinner. This is a simple recipe, and the only tricky part is watching the glaze on the chicken carefully to make sure that the honey does not burn. In an instant it can go from beautifully golden to blackened. When the chicken has finished roasting, turn the garlic and onions at the bottom of the pan, which will have melted, into gravy. At the table, spoon the gravy over the carved chicken and apples.
| 1 | whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds) |
| 2 | tablespoons olive oil |
| Salt and pepper, to taste | |
| 1 | large onion, sliced |
| 6 | cloves garlic, thickly sliced |
| 4 | cooking apples (Cortland, Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty, Baldwin, Jonagold), cored and quartered |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh thyme |
| 2 | tablespoons honey |
| 1 | cup chicken stock or water |
| 1½ | teaspoons cornstarch |
| 1 | teaspoon cold water |
| 1 | tablespoon cider vinegar |
| Few sprigs fresh thyme (for garnish) |
1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. Have on hand a large flameproof casserole or Dutch oven or a large roasting pan.
2. Remove the giblets and pockets of fat from the cavity of the chicken. Save the giblets for another dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub it all over with 1 tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. In the pan, place the onions and garlic. Sprinkle them with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Set the chicken on the onions. Transfer to the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Scatter the apples around the pan and sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons thyme. Roast for 30 minutes more.
4. Remove the chicken from the oven and brush it all over with half of the honey. Return the chicken to the oven and continue roasting for 10 minutes. Brush with the remaining honey. Roast 5 minutes more, or until golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken in three places registers 165 degrees. (Total roasting time is 1 hour and 15 minutes.)
5. Transfer the chicken and apples to a platter; keep warm.
6. For the gravy: Place the Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the stock or 1 cup water. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits.
7. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon cold water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan with the vinegar. Bring the liquids to a boil, stirring often, and cook for 1 minute, or until thickened. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper.
8. Ladle the gravy onto a serving bowl. Garnish the chicken with fresh thyme and serve with the gravy.