Roast Chicken in a Pan

Motivation
I saw this recipe in Cook's Illustrated (Sept & Oct 2011) and I was immediately intrigued.  I hate roasting pans.  I hate cleaning them and the roasting racks that nest inside them.  I hate maneuvering them around the kitchen.  I hate trying build a sauce in a monstrosity that doesn't really fit well on my stove top.  This recipe suggested that roasting a chicken in a pan without brining it could produce a good roast chicken in less than an hour.  I am happy to report that this recipe delivers on its promise.

Ingredients
1 Chicken (3 1/2 - 4 lb if possible)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp pepper
fresh herbs (if available)

Sauce Extras
Flour
Butter (maybe)
Chicken Stock
Herbs
Balsamic Vinegar (maybe)

Mise en Place
This is dead easy.  Place a oven safe pan large enough to hold your chicken in the oven (check to make sure the pan will have enough head room once a chicken is in it) and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F with the pan inside.

Meanwhile mix salt and pepper together in a small bowl that you won't mind contaminating with your raw chicken hands.  Rinse chicken off and pat dry with paper towels.  Rub olive oil all over the surface of the bird.  Sprinkle salt and pepper and rub into skin.  Insert the probe of a probe thermometer into the thigh portion of the chicken (from above so pan won't interfere with the probe).

Method
When oven is preheated remove hot pan and place chicken inside.  It should start to sizzle immediately.  (Part of the theory behind the recipe is that the hot pan gives a jump-start to the legs and thighs which require more heat than the breast portion of the chicken.)  You might want to chunk some fresh herbs into the pan with the chicken if you happen to have them laying around (it's not crucial).  Place pan and chicken back in oven.

Cook until probe in thigh registers 135 degrees F (25-35 minutes).  Then turn the oven off.  Avoid opening the oven so as to not let the heat out.  Let bird continue to coast up to 175 degrees F (another 25-35 minutes).

When bird is done transfer from pan to a plate and let rest for 20 minutes.  Turn your attention to the pan and the drippings left therein and think about making a sauce.  I usually adjust the amount of fat in the pan (add butter if you need more) and toss in some flour to build a roux.  Brown roux a bit then add chicken stock to deglaze the pan and thicken into a gravy.  Adjust salt and pepper as necessary.  I add a bit of balsamic vinegar to it if it needs a bright acidic note.

Broccoli Soup

Motivation
I originally saw this recipe prepared on Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares and thought it looked simple and cool (the color is intensely green).  Later when I did a search for it I found that Gordon had recorded a video of him preparing the soup that wasn't just a clip from the Kitchen Nightmare episode.  It's dead simple.  Be careful when paring it with other dishes because the flavor is very delicate.

Ingredients
1 large or 2 medium heads Broccoli
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Mise en Place
Wash broccoli and cut florets off the stalk.  You don't have to worry about being too exact.  Meanwhile bring a stockpot of water up to a roiling boil.

Method
Salt the water with a few pinches of kosher salt.  Add broccoli florets.  Add a bit more salt and then cover the pot.  Simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Fish florets out of the stockpot and place in a blender.  You could also strain the water, but if you do be sure to reserve the simmering water.  Once broccoli is added to the blender, fill blend a quarter of the way with reserved simmering water.  Place lid on blender, make sure to put some force on it because it will want to jump off when you start blending.  Blitz the blender a few times to get things going.  Then process until smooth.  If consistency is too thick add some more simmering water.  Season to taste and serve.

I serve it with a cheesy crouton in the bowl and the soup almost but not quite covering the crouton.