Blood Orange & Thyme Roasted Chicken with Pan Sauce and Roasted Blood Oranges

This recipe comes with great urgency because 1) blood oranges are back in season 2) the world doesn't have enough roast chicken recipes, but perhaps more likely 3) you might be hungry right now or considering dinner plans. Here we have a dry brined roasted chicken, the resulting pan sauce, and a sidekick of roasted blood oranges. Serve with wild rice, farrow, or salad greens. 

I'm all about brining chicken these days and this dry brine recipe using salt, garlic, blood orange zest, thyme and black pepper is too enthralling not to share. You can begin brining the chicken up to 3 days before roasting, but even a few hours will do wonders for crisping up the skin, packing flavor into the bird and sealing in the juices. 

A roasted chicken inevitably means delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Deglaze them into a quick white wine and shallot pan sauce to serve with the chicken. Be sure to slice up a few extra blood oranges for roasting as well. Give them a sprinkle of salt and drizzle of olive oil, roast, then garnish with fresh thyme to accompany the chicken and pan sauce. 

Blood Orange & Thyme Roast Chicken
Serves 4
4-5 pound whole chicken
3 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon blood orange zest (reserve the blood orange for roasting) 
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 blood orange, quartered (use the one reserved from zesting) 

Stir together in a small bowl salt, black pepper, blood orange zest, thyme leaves, and chopped garlic. Spread the mixture onto a cutting board and use a knife to chop and further blend the brine together until it takes on a sand-like texture. Alternatively, pulse the ingredients together in a food processor. 

Rinse the chicken, remove any innards and pat dry. Season the chicken liberally with the brine. Place the chicken in a shallow roasting pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let brine in the refrigerator for at least an hour, but up to 3 days. 

When ready to roast the chicken, preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit and remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Transfer the chicken to an oven proof skillet or shallow roasting pan just larger than the chicken. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the unsalted butter and quarters of blood orange.  

Roast the chicken until a thermometer inserted into the inner thigh reads 175 degrees, about 1 hour. Remove the chicken and set on a cutting board to rest before carving. Carefully remove the blood oranges from the chicken to use in the pan sauce. While the chicken is resting, make the roasted blood oranges w/ thyme and the pan sauce. 

Roasted Blood Oranges w/ Thyme
Serves 4
2 blood oranges, quartered
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 sprigs of thyme

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place quartered blood oranges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Give them a sprinkle or sea salt and drizzle of oil oil. Roast for 15 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with thyme. 

White Wine, Shallot & Thyme Pan Sauce
Makes about 1/2 cup
pan drippings from roast chicken
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
blood orange juice (about 1 ounce to 1 1/2 ounces; use blood oranges from roast chicken)
1 tablespoon thyme leaves

Once you've roasted the chicken, transferred it to a separate dish and are left with the delicious browned bits in the skillet or pan, pour out the clear fat except about 2 tablespoons, making sure to leave the drippings in the skillet. Bring to medium heat on the stovetop, add shallots and saute, stirring often, about 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Deglaze with the white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits stuck to the skillet. Stir in the chicken stock, blood orange juice and thyme. Cook and stir frequently until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Season as needed.  

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

In The Art of Eating M. F. K. Fisher talks about the potato as a "gastronomic complement." Potatoes are the familiar and affordable sidekick, but their undeniable comfort and delicious versatility keep us coming back.  Thinking of the potato as a complement will "rob it of its dangerous monotony, and clothe it with the changing mysterious garment of adaptability," she writes.

Mashed potatoes decorate my family's table every Thanksgiving and frequently throughout the year. While I love the endless variations that even mashed potatoes offer, often I find my way back this familiar favorite, a combination of roasted garlic, butter, heavy cream, and fresh chives. 

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6-8
2 heads garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Clean any dirt off the garlic heads and remove extra layers of skin, careful not to break apart the heads. Cut the top end off each garlic head, about 1/4 inch worth, just enough to expose the tips of the cloves. It's okay if the outer cloves do not get cut. Place the garlic heads on a piece of foil and drizzle the olive oil over their exposed tops. Wrap the foil around the the heads, place on a baking sheet, and roasted until the garlic is soft, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Pop the roasted garlic cloves out of the skins and mash them into a paste with a fork, then set aside. 

Meanwhile, add the potatoes to a large stock pot of salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced through with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to a large mixing bowl.  

In a small saucepan combine the butter, cream, 1 tablespoon of the chopped chives, salt, and mashed garlic over medium high heat. Cook until the butter is melter. Pour onto the potatoes and combine with a potato masher until the potatoes are smooth. Top with the remaining chopped chives before serving. 

Stewed Green Beans with Crispy Pork Belly and Caramelized Shallots

Before we get to far into this, the truth is there's only half of the recipe pictured because, well, I was starving and ate the other half before these shots were taken.

I really enjoy stewed green beans, but growing up I was always taken aback by the soggy bacon pieces floating in the juices. This recipe gets around that by crisping up sliced pork belly (or bacon), slowly caramelizing shallots, then setting those aside until serving time. The green beans still benefit from the cooking fat and caramelized bits left in the saucepan and the pork belly is perfectly crisp. I like to add a piece of lemon peel to the stewing liquid and finish the dish with fresh basil or parsley and lemon wedges. 

Stewed Green Beans with Crispy Pork Belly and Caramelized Shallots 
Serves 4-6
1/2 pound sliced pork belly (or bacon)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot or small sweet onion, thinly sliced, about a quarter cup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 thumb sized piece of lemon peel
1 pound fresh green beans, ends removed
1/4 cup basil or parsley, chopped
lemon wedges, for serving

Dice up the sliced pork belly into half inch pieces. Drizzle the olive oil into medium-sized saucepan and set the heat to medium. Add the pork and cook until the fat renders and the edges start to crisp up, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Lower heat to the lowest setting, add in sliced shallots, and slowly caramelize, about 20 minutes. Remove the pork belly and shallots from the saucepan, but leave the cooking fat. In a small bowl toss together the crispy pork belly and caramelized shallots with a tablespoon of red wine vinegar, cover and set aside.

Return to the saucepan and add green beans, 4 cups of water, whole black peppercorns, a large piece of lemon peel, and a generous dash of salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and cook until tender, about an hour. Add water as needed to ensure the green beans lightly simmer fully in the liquid throughout the cooking time. Strain out the liquid and plate the green beans. Top them with crispy pork bely and caramelized shallots and chopped fresh basil or parsley. Serve with a lemon wedge. 

Grilled Lemon Tzatziki

A beautiful application for summer cucumbers, this cool and creamy cucumber yogurt dip is intensely satisfying with grilled meats, vegetables, and breads. When the grill is hot, brush a few halved lemons with olive oil and throw them on for a few minutes until charred. Grilling the lemons brings out a sweeter, more concentrated citrus flavor and a hint of smokiness.

Serve this grilled lemon tzatziki as a dip with grilled flatbread or generously pour it over burgers, salmon, or grilled vegetables. As for the grilled lemons, be sure to grill a few extras for iced tea or whiskey sours. Happy grilling. -Mallory

Grilled Lemon Tzatziki
Makes 2 1/2 cups
1 large or 2 small cucumbers, seeded and finely diced
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 lemons, grilled and juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Whisk together cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, and garlic in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerator until ready to serve. For a thinner tzatziki, blend 1/2 of the tzatziki in a food processor until smooth then reintegrate it with the rest. It's delicious right away, but the flavors gets better after a few hours.

Pan Roasted Potatoes with Herb Pesto and Spinach

I made the most of a recent day off work by slow roasting a pork shoulder for 18 hours. Quite the stretch of time for cooking, but it was more than worth it! I slid the shoulder into the oven before bed and basted it throughout the next day until it was insanely tender and flavorful. I kept waking up in the middle of the night that I started the cooking process from the sweet aroma and the sound of soft crackling skin. It was a nice moment to realize that no, this isn't a dream, there's something baking and it's going to be divine. And it absolutely was. The combination of the perfect tenderness and crispy skin with caramelized sweetness and fragrant spices was just the best.

I love slow cooking, but I'm also a big believer in lavish dishes that come together quickly and simply. Cue this recipe for pan roasted potatoes, herb pesto, and fresh spinach. I served this alongside the pork and it offered such a nice mix of flavors and textures. Just like the pork, the potatoes were crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. The herb pesto with lemon juice brightens everything up. I used a mix of herbs for the pesto because I love the way they take turns in showing off. I look forward to having it again as soon as its own entree, most likely with a poached egg on top. Enjoy! -Mallory

Herb Pesto 
Makes about 1/2 cup
1 cup packed herbs (I used a mix of basil, rosemary, oregano, sage, and thyme)
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil

Combine herbs, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Pulse together until smooth then slowly stream in the oil. Set aside until ready to use.

Pan Roasted Potatoes with Herb Pesto and Spinach
Serves 4
1 pound yukon gold or yellow potatoes
olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup herb pesto
3 cups packed spinach

Clean and wash the potatoes then cut them into small pieces around 1 1/2 inches thick. Add olive oil to a wide skillet, just enough until it coats the entire bottom. Season the oil with salt and turn the heat to medium. When the oil is hot, add the potatoes with a cut side down. Cook for 10 minutes, until the bottom of the potatoes are deep brown and crispy. Turn with a spatula so that a different cut side of each potato piece is down. Add a lid to the skillet and turn the heat to low. Cook with the lid on until the potatoes are very tender, about 15-20 minutes. Place the spinach in a serving bowl with 1/2 cup of the herb pesto. Spoon out the hot potatoes into the bowl and stir until everything is well coated with the pesto. The greens will wilt slightly from the heat. 

Sage Macaroni and Cheese

I know that I'm not alone in my ardent love for macaroni and cheese. As is the case with its rich and creamy variants--ice cream, gratin, cheesecake, spinach artichoke dip--every splendid bite feels like some sort of luxurious bequest, perfectly indulgent. You can just close your eyes and have a personal celebration that, for however quick and fleeting a moment, life is just delicious. That's dangerous, isn't it? All things in moderation they say, so you can dish these up in ramekins and serve them beside something green and/or protein packed. 

This recipe calls for infusing the milk with fresh sage before creating the roux, and topping each ramekin with crunchy flash fried sage. The sage is a soft, subtle note in the mix, just enough to satiate and spark curiosity for more. Again, dangerous. I hope you enjoy! -Mallory

Sage Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 6 (Bake in 1-cup ramekins or a 1.5 to 2-quart baking dish)
 2 1/2 cups milk
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
12 sage leaves, divided
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups gruyere, grated
1 cup sharp cheddar, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs 
1/4 cup olive oil
6 sage leaves, for frying

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Bring milk, shallot, 6 of the sage leaves, and peppercorn to a simmer over medium-high heat. Make sure not to boil it, just simmer. Reduce to medium and simmer until the milk is reduced to 2 cups, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Strain out the shallot, sage leaves, and peppercorn, reserving the milk for the macaroni and cheese.

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat, add a dash of salt (optional) and cook macaroni according to the instructions on the package, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Grease the ramekins (or baking dish) with butter or cooking oil and set aside.

In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter then add the flour, whisking continuously as the roux begins to bubble and change in color, 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the infused milk and continue to stir constantly as it thickens. Once all the clumps are gone, remove from heat and add in the gruyere, cheddar, salt, and pepper. Next, fold in the cooked macaroni and transfer to the ramekins. Top with breadcrumbs and bake for 35 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. 

When you take the macaroni out of the oven, fry the remaining 6 sage leaves. It will only take a few minutes, so you don't have to worry about the macaroni and cheese getting too cool. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sage leaves and let fry for only a few seconds, then transfer them immediately to a paper towel to drain and cool. 

White Radish Fries with Coconut Curry Dipping Sauce

White radishes (also called daikon radish) are all over the farmers market right now. I love the sharp, pungency of raw radish, but there's also something really spectacular about the sweetness that comes from roasting them. Try these roasted white radish fries next time you pick up a bundle. -Mallory

White Radish Fries
a handful of white radishes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoons salt
cilantro for topping

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Clean the radishes, remove the tops for another use (like pesto!), and peel the outsides with a vegetable peeler. Julienne the radishes into thick fries. Toss them with olive oil and salt and roast them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven, top with fresh chopped cilantro, and serve with dipping sauce. 

Coconut Curry Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce

Whisk together ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Stuffed Mushrooms with Peas and Caramelized Shallots

I'm always in the market for meatless dinner party appetizers or satiating meatless additions to lunch or dinner. For me, regular doses of vegetable-focused meals are how I healthily afford future fried chicken excursions.

Peas and mint make a delightful pair--they're great together as a salad or spread onto toast. These stuffed portabella mushrooms bring together peas and mint with the sweetness of caramelized shallots and rich, creamy fontina. -Mallory 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. 

1 pound mushrooms, I used mini portabella but white button work well, too
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 shallots, skins removed and sliced
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup fontina cheese, shredded
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons mint leaves, finely chopped

Clean the mushrooms with a wet paper towel or cloth to remove dirt. Remove the stems and save them for another recipe. Toss the mushroom caps with olive oil, season them with salt and pepper, then place them on a baking sheet with the stem-side down. Bake for 15 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to shrivel and become tender. Remove from the oven and drain off any cooking juice that's on the pan. Let cool, then turn the caps over before stuffing.

Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and slowly cook, stirring often, until they turn a rich caramel color, about 20 minutes. Lower the heat as needed to prevent burning. Once caramelized, remove from heat and set aside. 

Meanwhile, bring 3 cups of water to boil in a large sauce pan. Add the peas, return to a boil, then lower heat to medium and let cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain the water and set the peas aside to cool.

In a food processor combine peas, 1/2 cup of fontina cheese, lemon juice and mint leaves. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and fold in caramelized shallots. 

Stuff the mushrooms with the pea and shallot mixture. Use the remaining 1/4 cup of fontina cheese to top the stuffed mushrooms. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees fahrenheit, then let cool slightly before serving. 

Red Cabbage Salad & Walnut Goat Cheese with Avocado Dressing

Something I love about cabbage salads is that they can be dressed ahead of time, making for an especially convenient lunch option. This salad marries textures crunchy and creamy by bringing together cabbage, goat cheese and avocado dressing. The goat cheese takes on the feel of a creamy pesto or romesco sauce with the ground walnuts. It's wonderful on it's own with crackers or sliced vegetables, but who can resist goat cheese and avocado dressing? Happy Spring! -Mallory

Red Cabbage Salad & Walnut Goat Cheese 
Serves 4
4 cups red cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
4 ounces goat cheese, softened
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup arugula, chopped 

Avocado Dressing
Makes 2/3 cup dressing
1 avocado
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
salt and pepper

Pulse the toasted walnuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and add goat cheese and lemon juice. Mix until well combined, then refrigerate until serving time.

Make the dressing in a food processor or blender by combining avocado, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and sesame seed oil. Process until smooth, season with salt and pepper, then slowly stream in up to a 1/4 cup of water, until the dressing reaches your desired consistency. Dress the cabbage, sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with walnut goat cheese and arugula, or other peppery greens.