Andea Immer - Love this book

Andrea Immer’s book, Everyday Dining with Wine has been dog-eared and stained over the years it’s been a member of the top shelf.




That surely is a sign of use…all the water and wine marks, a few food smears adorning the pages. Andrea states that “a roast chicken is like a blank canvas for wine…the perfect backdrop to carry off any color and flavor palette (and palate), from sparkling wine to the biggest red.”


Rosemary and Sweet Garlic Roast Chicken is probably the favorite recipe in this book. And let me tell you….that page is stained.

Jamie Oliver has a similar recipe using the almost the same ingredients (he doesn’t use garlic, Andrea doesn’t use sage) and we love that one too.

You’ll need …………

1 head of roasted garlic

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

A pinch of sugar

One 4 pound chicken, washed and patted dry (I used a 5 pound roasting hen)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter


Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine garlic, olive oil, rosemary, a teaspoon each salt and pepper, and sugar in a food processor. I used my little smokin’ mini Cuisinart.
Process into a paste.



Yep, it still works after the guava paste cracked the blade attachment!


Gently loosen the skin covering the chicken breast, you know the little tunnels that you can gently fit a finger in at the top of the breast? Work some of the paste under the skin so you have a little pocket of flavor.



Spread the remaining paste around the chicken, extra on the legs and thighs. Tie those legs together.

Place those 2 tablespoons of butter in the roasting pan and place that in the hot oven for about 30 seconds. Set the chicken in the roasting pan on its side and roast for 15 minutes. Carefully turn it to the other side and let roast 15 minutes there. Then you put the chicken on its back and roast until skin is crisp and brown.


Use a thermometer if you like to be sure the internal temperature is 165 degrees and cooked through. There is nothing more disappointing than having your side dishes ready, your tummy rumbling after being seduced by the smell of garlic and butter…then finding your chicken is bloody, uncooked…..needing more cook time. Blah!


It is recommended you allow the chicken to sit for 10 minutes before carving. Usually we can do that while the table gets set, the sides are moved to the serving table…..



Wine recommendations are French red Bordeaux or a California Cabernet Sauvignon.



There are many good recipes in this book but this one is a sure fav. The front of the book has a course-by-course recipe listing – breaking it down by Soups and Salads, Vegetables, Eggs and Cheese, Poultry and Meat and much more.



Each chapter is devoted to a particular type of wine ( One starts you with Riesling and Aromatic Wines) and details the type of grapes, tastes associated with the wines, recipes that blend well with those wines – both for cooking and for enjoying with the meal.



Another good cookbook that I was lucky enough to grab for a few bucks at a consignment shop.