Soooo sorry that I left ya'll hangin' for so long. Life got a little busy with gigs and new opportunities that have recently come my way. Exciting stuff that, I promise, when they start to materialize that I will keep you updated. So the last gig that I did was a rehearsal dinner for some friends at a private home in Elk Grove. That bad boy went off with out a hitch. Rachel, my chef, again props to you. I'm gonna take a minute to talk about the baddest female chef in the Sactown area. The woman is gangster. Not only can she make the most delicate, rich and utterly delicious pastries and desserts this side of the Mississippi, she can simultaneously grill 60lbs of tri-tip and 40lbs of chicken with 3 foot flames surrounding her and make brussels so good that you thought they were collard greens that had been cookin' on the pot for hours. Gangster! On the back of her chef coat it should say, "Above average, potential classic!"
For that gig, my husband made a citrus rub for the chicken that we served. He modified it from a recipe from family friends that used to own a bed and breakfast up in Sedona. Everyone went crazy for the chicken at the rehersal dinner, so two days later I thought I would try a piece for myself with the extra rub that we had left over. I sat down with my son at the dinner table and began to partake in this fine piece o' meat in front of me. Forty five minutes later I'm still working on this one piece of chicken. I have now completely stripped it of all meat like a hyena on the Serengeti and am trying to suck the marrow out of the bone. Ridiculous. My two year old son who finished his dinner twenty minutes earlier, is pulling on me and yelling, "Mama stop eatin', you said I can have cookie! Put chicken down Mama now!" I'm ignoring him, trapped in a frenzy to get every bit of juice I can out of this bird. THIS was some good chicken. My son, now in a full tizzy, has broken my trance and brought me back to reality. The chicken is gone, my side dish is cold and I am so depressed that I only cooked one piece. Greasy lipped and longing for more, I get my son his cookie. At least one of us is happy.
So I feel that after having such an experience that I have to share it with all of you. This recipe was originally written the Garland's Lodge cookbook back in 2006. They are no longer there and sadly missed because their food was awesome. So here is the recipe for the rub. I strongly suggest that you use chicken that is bone in and skin on. I know that might not be the most health conscious, but it will provide you with an extremely more flavorful piece of meat. For novice chefs, it is important to get a good sear on the meat after you apply the rub. In a frying pan on med-high with a about two to three table spoons of olive oil, sear each side for about two minutes. Transfer to the oven preset at 350 degrees and roast for about 35-45 minutes. After chicken is done (when poked, clear liquid should flow out) let rest and with pan dripping create a jus. I like to transfer the drippings back to the original pan I used to sear the chicken, add 1 tbsp of butter and 1 cup of chicken stock. Simmer on high and reduce the jus down until it's a dark creamy caramel color. Pour over the chicken and enjoy.
Citrus Herb Rub
- 2 tablespoons thyme
- 2 tablespoons sage
- 2 tablespoons rosemary
- zest of 1 orange
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup coarse ground pepper
Lightly toast the dry herbs and zest in a small skillet over medium low heat. Do not burn! Partially grind the herb-zest mixture in a spice mill and mix with salt and pepper.
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