snowstorm chicken.

this would normally be a "what's for dinner?" post, but this makes at least 2 dinners, so.

when a snowstorm is forecast by the meteorologists, people run to the store and stock up on eggs, bread, and milk.

this is a mistake.

not that eggs, bread, and milk are a bad thing, but unless you only plan to eat french toast during the storm, you might want to consider picking up a whole chicken instead.  there is nothing quite so comforting when it's snowing (or sleeting or freezing raining) outside as the smell of chicken roasting in an oven.  plus, it heats up the whole apartment.  and then you get to make soup from what's left over.

so.  snowstorm chicken for 2 nights.  this is my recipe, more or less.  i mean, roast chicken is roast chicken, but i always prepare it this way.

1 whole chicken 3-5 lbs
2-3 carrots
2-3 stalks of celery
1 large onion, or 2 smallish ones

salt, black pepper, "seasoned salt," paprika, garlic, parsley, sage, and/or rosemary to taste and depending what's in your pantry or your container garden that you're overwintering
butter or olive oil
white wine (this is my one real use for chardonnay)
potatoes
2 bay leaves or bouquet garni
1 T butter
1 T flour
other vegetables such as fresh or frozen corn, peas, green beans, etc

1.  preheat the oven to 400F.  remove giblets and neck from chicken, if included.  i've never had a chicken with a neck, but if you get one, keep it and put it in your stockpot.  i don't know what to do with giblets.  with an organic chicken, i would make chopped liver, but usually i just throw them all out.

2.  while the chicken warms up slowly from the fridge, peel 1 or 2 of the carrots. cut the carrots, 1 or 2 celery stalks, and 1/2 or 1 onion into long thin sticks and scatter them on the bottom of your roasting pan.

3.  place the chicken on top of the cut vegetables.  drizzle olive oil or melted butter over the chicken, then pour over some wine.  sprinkle the chicken with whatever herbs and spices you're using (for what it's worth, i use seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic, parsley, and either sage or rosemary depending on how the plants are doing) and rub them into the skin with the oil and the wine.

4.  you can make baked potatoes as an accompaniment here. peel them, cut them in half, rub them with olive oil, and wrap in foil and position on a baking sheet.

4.  put the chicken in the oven and roast for 1-1 1/2 hours or until the thigh leaks clear juices.  or google for the right reading on a meat thermometer, which i don't own.  also put in the potatoes on either the same rack or the lower one on their own pan.

5. let the chicken rest 15-20 minutes and then carve.  serve with the baked potatoes.  have a glass of wine.  this is dinner #1.  reserve whatever meat you don't eat in the fridge. 

6.  put the bones/carcase with some meat attached, skin, wing tips, and vegetables from the roasting pan in a stockpot with the bay leaves or a bouquet garni.  pour the roasting juices from the pan into the stockpot too.  basically, don't throw anything out, put it all in the stockpot.  cover with water and turn the burner on high.

7.  when the water boils, turn the heat down and simmer for several hours until the stock is richly flavoured and there is no flavour left in the meat.  have another glass of wine, watch a movie or the snow falling or have sex or something. or all of the above.

8. turn off the heat and allow to cool until you can handle the pot.  when it is cool enough, strain the stock into a bowl (or bowls) either through a sieve or cheesecloth.  now you can throw away all the bones, skin, vegetables, etc.  put the stock in the fridge overnight.  have another glass of wine.  go to bed because it's really late now.

9.  the next morning, wake up, make a pot of coffee, and enjoy looking at the snow out your window that you don't have to go and slog through or drive in.

10.  when it gets dinner timeish again, take the chicken stock out of the fridge and remove the solid layer of fat that has formed overnight.  the stock itself should have gelled.  this is real jello :)

11.  for dinner #2,  peel the remaining carrot and chop in small pieces.  chop the remaining onion and celery into small pieces as well. peel and cube some more potatoes.  saute all these in butter or olive oil a deep pot and remove them to a plate or bowl.

12.  in the same pot, over medium heat, melt 1 T butter.  add in the 1 T flour and whisk to make a roux.  pour in a little white wine and allow to thicken, then start adding the chicken stock, whisking the whole time to incorporate the roux and thicken the stock.  you may have extra stock. if so, freeze it and use it later.

13.  add back the sauteed vegetables with any juices.  add in the refrigerated chicken meat from last night.   simmer until the vegetables and potatoes are cooked through, adding any herbs or spices to taste.  if you are adding starchy vegetables, add them as well.  if you are using more delicate vegetables like green beans, add them right (less than 5 minutes) before you take the soup off the stove so they don't overcook.  now you have chicken soup for dinner #2.