Chicken with Beluga Lentils and Swiss chard - Untested

A dish built in layers: browned chicken, lentils that take on that depth, and greens folded in at the end to soften and lift.

3 Tbsps. olive oil

1 chicken cut into 8 parts (skin on)

½ tsp salt, to taste

½ tsp chili flakes

1 cup leeks (cleaned and sliced (about 2 large leeks))

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp smoked paprika

1 cup beluga lentils

1 cup white wine 

14oz fire roasted tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth 

1 Tbsp hot sauce

½ tsp salt (to taste)

¼ tsp pepper

~250g Swiss chard, stem sliced thin, leaves chopped

1 Tbsp fresh thyme 

1. Heat the oil and the butter in a large lidded casserole. Season the chicken, then fry for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
2. Pour off excess fat, but leave enough to carry flavour.
3. In that same pot, add the onion (this might be a better place for stems) and fry about 5 minutes, until soft. 
4. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the Swiss chard stems, sliced thinly, cooking just as the stems start to soften.
5. If the pot feels dry or the fond threatens to catch too hard, loosen it with a splash of wine or broth. Let it reduce slightly; this is where the sauce begins to form.
6. Add the lentils and stir them to coat, then add the tomato, paprika, and broth. The liquid should feel sufficient but not excessive — this is not a soup. Bring it to a gentle simmer.
7. Add the chicken legs and thighs first, nestled into the lentils. Simmer very gently for about 15 to 20 minutes. 
8. When the lentils are just starting to soften, add the breasts and cook for about another 15 minutes.
9. Check the amount of liquid, if it's too soupy, let it cook uncovered to reduce the liquid. If too dry, add a little broth.
10. Fold in the chard leaves and continue to cook slowly for another 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Last but not least, add the vinegar and stir through. 
12. It does well to leave it sit off the heat for a bit; the lentils will thicken slightly and the flavours round out. If it cools too much, just reheat.

Chicken with sloe gin and juniper berries - Untested

https://marmadukescarlet.blogspot.com/2010/09/chicken-with-sloe-gin-and-juniper.html

This recipe asks for chicken breasts but I try to convert these to whole chicken. Maybe skin the chicken first.

Serves 4

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

4 chicken breasts fillets, skinned

2 medium sized (English) onions, chopped

2 sticks of celery, chopped

350g carrots (or 3 medium sized), sliced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

125g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (or half a tsp of dried thyme)

100ml chicken stock

100ml  red wine

100ml sloe gin

1 tsp juniper berries, crushed

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken breasts until they are lightly browned on each side. Set aside
2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan and add chopped onion and celery. Gently fry for 5 minutes, before adding the garlic. Continue to fry for 2 more minutes.
3. Add mushrooms and lightly salt. Stir and continue to cook, with the lid on for 5 minutes.
4. Add carrots and fry for 2 more minutes. The mushrooms will have released much of their water into the pan.
5. Add the herbs, juniper berries and the liquid. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Cool the mixture and blend to a smooth puree. If the sauce is a little thick, then add either a little more stock or wine, to thin out.
7. Put the chicken breasts into a pan and add the blended sauce. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.
8. Season to taste (bearing in mind that you have already added salt to the mushrooms and that your chicken stock may be salty).
9. p.s:
10. In the interests of full disclosure, I think I should mention that this really isn't the prettiest of dishes. The combination of carrots, red wine and sloe gin does give it a rather muddy appearance but don't let that put you off. It tastes delicious, particularly with mash and lashings of colourful savoy cabbage.

Poulet et Légumes Braisés à la Moutarde - Untested

https://www.coupdepouce.com/cuisine/plats-principaux/recette/poulet-et-legumes-braises-a-la-moutarde

https://www.factormeals.ca/recipes/honey-mustard-chicken-w31-66801d6de4ccb870eb4de268?locale=fr-CA

https://ddcuisine.canalblog.com/archives/2012/03/15/23609965.html

I suspect these are all very different recipes but I'll check on them later. The below is the Coup de Pouce recipe which I need to read and understand.

2 bulbes d'ail

1 oignon rouge coupé en quartiers

ou:

12 petits oignons (de type cipollini) , blanchis et pelés

3 grosses carottes , pelées et coupées en gros morceaux

2 branches de céleris coupées en gros morceaux

4 panais pelés et coupés en gros morceaux

3 pommes de terre pelées et coupées en gros morceaux

ou:

12 petites pommes de terre (de type grelot) , brossées

4 cuillères à table d’ huile d'olive

1/4 tasse de farine

1/2 cuillère à thé de sel

1/2 cuillère à thé de poivre noir du moulin

2 cuillères à thé d’ herbes de Provence

4 lb de morceaux de poulet (pilons, hauts de cuisses et poitrines ) non désossés, la peau et le gras enlevés

2 cuillères à table de beurre

1 tasse d’ oignon hachés

1/2 tasse de vin blanc sec

1 1/2 tasse de bouillon de poulet

1/4 tasse de moutarde de Dijon 1/4 tasse de moutarde de Meaux ( moutarde à l'ancienne )

1 cuillère à table de sauce Worcestershire

1 trait de sauce tabasco

1 grosse patate douce , coupée en gros morceaux

1. Couper une tranche sur le dessus des bulbes d'ail de manière à exposer les gousses. Dans un grand bol, mettre les bulbes d'ail, l'oignon rouge, les carottes, le céleri, les panais et les pommes de terre, arroser de 2 c. à tab (30 ml) de l'huile et mélanger pour bien enrober les légumes. Mettre les légumes dans une grande rôtissoire, couvrir et cuire au four préchauffé à 400°F (200°C) pendant environ 20 minutes ou jusqu'à ce qu'ils aient légèrement ramolli.
2. Dans un plat peu profond, mélanger la farine, le sel, le poivre et les herbes de Provence. Passer les morceaux de poulet dans le mélange de farine en les retournant pour bien les enrober (secouer pour enlever l'excédent). Dans un grand poêlon, chauffer la moitié du reste de l'huile et du beurre à feu moyen-vif. Faire dorer les morceaux de poulet de 8 à 10 minutes, en plusieurs fois (ajouter le reste de l'huile et du beurre, au besoin). Mettre le poulet avec les légumes dans la rôtissoire.
3. Dans le poêlon, cuire les oignons hachés à feu moyen, en brassant de temps à autre, pendant 5 minutes ou jusqu'à ce qu'ils aient ramolli. Ajouter le vin blanc en raclant le fond du poêlon pour en détacher les particules. Ajouter le bouillon de poulet, la moutarde de Dijon, la moutarde de Meaux, la sauce Worcestershire et la sauce tabasco et mélanger. Verser le mélange sur le poulet et les légumes. Couvrir et cuire au four préchauffé à 400°F (200°F) pendant 30 minutes. Ajouter la patate douce et poursuivre la cuisson à découvert pendant 20 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que le jus qui s'écoule du poulet lorsqu'on le pique avec une fourchette soit clair et que les légumes soient tendres (arroser le poulet du jus de cuisson de temps à autre). (Vous pouvez préparer la casserole de poulet à l'avance, la laisser refroidir et la mettre dans un contenant hermétique. Elle se conservera jusqu'au lendemain au réfrigérateur et jusqu'à 2 mois au congélateur.)
4. Au moment de servir, disposer le poulet, les légumes et les bulbes d'ail dans un grand plat de service et arroser de la sauce. Servir le poulet et les légumes accompagnés des bulbes d'ail rôtis.

Stoved Howtowdie with Drappit Eggs - Untested

 (FRANKENSTEIN)

a 2lb chicken

salt and pepper

STUFFING

1 to 2 onions, minced

1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced

butter

2 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs

Lots of fresh green herbs, chopped

4 Tbsps. butter

1/2lb shallots, chopped

1 bouquet garni

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

2 cups chicken stock

4 eggs

1. Season the chicken inside and out.
2. Make the stuffing by softening the onions and garlic in butter, then adding the bread crumbs and herbs and frying gently until golden.
3. Stuff the chicken.
4. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven and brown the chicken all over. 
5. Add the shallots, bouquet garni, and rosemary. 
6. Pour the stock over. Cover tightly and simmer for 1 hour until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken from the stock and keep warm.
7. Ladle some of the cooking liquid into another pan and poach the eggs in this. The rest of the stock can be used to make soup.
8. To serve, place flattened balls of kale or spinach on a flat serving dish. Place the poached eggs on top of these and put the chicken in the center.

Cooking an old bird

https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2014/07/cook-old-chicken.html

https://morningchores.com/cooking-tough-chickens/

1 whole rooster or stewing hen, plucked & gutted

Water (to cover the bird; count the # of cups to know the amount of salt to add)

Herbs of your choice (sage, rosemary, thyme, etc) fresh or dried

2 bay leaves

Salt/pepper to taste (1 tsp salt per cup of water)

More herbs, seasonings, and your choice of veggies (onions, garlic, carrots, celery) to make stock (if desired)

1. Cover the bird loosely (I used wax paper to allow the carcass to breathe–avoid plastic wrap) and place in the fridge to age for 4-7 days [I am soaking mine in water which I will change every day before brining]. This is a crucial step for an old bird, as the extended aging process allows the muscle fibers to relax and tenderize. Don’t skip it!
2. After the aging process, place the bird in a large stock pot and cover it with water. Season if you like (I tossed in some salt, pepper, rosemary, parsley, and an onion for good measure) and cover. Simmer for 6-12 hours.
3. Remove the bird from the pot and allow it to cool so you can handle it comfortably. Remove all of the meat from the bones.
4. At this point, you can set the bones aside (we’ll be using them to make chicken stock), and toss the meat back into the broth to make chicken soup. (Just add the vegetables of your choice, noodles, and seasonings to taste, removing the bay leaves before you serve it. I don’t have an *exact* chicken soup recipe, since it’s different every time I serve it.

Chicken Baked in Cream (A Very Slow Recipe) - Test 3

From Ben's book fragment on Pennsylvania Dutch cookery - pg 15
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/chicken-breasts-in-cream-sauce-68533

1 - An interesting first try. I added onion and garlic, and it was good, and it appears to be a good base to build on. I felt like the sauce was too thick and sort of gelatinous because of the extra flour, but Ben liked it. I think there are two possible ways of making it better for me: A) decreasing the amount of flour and/or B) taking the chicken out and whisking the sauce since the bottom was somewhat browned while the top wasn't. ALSO, the recipe indicates 350F for 2 hours, which is either way too hot or way too long. The meat seemed moist (the chicken had been brined) but was obviously more than done. I think I'll try reducing the temp for the longer time to see, otherwise, if a higher temp for not as long has the same or better results, there's no point in complicating things. Am I right?
2 - This is in fact a very good and simple recipe. The cream takes on the chicken flavor and makes a delicious sauce. The timing is still weird - this time I baked it at 350F but only for an hour, and the meat came out super cooked. It wasn't dry, though, just very soft and the pieces looked strangely deflated. Oh, and the cream sauce didn't really mix well when I tried to whisk it at the end, so I'm not sure if anything should be done, there. It would be a shame to have to add something like flour or arrowroot powder to try and smooth it. I admit I did it kind of half-heartedly, so I'll try to be more mindful next time.

3 - I made it again at 350F and took it out as soon as the chicken was fully cooked, but then the cream didn't have the richness of flavour. I think the long slow cooking is important to get the meat to release flavour and for the cream to thicken. THEN, with the cream sauce I'd saved and frozen from the last two times I'd made it from scratch, I browned the chicken and instead of frying onion and adding new cream, I just used the old cream sauce, and it worked perfectly. I wonder how often I can do that safely and before the flavour changes too much?

4 - I did not use the old cream, but I did make this again, and oh my good lord it is such a good recipe! It's amazing how flavorful it becomes with so few and simple ingredients. I removed 'sour cream' as an option since I don't tend to buy the stuff - unless I can figure out how to make it. But I do wonder what yogurt would be like, like with another recipe I have somewhere with lamb and I think there's another with pork...

5 - The meat just falls off the bone, all soft and flavorful. But it remains in the testing phase. I was really hoping to graduate it to the main blog, but it was far too salty. I'm changing the instructions to omit the salt while cooking if the chicken is brined. I think the brining makes the meat salty enough that it salts the sauce.

Preparation time: 11 hours (8hrs in brine, 2 hours to bake)

1 chicken, cup into 8 pieces
1/2 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp salt (omit if the chicken has been brined)
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsps. (42gr) butter
1 onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups cream 

1. Brine the chicken for at least 6 hours (see NOTE)
2. Pre-heat the oven to 350F. 300F.
3. Dry the chicken pieces and sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.
4. Melt butter in a large sauté pan and fry the chicken until golden brown on all sides.
5. Remove the chicken and set aside; add the onion and fry until starting to soften (this is just to remove the pungency of the onion) then add the garlic and turn off the heat.
6. Place Return the chicken in a casserole to the pan and pour the cream over it.
7. Cover and bake (in a moderate oven) for 2 hours.
8. Serve with gravy made from the pan fryings left after frying the chicken. Once the chicken thighs register 175F on a meat thermometre, remove from the pan and set on a plate; whisk the cream sauce to combine into a smooth sauce and pour over the chicken to serve.

NOTE: To make a simple brine, the ratio is 3/4 cup salt to 16 cups of water. Add herbs and spices if desired.

Test 2 - Chicken in Caraway Sauce

Another recipe to convert from skinless, boneless chicken breasts to whole chicken cut into pieces. And the sauce is awesome!

1 - I think it worked well. Both of us were a bit wan tonight, so I'm looking forward to trying it again.
2 - Graduated to Test 1.
3 - Did it again to great success, but played a bit with the relationship between browning the chicken and making the sauce.

1/4 cup butter or vegetable oil
1 whole chicken cut into pieces
salt and pepper to season
3/4 cup beef broth

1. Melt the butter in a sauté pan. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and brown well on all sides, 5 minutes, working in batches if necessary. 
2. Add the broth, turn the chicken pieces, and cook gently for 15 minutes.
3. Turn the chicken again, cover, and continue cooking until the chicken is tender, 15 minutes more, or until white meat reaches 165-170F and dark meat 180F. 
4. Remove the chicken to a serving dish and allow to rest while making the sauce. Pour the remaining broth and measure out 1/2 cup (if the liquid reduced too much, add a bit of broth. If there is too much broth, boil it down before continuing with the sauce).

For the sauce
1 Tbsp oil
1 onion or 2 medium shallots, minced
OPTIONAL: 1 Belgian endive or 5 large Romaine lettuce leaves, cut cross-wise, in thin strips
2 Tbsps. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Over medium heat, cook the onion or shallots (and leaves if using) in the oil until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the caraway seeds and continue cooking until the onion or shallots are lightly browned, an extra 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the cider vinegar and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon (remember, browned bits = flavor!).
3. Add the stock and cream; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced to a generous 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Dijon mustard; season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Return the chicken to the pan, coat with the sauce, and allow to reheat if the chicken has been resting for more than 10 minutes.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Test 1 - Apple and Pork Stuffed Roast Chicken

In translating a recipe for stuffing from Dorothy Heartley's fascinating book Food In England, I developed this roast chicken recipe. Its calorie density makes it definitely good for a hard-working farmhouse crew in the cold of winter.

1 whole chicken
2 Tbsps of bacon fat; or 3 slices bacon
A dozen small onions
5-8 boiled potatoes
Salt and Pepper
1 recipe of Pork and Apple Stuffing

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
2. Meanwhile, if you don't have bacon fat on hand, render the baconslices for their fat over medium heat. If you do have bacon fat on hand, melt it gently in a large pan - no cooking is involved, it just needs to be in liquid form.
3. When peeling the onions, cut off only the brown dry bit of the basal plate and then cut them in quarters so that the layers of onion stay together while roasting.
4. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper.
5. Stuff the bird with the Porc and Apple Stuffing, as full as you can, from both ends. There is no need to truss the bird and it's ok if the stuffing spills out a bit, but it should be moist enough to mold itself into the bird.
6. Once the fat from the bacon has been rendered, toss the onion and the potatoes in the fat just to cover them. Remove them from the bacon fat with a slotted spoon and lay at the bottom of a roasting pan. 
7. Lay the chicken on top of the potato and onion mix, breast up.
8. Pour the remaining bacon fat over the chicken.
9. Roast in the oven, covered, for 45 minutes, then uncover and roast an additional 45 minutes, or until a meat thermometre IN THE STUFFING reads 165F (I say in the stuffing because, being in the centre of the bird, it is the last part that reaches the correct internal temperature to kill any harmful bacteria).
10. Once the stuffing and the breast read 165F on a meat thermometre, remove from the oven and let sit for 10-20 minutes before carving to allow the meat to relax and allow the juices to spread evenly throughout.

Testing - Chicken in fresh plum sauce

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a6933/skillet-chicken-plum-balsamic-ghk0907/

1 - While interesting and a tasty way to use fresh plums without the bother of making a plum sauce, I felt it lacked a little pizzazz. In parenthesis I've added some more ingredients to add that pizzazz, taken from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/spicy-plum-chicken-thighs-recipe.html)

4 medium skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves
1 whole chicken cut in 6-8 pieces
1 pinch salt and pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
½ medium red 1 small onion
(2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tsps fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 small fresh hot chille, coarsely chopped
pinch ground cinnamon
pinch ground cloves)
3 5 small plums
½ cup . reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsps balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp salt

1. Place chicken-breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. With meat mallet or rolling pin, pound breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper.
2. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add breasts and cook 6 to 7 minutes or until browned on both sides and chicken loses its pink color throughout, turning over once. Transfer breasts to platter; cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a sauté pan and, working in batches, brown the meat on all sides, 5-8 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
4. Lower the heat. Drain off all but a tablespoon of oil from the pan.
5. Cut plums in half and remove the stone while the pan's temperature reduces. 
6. Add the onion and cook until it starts to soften. Add the garlic, ginger and chille and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the cinnamon and clove and stir just until fragrant.
7. Add the plums and cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned on each side. The mixture should start to brown. This is not for presentation but for flavour, so it doesn't matter if the plums look weird.
8. To skillet, Add red onion and cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently. 
9. Increase heat to medium-high; stir in chicken broth, vinegar, honey, 1/4 tsp. salt, and bring to a rapid simmer. Put chicken back in and any juices from chicken on collecting on the platter. 
10. Cover the pan, and cook, turning the meat occasionally, until tender, about 20-30 minutes or until breasts register 170F.
11. Remove the chicken, and C cook 2 to 3 minutes more to reduce sauce slightly, stirring occasionally. or until the desired thickness of sauce is achieved.

Curried Roast Chicken - Testing

http://www.food24.com/Recipes/Oven-roasted-curried-chicken-20091103

I made this once a long time ago and I think we liked it, but I consider it untested because I can't remember.

1 - The flavors are really nice but I did not grind all the ingredients, assuming that just grating them would be enough (ie ginger and garlic). I would like to actually grind them next time. I also brined the chicken with 1/4 cup salt and I think it oversalted the meat (the chicken was frozen in the morning and I wanted to thaw it for the evening meal). Pulling off the skin was super easy, I just did it with my hands starting at the neck and pulling away from there. It gets a bit challenging around the vent and the wings are really hard, but I didn't worry too much about them. 

3 lbs whole chicken, skin removed
4 Tbsps lemon juice
1 thumb-length piece of fresh ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 red chillies, seeds removed, minced
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsps olive oil
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. black pepper

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°C 
2. Use a sharp knife to make two diagonal cuts into each breast, thigh and leg.
3. Place the chicken, with the breast facing upwards, in a roasting pan that has been lined with a piece of foil large enough to wrap the chicken.
4. Place the lemon juice, ginger, garlic, chillies, salt, olive oil, curry powder, cumin and coriander in a food processor or grind them into a paste using a pestle and mortar. Rub the paste all over the chicken and make sure you also rub it into the cuts. Leave the chicken to stand for half an hour so that the flavours can develop.
5. Season the chicken with freshly ground black pepper. Fold the foil over the chicken to form a parcel and place it in the oven for an hour.
6. Open the foil and baste the chicken with the juices in the roasting tin. Return the chicken to the oven, uncovered, for another half hour and serve.

Testing - Chicken in a Pot with Carrots, Turnips, and Barley

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chicken-pot-carrots-turnips-barley

1 - Interesting - it's like a Poule-au-pot but braised instead of immersed. I quite enjoyed browning the chicken! I feel, however, that the barley is not well handled. I've already increased the quantity to a cup, but cooking it in water beforehand and then letting it briefly swim in the remaining broth at the  end didn't produce a wow result. I am altering the recipe - using stock instead of plain water; putting the barley in at the beginning and cooking with the chicken; adding the vegetables at a later time so that they rest on top of the barley. Let's try that!

1 cup pearled barley
1 3½–4-lb. chicken
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 garlic cloves, peeled, lightly crushed
3 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup brandy or 1/3 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken broth
3 carrots, sliced 3" thick
2 leeks  (12oz/340g) whites and light greens only, trimmed, sliced 3" thick
1 bunch peeled whole baby turnips or one larger turnip or chunk of rutabaga (about 6oz.), peeled, cut into 1" wedges
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

1. Cook barley in 1 1/4 cup lightly salted water. Drain and set aside.
2. Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Place garlic, thyme, and bay leaves inside chicken.
3. In a Dutch oven or cast-iron pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry and place it breast side down in pot. Cook until browned, 5–7 minutes per side (this is correct at moderate heat), then transfer chicken to a plate. Pour brandy into pot and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Allow to reduce a few minutes.
4. Add the barley and mix into the remaining liquid. Lay the chicken on top of the barley and lay the chicken on top before adding the broth. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, about 20-30 minutes (depending on how done you like your veg - see next step).
5. At this point, add the veg around the chicken, without disturbing the barley and continue cooking, covered, until the thighs pull easily away from the bone, another 25-35 minutes, and the veg are done to your likeness (you may have to remove the veg before the chicken is done to avoid having them go to mush).
6. Remove chicken from pot and gently spoon out vegetables. Skim any foam or fat from broth and strain through a fine sieve or cloth. Season the remaining barley, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Test 1 - Lapin aux pruneaux et à la bière

http://www.cookismo.fr/lapin-aux-mirabelles-et-a-la-biere/9856

1 - The first attempt, while successful, was a bit fraught - it's a new way of flouring meat for a stew, where you add the ingredients one at a time to the cooking meat, instead of dusting the meat beforehand in a shallow dish. It's a dynamic and interesting dance, and one I'd like to get used to - less dishes, less time wasted fiddling with ingredients. I did alter a few things. The salt and peppering instructions, in the original recipe, seems sort of an afterthought. I've sprinkled the meat with a good pinch of both before putting it in the pan. Also, I increased the amount of beer from 1/3 cup to a 1/2 cup...
2 - This time I used frozen Italian prune plums since it's late March and hardly plum season. But I wanted to make this! It changed the dish a bit, and while the fresh Mirabelle are better, this was also very good. Good enough to bump it up to the next level.

1 large shallot, minced
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsps oil
1 whole chicken in pieces (or 4 rabbit legs)
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup dark beer
1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp veal broth concentrate
10 small, sweet plums or the equivalent in volume in large plums
1 + 1 Tbsps brown sugar

1. Peel and mince the shallot.
2. Heat butter and oil in a pan until the butter starts to froth. Add the shallot and the meat, skin side down, and fry until golden. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper before you turn them. Repeat for the other side.
3. Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to caramelize.
4. Add the flour and toss until the meat is coated. (cela s'appelle <<singer>>)
5. Add the beer and allow to simmer for a couple of minutes before stirring everything together.
6. Put the lid on and simmer for about 30-45 minutes (depending on thickness of meat). Internal temperature of the breast 165F.
7. Cut the mirabelles (or other plums) in half and remove the pit.
8. When the thighs are done, plate them and set aside about 10 minutes to allow them to settle. Bring the remaining liquid to a boil to thicken the sauce.
9. Meanwhile, quickly throw the mirabelles and the remaining brown sugar in a pan and caramelize. Be sure to remove the mirabelles from the heat before they lose their shape.
10. Pour the sauce over the thighs and then add the plums.
11. Serve immediately.

Testing - Coq au vin et au chocolat

NOTE: This worked nicely but I would like to try a recipe where I develop a 'fond' to see if it enriches the flavours at all.

Part 1 - the Marinade
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 (750 ml) bottle red wine
1 (4 lbs.) whole chicken

1. In a bowl, stir together onion, garlic, cacao nibs, cocoa powder, and red wine.
2. Put chicken in large Ziploc bag with marinade. Refrigerate overnight (or two hours minimum).

Part 2 - the Coq au Vin
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 oz. bacon, cut into lardons
2 Tbsps. butter
3 Tbsps. tomato paste
8 oz. mushrooms (morels and/or button)
1 (750 mL) bottle red wine
4 cups chicken stock
1 ounce dark chocolate, chopped
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. fresh thyme, leaves only
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. In a large stockpot over medium heat, sweat the onion and the garlic in butter until translucent. 
3. Add the bacon, and cook until lightly browned. 
4. Add the carrots, the celery, and the tomato paste, and stir. 
5. Add the mushrooms and the red wine.
6. Cook to reduce this liquid mixture by half. 
7. Add the chicken stock, the chocolate, the cocoa powder, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper
8. Remove the chicken from marinade, and add to the pot. Discard marinade.
9. Place the uncovered pot in the oven for 20 minutes
10. Next, lower the oven temperature to 325F. Cook for one more hour or until the internal temperature reads 165F.

Testing - Five-Spice Chicken

2 tbsp lemon juice

1+1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp liquid honey

1 tsp five-spice powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

8 chicken pieces

1. Pre-heat oven to 425F.
2. In large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, honey, five-spice powder, salt and pepper. Remove skin from chicken if desired. Add chicken to marinade, turning to coat; let stand for 15-30 minutes. (OR use a large zip-lock bag, put in chicken, pour in marinade, lock bag and shake to coat chicken. Let stand for 15-30minutes to season.)
3. In an ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat; brown chicken in batches, skin-side down for 8-15 minutes or until golden, adding more oil if necessary. Drain fat from skillet.
4. Return all chicken to skillet. Roast in oven until juices run clear when chicken is pierced or internal temperature reaches 160F for boneless and 175F for bone-in chicken.

Untested - Roast Chicken with Lemon and Sage (Marinade)

http://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/recipes-cookbooks/recipes/a445/herb-roasted-chicken-recipe-1010/

1 (3- to 3 1/2-pound) whole chicken, patted dry with paper towels
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 bunch of fresh sage leaves (about 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 medium carrots, peeled and halved crosswise (for whole chicken only), optional
3 celery stalks, cut crosswise into thirds (for whole chicken only), optional
1 large onion, peeled and cut into large chunks (for whole chicken only), optional

1. Put the chicken in a large bowl. Add the oil, lemon, and sage; toss well. Cover tightly and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for 24 hours.
2. The next day, let the chicken stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 450 degrees.
3. Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with the seasoning. Remove the lemon slices and sage from the marinade and stuff them inside the chicken cavity. Scatter the carrots, celery, and onion, if using, over the bottom of a roasting pan. Pour just enough water into the pan to cover the bottom. Arrange the chicken, breast-side up, on top of the vegetables, if desired, or place the chicken on a roasting rack over the vegetables.
4. Transfer the pan to the center oven rack; roast for 20 minutes. Baste with the pan juices, and continue roasting, basting once or twice, for 25 minutes more (if the chicken is not golden-brown all over at this point, continue to cook for 10 more minutes).
5. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees. Finish roasting, without basting, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Let the chicken stand for five minutes before carving. Serve with the pan juices and vegetables, if desired.

Hot and Dry Barbecue Chicken - Test 1

http://bbq.about.com/od/rubrecipes/r/bl50617d.htm

1 - Delicious. Try rubbing on olive oil before applying the rub.

2 - Continues to be delicious. I omitted the garlic powder and liked it very much without it. And I spruced up the chicken-cooking part.

1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons salt, finely ground
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon mustard powder
2 tablespoons chilli powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cayenne

1 - 2 Tbsps vegetable oil
1 chicken, butterflied (also known as spatchcock)

1. Mix all the seasonings and spices together. You'll only need a couple Tbsps per chicken and the rest keeps well in a tightly sealed container.
2. Spachcock the chicken using kitchen scissors by cutting out the spine, opening the carcass and pressing firmly down on the breastbone to flatten the breast. 
3. Massage the oil on both sides of the meat, then sprinkle on the seasoning (ironically rubbing it in just helps it stick to your hands and clumps it on the skin of the chicken). Allow it to mellow for 30 to 90 minutes in the refrigerator.
4. On a gas barbecue, light it and close the lid, allowing the temperature to reach 500F.
5. Turn the heat down to Medium or 325-350F turn off one of the elements to cook the chicken over indirect heat.
6. Put chicken on bone side down. Close the lid and cook for about 40-50 minutes or, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180F or, until juices run clear. 
7. Once cooked put the chicken on a plate and tent for about 10 minutes for the juices to even out in the meat. Serve as desired.