Spring Chicken

"Well, she's certainly no spring chicken!"

We've all heard the expression leveled at a woman of a certain age trying to hide under youthful clothes.

No one really thinks about the expression's origin, mainly because few of us grew up near a farm. For its origins have to do with the old food chain.

Once upon a time, believe it or not, chickens behaved just like other birds; they laid and hatched their eggs only in spring and early summer. A spring chicken, back then, was no figure of speech, but quite literally a youngling born during the season.

These young, supple birds were the only kind tender enough for broiling, frying, and roasting. Anyone who has ever mistakenly tried to roast or fry an old hen knows exactly how "no spring chicken" came to be leveled at anyone forgetting to act her age.

Today, chicken farms breed year-round and young birds are always available; it's actually harder to find the old stewing hens that were the staple of our kitchens. But we've lost more than mature stewing birds and the origin of a rude figure of speech.

We've forgotten how to appreciate things in their natural season - and it's not doing us any favors on our waistlines.

We've forgotten that fried, broiled, and roasted chickens were once seasonal treats of spring and summer, rather than something one could pick up any night of the year as a desperate stopgap for dinner.

If you have something every single day - or at least know that you can have it if you want to, it stops being special, and there's the problem. What was once a rare treat is everyday fare, and it does not take a genius to know that a daily diet of fried chicken isn't a good thing.

This isn't to suggest that we go back to those days. Imagine the riot we'd have on Jones and Congress streets if Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room and The Lady & Sons suddenly decided to serve fried chicken only in its original season.

But we would do well to recapture some of the sense that treat food should be just that - a special treat - and show a little restraint in our enjoyment of it.

One way to recapture a sense of that special feeling is to start actually frying and roasting your own chicken. When you've put the effort into it, the results will naturally seem more - well, special.

When you do decide to sauté, fry, roast, or grill broil that chicken at home, remember that bigger is not better. The equivalent of a "spring" bird is the optimum: one whose dressed weight is under 3 pounds, preferably no more than 2 and a half pounds.

For frying, always buy a whole bird and cut it up yourself. Few butchers know how to properly cut up a bird for sautéing and frying, and it gives you the chance to cut out portions that the supermarket butchers never take the time to do, like the wishbone.

Here is how to do it. You'll need a sharp knife and a little intuition.

Cut away the legs at the ball joint of the thigh, leaving the skin attached. Then lay it cut side up on the board and divide it at the joint between the thigh and drumstick.

Next, cut off the wings at the shoulder joint and cut between the ribs at each side to separate the back and breast. Bend the back toward the shoulder joints and cut through these joints to separate it from the breast.

You'll now have a whole breast. To cut away the wishbone, find the hard, pointed spot at the top where the keel bone ends at the shoulder. Cut through at that point and cut away the y-shaped collar, or wish bone portion.

Next, chop the breast in half.

Though once the back and neck were fried along with the other parts, today most people save them for the stockpot.

Your chicken is now ready to fry, sauté, or fricassee. Once you get used to doing it, you can do this in less than five minutes, so no whining about the mess and time, please. Just do it. You won't be sorry.

Chicken Kentuckian

It is not spring in my house until this has been on my table. The recipe is from the late Rev. William Ralston, former rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, and brings back a flood of memories of a beloved pastor, teacher and friend. It first appeared in "Heritage Receipts," a slim but wonderful collection of traditional cooking prepared by the Episcopal Church Women of the parish.

Serves 6

½ pound brown (crimini) mushrooms

2 young chickens, no more than 2½ to 3 pounds each, skinned, and cut up for frying

Salt

½ cup flour in a shaker, wire sieve or sifter

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons chopped scallion

½ cup bourbon

1 cup heavy cream (min. 36 percent milkfat)

1. Wipe mushrooms with a dry cloth and slice thickly. Spread chicken on a platter or large plate and lightly dust with salt and flour.

2. Heat butter and oil in large, heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add chicken and scallions and sauté, turning frequently, until chicken is golden and tender, about 30 minutes, basting every few minutes with spoonfuls of bourbon, being careful to add it in small amounts so there is never any liquid accumulated in pan.

3. When chickens are done and all bourbon has been used up, transfer chicken to a warm platter. Turn up heat and add mushrooms. Sauté, tossing constantly, for 3 minutes.

4. Add cream and scrape loose any residue stuck to skillet. Simmer until heated through and lightly thickened. Taste and correct seasonings and pour over chicken. Serve at once.

Chicken Breasts In Brown Butter

(Supreme de Volaille á brun, or á la Meuniere)

Á la Meuniere means "miller's wife style" and describes something pan-fried in browned butter, also called a' brun. In Italy, it's called alla fiorentina, Florentine style. Whatever you call it, it's a lovely and quick warm weather dinner entrée.

Serves 4

4 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1½ pounds)

¼ cup flour in a shaker or sifter

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

Salt

1. Rinse chicken well and pat dry. Trim away fat and lay chicken flat on cutting board. With sharp knife, cut each in half horizontally to make flat cutlets. Lightly dust both sides with flour.

2. Put 6 tablespoons butter in a lidded skillet and over medium heat. When melted and its foaming subsides, raise heat to medium high, shake excess flour off cutlets, and slip them into pan. Fry until bottoms are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn, sprinkle with salt, and lower heat to medium. Cook until nicely browned and just cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let settle 1 minute.

3. Transfer cutlets to individual serving plates. Add remaining butter to pan and shake until melted. Pour over each portion and serve at once.

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Vermouth

Serves 4

4 whole chicken breast halves (not boned, with skin on)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 large onions, trimmed, split lengthwise, peeled, and thinly sliced

3 large ribs celery, leafy top included, thinly sliced

2 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed, peeled, and chopped fine

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

Salt and whole black pepper in a peppermill

½ cup dry vermouth or white wine

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Rinse chicken well and pat dry. Put 2 tablespoons butter, onion, and celery in flameproof casserole that will hold chicken in one layer. Turn on heat to medium and sauté, tossing frequently, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Sprinkle in garlic and half of sage and thyme.

2. Rub skin side of chicken well with remaining butter. Season with salt, pepper, and remaining herbs. Lay skin side up on top of vegetables and roast, uncovered, until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Pour wine over chicken, reduce heat to 375 degrees, and roast, basting often with pan juices, until cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes longer.

French Batter-Fried Chicken

(Poulet en Marinade, Frit)

We think we have a monopoly in fried chicken in the South, but Europeans were frying it long before Columbus stumbled onto the shores of the New World. This is a very old, classic French recipe.

Serves 4

½ cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons)

1 small yellow onion, split lengthwise, trimmed, peeled and thinly sliced

1 large clove garlic, crushed, peeled and minced

4 whole cloves roughly crushed in a mortar or with the flat side of a knife

2 bay leaves, chopped if fresh, crumbled if dried

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and black pepper in a peppermill

1 small 2½-3 pound frying chicken, skinned and cut up for frying

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups dry white wine

2 large egg yolks

Lard, shortening, or peanut or other vegetable oil, for frying

1 lemon cut into wedges

1. Combine lemon juice, onion, garlic, cloves, bay leaves, thyme, a large pinch salt and liberal grinding pepper in a large stainless steel or glass bowl. Stir until salt is dissolved. Wash chicken, pat dry, and put in marinade, turning to coat well. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Turn chicken periodically to ensure even marinating.

2. Sift or whisk flour and 1 teaspoon salt together in mixing bowl. Make a well in center and pour in wine. Gradually whisk flour into liquid until it is incorporated and smooth. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.

3. Put enough fat in a wide Dutch oven or deep fat fryer to come a little less than halfway up sides. Turn on heat to medium high and heat oil to 375 degrees (very hot but not smoking). While fat is heating, thoroughly drain marinade from chicken and pat it dry.

4. Dip chicken, beginning with thighs, legs and wings, one at a time in batter, coating all sides. Let excess flow back into bowl and slip carefully into fat. Repeat with each piece of chicken until pan is full but not crowded. When all chicken is in pot, adjust temperature to 325 degrees F. and fry, turning once, until chicken is cooked through and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with lemon wedges.

Roast Chicken with Sage and Madeira Pan Gravy

Roasting is one of the single most elegant ways of cooking chicken there is - in all senses of the word.

Serves 4

1 small young chicken, weighing no more than 3½ pounds

Salt and whole black pepper in a peppermill

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, or 1½ teaspoons crumbled dried sage

1 medium yellow onion, split lengthwise, peeled, and thinly sliced

1 rib celery, including the leafy top, thinly sliced

½ cup Madeira

1 cup chicken broth, preferably homemade broth made with neck and giblets of chicken

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Remove giblets and neck from chicken and use for broth. Wash chicken and pat dry. Rub inside with salt and pepper and fill with sage, onion, and celery. Tie legs together with kitchen twine and fold wing tips under shoulders. Lightly butter outside and season with salt and pepper.

2. Lightly butter small oval roasting pan or enameled iron casserole (tight fit keeps pan juices from drying up). Put chicken in pan, breast up, and roast 10 minutes, gently shaking pan after 5 minutes to be sure skin isn't sticking.

3. Rub chicken with butter and turn breast-down (you should be able to handle with bare hands. If not, insert a carving fork into cavity of bird and flip using fork and tongs). Reduce heat to 400 degrees and roast 15 minutes, shaking pan gently once or twice to be sure skin isn't sticking. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and roast until just cooked through, about 30 minutes more. Meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh should read 165 degrees F. If breast skin has stuck to pan, gently pry loose with a spatula. Using carving fork and tongs, turn chicken breast up. Roast 5 minutes or until skin is crisp.

4. Remove chicken to warm platter. Pour off but reserve pan juices, let settle, and spoon off fat (or use a fat separator pitcher). Put roasting pan over medium high heat. Add Madeira and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping to loosen cooking residue. Let boil 1 minute and add broth. Bring broth to boil and boil until reduced by half, about 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add reserved roasting juices, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until it is lightly thickened, about 2 minutes more. Turn off heat and swirl in butter. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve chicken with gravy passed separately.