Maple Glazed Chicken with Roasted Garlic and Lemon and Creamy Fennel Soup
Today I am going to share with you two recipes, each one, from my favorite cookbooks of the moment: Dishing Up Vermont: 145 Authentic Recipes from the Green Mountain State and Nourishing Traditions
. First I must apologize for the lack of “finished product” pictures. We were so hungry, and it smelled so good, that we forgot to take any pictures of the plated dishes!!!
Even though it is still in the high 80’s and 90’s here in Florida (and we have been dealing with a broken AC for almost a week), we did have a few cooler days in the past few weeks. My internal clock is abuzz with massive autumnal cravings, so on those days I know I have to take advantage of the cooler temperatures to cook up some delicious fall fare. This is my absolute favorite time of year to cook!
As my internal clock made the shift from summer to autumn, I began searching through my favorite cookbooks looking for inspirational meals, that are on the cusp of the seasons. This Maple Glazed Chicken with Roasted Garlic and Lemon Puree, definitely fit the bill. Roasted chickens and maple always remind me of fall in New England, whereas the lemon adds a summery note. I also opted for a creamy Fennel Soup – fennel has a bright anise note, yet it is also a bulb, which reminds me of hearty autumn foods.
Both dishes were quite easy to make. I decided to forego the method for the chicken in the cookbook, and instead roast it up in my tagine. If you don’t have a tagine, you can certainly use a cast iron dutch oven, or heavy roasting pan. As a last resort, you could even use a baking dish. I took a short cut with the method because I didn’t have a lot of time to brine the bird, and do all the pan sauteeing and oven baking that recipe required. Plus the tagine has never failed me when it comes to roasting chickens. Although I will be making this dish again, and according to the recipe at some point, because the flavors were outstanding – sweet, tart and garlicky, all noticeable in their own right, yet completely perfect in unison. Plus the cooking methods in the original recipe, sounds really good, so I am sure it will be excellent!
The fennel soup was also delicious. A simple combination of fennel, leeks and potatoes blended together to make a super creamy dish – without cream. I used some of the chicken stock I made a few weeks back as the base. It was really delicious. We enjoyed it for lunches for several days last week as well. With no AC I even had it several times cold, and it was really quite nice.
Maple Glazed Chicken with Roasted Garlic and Lemon Puree
Recipe adapted from Dishing Up Vermont
INGREDIENTS:
2 garlic heads
olive oil for drizzling
4 TBS fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper
2 TBS fresh sage
pinch of crushed chili pepper
1 (3 lb) chicken
1 TBS olive oil
2 TBS pure maple syrup (preferably from Vermont!)
fresh cracked pepper
salt
a few spare potatoes (optional)
white wine (optional)
METHOD:
Prepare the puree. First, preheat the oven to 450F. Cut the tops off the garlic heads, and drizzle exposed tops with olive oil, 2 TBS of lemon juice – then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap heads in foil and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the garlic from the oven and let cool sightly.
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Squeeze garlic cloves into a food processor. Be careful not to let any of the papery skin drop in. Add the fresh sage, crushed chili pepper, maple syrup, remaining 2 TBS of lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and puree.
Wash the chicken and lift the breast skin away from the meat. With your fingers, spread 1/3 of the puree in between the skin and the meat. Then rub the remaining puree all over the outside of the bird.
I knew this sauce was going to be crazy good, so I chopped a few fingerling potatoes to place under the bird in the tagine. This was a good call, because those potatoes were some of the best I have ever had!
Cook bird in tagine (or cast iron dutch oven, or heavy roasting pan or baking dish) for about 2 hours. Check every half hour for dryness. If needed, splash bird with some white wine (if using a glass baking dish, make sure the wine is room temp, or else you might have an explosion on your hands!).
The recipe says it serves 4. I must say, the leftovers make an incredible classic chicken salad! 🙂
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Fennel Soup
Recipe Adapted from Nourishing Traditions
INGREDIENTS:
3 fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced
2 leeks, trimmed and sliced (make sure you thoroughly wash the leeks – they are famous for hoarding sand and dirt)
2 TBS fresh cultured butter
2 TBS olive oil
½ cup white wine (optional)
4 cups chicken stock
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
6 medium red potatoes, cut into quarters
sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
METHOD:
Cook fennel and leeks in butter and olive oil until tender. Add stock and optional wine. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes, crushed pepper and garlic. Cover and simmer until potatoes are soft – about a ½ hour.
Puree soup with a hand held blender, or using your food processor. You can puree it all, or leave some vegetables whole for texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serves 6.
Peter G - September 21, 2009 at 11:52 am
The chicken dish sounds amazing but that soup has me won over! What a great idea to add fennel with potatoes and leeks! Love it Jenn and will def be trying it out!
Bob - September 21, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I’m not a big fennel fan, but that chicken sounds so fricking good! I need to roast a chicken again soon.
nina - September 21, 2009 at 1:39 pm
As if the maple glazed chicken is not good enough you just had to add another delicious recipe…the soup!!!
Jenn - September 21, 2009 at 2:00 pm
I must try that chicken. The glaze just sounds sooo good! Of course, I’d have some of the soup, too. I think they go really well together.
Happy Cook - September 21, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Just reading the title for that chicken makes me drool.
This would be a wonderful weekend dinner.
My Sis had send me Maple syrup when hubby visited them in US. I should make thos roast chicken, but thenI think i will ad Lime as hubby can’t digest ‘ weird, i know) lemon.
Ben - September 21, 2009 at 2:18 pm
I can imagine how delicious the finish product might’ve looked. It really sounds like a delicious dinner. Garlic and lemon is a great combination.
The Duo Dishes - September 21, 2009 at 2:19 pm
When it’s fall, you want fall foods. No matter what. Nothing wrong with all of this warm, comforting goodness…even in FL heat!
maybelles mom - September 21, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Oh, this really is delicious. I love the lemon puree.
dawn - September 21, 2009 at 5:00 pm
On so many occasions I have had good intentions of taking pictures of the finished product, only to say ‘screw it’ and eat because I am so hungry. Bad.
But it’s pretty obvious, from the recipe how good this must have tasted. I’ve never tried fennel soup, but would love too.
Jenny - September 21, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Oh wow. That looks seriously amazing. I just picked up some fennel and the remaining broilers from my CSA at the market this weekend. I LOVE your use of maple syrup in this recipe. So delicious and so nourishing.
Pam - September 21, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Maple Glaze…I know autumn is here! So sorry no air…your dish looks really good though! Nice job!
Bellini Valli - September 21, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Oh my Jenn, how spoiled are you two these days..all these wonderful comforting dishes.
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie - September 21, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Perfect autumn meal! I would love to try the fennel soup, very unique flavors! The maple glaze sounds terrific!
Amy Green @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free - September 21, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I have never heard of a tagine but since you find it so incredible I’m going to get one sometime and try it…Joe will just laugh. We’ve had to buy cabinets to store my kitchen gear in.
I actually roast my chicken in a glass baking dish and though it took a few tries to get it right, I get fabulous results every time – crispy skin and I don’t even baste anymore. (I used to…and turn it. I can get the same result without!!) I didn’t know that there were other options out there…call me naive!
I am also loving the fennel and leek in the soup. We can’t get enough of them at our house.
Pam - September 21, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Both recipes sound delicious. I love the use of maple on the roasted chicken.
Johanna - September 22, 2009 at 12:25 am
glad you are having some cooler days – it is so lovely to have change of season – and that fennel soup looks delish – I haven’t learnt to love it raw but have had it in a few good dishes including a great soup this winter so am eager to try more
Rosa - September 22, 2009 at 2:52 am
Two delicious sounding recipes! Very comforting and tasty!
Cheers,
Rosa
FoodJunkie - September 22, 2009 at 4:28 am
Fantastic recipes Jen! Maple syrup has such an earthy flavour reminiscent of sap and fallen leaves that it is impossible not to connect it with autumn. We are having proper autumn here in Greece for the first time after so many years, and I am really enjoying it!
Núria - September 22, 2009 at 6:08 am
Mmmmm… sooooo good both recipes! Yes, my clock is shouting for a change too ;D. I never use fennel and I should get used to it since I love its aroma, but it’s kind of hard to find it at the grocery and the market place.
DebinHawaii - September 22, 2009 at 6:10 am
Both dishes look and sound amazing. I have had the soup tabbed in Nourishing Traditions and now after seeing yours, I just have to make it.
girlichef - September 22, 2009 at 7:41 am
Oh, the chicken and soup are both so amazingly FALL!! I can imagine both with some wine and a loaf of crusty bread enjoyed on a crisp day on the deck while watching the leaves change colors….ahhhh. 🙂 I want to make both!
Joan Nova - September 22, 2009 at 8:18 am
I love your tagine dishes and I’m intrigued with the idea of the maple syrup in the ingredients. I’m also a big fan of fennel though my preference is to eat raw and crisp. But the soup is looking mighty good.
Adam - September 22, 2009 at 9:36 am
I love any recipe that uses a whole chicken. There’s just so much flavor that comes out, instead of roasting the individual parts. Totally awesome Fall dish (80 degrees aside) 🙂
kat - September 22, 2009 at 9:49 am
oh wonderful fall dishes! We are so glad the weather has finally started to cool here so we can start eating that type of food again
pigpigscorner - September 22, 2009 at 12:29 pm
wow, they both sound wicked good!
Jenn - September 22, 2009 at 6:14 pm
You are the first to introduce me to the tagine. I’m curious now, after looking around the internet, would a 13″ clay tagine be large enough to roast a whole chicken without cutting it into pieces first?
pam - September 22, 2009 at 7:39 pm
I’ve also kicked into fall mode. Looking for roasts and braises!
Miranda - September 22, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Wow. This looks fantastic. I love leeks!! I own that same Le Creuset pot and I love it!!
Ivy - September 23, 2009 at 11:36 am
Both recipes sound fantastic, especially the fennel soup.
Teresa - September 23, 2009 at 12:35 pm
That chicken sounds very tempting. Although I’m not a fan of fennel, I bet making some French onion soup to go with your delicious maple chicken would make me very happy. 🙂
lo - September 23, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Both of these recipes look amazing, Jenn (as a WI girl, I’m always a sucker for anything with maple syrup) — but that fennel soup is completely calling my name. Totally loving all the locally grown leeks (and fennel) at the market.
Erica - September 23, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Fantastic recipes!!! I love chicken recipes 🙂
Peter - September 23, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Jenn, I love the idea of a NE cookbook and in particular Vermont. Chicken with maple sounds very much like northeasr comfort food…the pics are just fine – stop it! 😉
Michelle - September 23, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Fennel soup sounds yummy. I know what I”m getting at the market next time! I must be on a fall clock too bec I’ve been craving soup this week, despite the heat/humidity. Go figure.
elly - September 24, 2009 at 11:14 am
These both look so delicious! I used to hate (or, think I hated) fennel, but I really love it, especially when it’s cooked for a while like in this soup. Yum.
The Leftover Queen - September 24, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Hi Jenn, I am not sure how big around my tagine is, but it has a 1½-quart capacity. Trust me, it is so worth it! You can make so much good stuff in a tagine!
Diana - October 6, 2009 at 11:14 pm
I’ve never had maple and chicken sounds great and I love an easy put together soup. Sounds wonderful. I have a clay pot I sometimes cook my chicken in, and it comes out perfect.