Amanda Freitag's Lemon Chicken

Amanda Freitag's Lemon Chicken

Brining the chicken seasons it down to the bone, and helps keep the flesh juicy while it cooks. If making chicken crackling is not your thing, simply use two bone-in breasts and two bone-in thighs.

Ingredients

Servings: 2

• 1 pound lemons (about 4 large), halved
• 1 large onion, chopped
• ¼ bunch parsley
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup kosher salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

• 1 3½–4-pound chicken, quartered
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 lemons, halved
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds small carrots, scrubbed
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup fresh ricotta

Preparation

Brine

• Bring lemons, onion, parsley, garlic, bay leaf, salt, sugar, peppercorns and 4 cups water to a boil in a large heavy pot, stirring occasionally until salt and sugar are dissolved. Let cool, then add 2 cups ice to brine; stir until melted.

Brine

Chicken

• Cut wings from chicken breasts. Cut through leg joint to separate thighs and drumsticks; set thighs aside. Use a sharp knife to score chicken skin along the length of each drumstick (this will make it easier to remove it in one piece). Remove skin from drumsticks; set skin aside (reserve drumsticks and wings for making stock). Place breasts and thighs in brine. Chill at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 425°. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Cook lemons, cut side down, until charred, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Remove chicken from brine. Rinse, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet, skin side down. Cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Turn and cook 4 minutes longer. Transfer to oven and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh registers 165°, 12–15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss carrots with 2 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and roast, tossing halfway through, until browned and tender, 15–20 minutes; keep warm.
• Cook chicken skin, fat side down (the side that was closest to the flesh), in a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat, pressing down to flatten and help skin make contact with the pan, until golden brown and crisp, 5–7 minutes. Turn and cook until other side is brown and crisp, 5–7 minutes. Drain on paper towels; season chicken crackling with salt.
• Transfer roasted chicken breast and thighs to a cutting board. Bring broth and lemon juice to a boil in skillet, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, and cook until liquid is reduced by half, 6–8 minutes; season pan sauce with salt and pepper.
• Stir ricotta, lemon zest, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• Serve chicken with carrots and a spoonful of lemon ricotta, drizzled with pan sauce, with crackling and charred lemons alongside.

Chicken

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How to Make Black Forest Cake

Layers of cream, poached cherries and rich dim chocolate make this conventional German Black Forest cake a completely tasty, liberal and show-halting creation. This wanton cake tastes just as unimaginable as it looks and is ensured to awe even the hardest of faultfinders. This thump out excellent may look complex, yet you can figure out how to make it with this clear formula.This Black Forest cake tastes as good as it looks.

Ingredients: For the Poached Cherries

• 1/2 cup superfine (caster) sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 pound / 450 grams fresh or frozen pitted cherries, plus extra for decorating

• 6 tablespoons Kirsch liqueur, optional

Ingredients: For the Cream Filling

• 10.2 fluid ounces / 300 milliliters heavy cream

• 3 tablespoons powdered (icing) sugar, plus extra for decorating

Ingredients: For the Ganache

• 3.5 ounces / 100 grams dark chocolate, chopped, plus extra for decorating

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Step 1: Measuring the Ingredients

Baking is a science, so carefully measure out all of your ingredients beforehand for the best results.

Carefully measure your ingredients beforehand.

Step 2: Preparing the Pans

Heat the oven to 335 F / 170 C. Grease and line two 7-inch / 18-centimeter round cake tins and set aside.

Tip

• Alternatively, you can use a 2-by-7-inch / 18-centimeter cake tin and slice the cake in half before assembly.

Grease and line your cake tins.

Step 3: Melting the Butter

In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt together the butter and vanilla extract. Set this mixture aside to cool.

Melt the butter and vanilla over low heat.

Step 4: Combining the Eggs and Sugar

Place the sugar and eggs in a large bowl. With an electric hand mixer, whisk them together on a low speed to just combine.

Whisk the eggs and sugar to combine.

Step 5: Whisking the Eggs and Sugar Over Heat

Set the egg mixture over a pan half-filled with boiling water. Continue to whisk on low speed for 3 minutes, and then increase the speed to medium and whisk the mixture until it is pale and tripled in volume.

Whisk until the mixture is pale and tripled in volume.

Step 6: Cooling the Egg Mixture

Remove the bowl from above the hot water, and continue to whisk until the mixture has cooled to room temperature -- about 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture will be thick and leave a ribbon trail when the beaters are lifted out of the bowl.

The mixture should be thick so that it leaves a trail.

Step 7: Adding the Melted Butter and Flour

Pour the melted butter down the sides of the bowl, and gently fold it in. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, and gently fold the batter again until the flour is just incorporated.

Warning

• Be careful not to over-fold the mixture here, as it will lose all of its air.

Gently fold in the dry ingredients.

Step 8: Baking and Cooling

Divide the mixture evenly between the cake tins, and bake in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until the cake rises and springs back when gently pressed in the center. Leave the cakes to cool in their tins before inverting onto a wire rack.

Let the cakes cool in their tins.

Step 9: Making the Poached Cherries

While the cakes are cooling, make the poached cherries. Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan set over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the Kirsch liqueur and cherries, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the cherries have absorbed some of the syrup and are puffed and tender. Strain the cherries and the syrup into two separate bowls, and set both aside to cool.

Set the cherries and syrup aside to cool.

Step 10: Making the Chocolate Ganache

To make the chocolate ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, bring the cream to a gentle simmer. Pour the hot cream into the bowl with the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute before gently stirring to combine.

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate.

Step 11: Making the Cream Filling

For the cream filling, add the cream and powdered sugar into a large bowl and whisk until the cream begins to just hold its shape.

Whisk the cream until it begins to hold its shape.

Step 12: Glazing the Cake Layers

To assemble the cake, place the first cake layer on a plate or stand and brush it generously with cherry syrup.

Glaze the first cake layer with syrup.

Step 13: Filling With Cream and Cherries

Generously spoon 3 tablespoons of the cream on top the first cake layer, leaving a slight border around the edge. Arrange the poached cherries on top of the cream.

Arrange the cherries on top of the cream.

Step 14: Top With the Second Cake Layer

Add the second cake layer. Brush again with cherry syrup, and then pile on the cream and extra cherries.

Top with the second cake layer.

Step 15: Decorating the Cake

Finish the cake by pouring on the chocolate ganache, adding a generous dusting of powdered sugar and sprinkling with extra shaved chocolate.

Top with chocolate ganache.Dust with icing sugar.Sprinkle with shaved chocolate.

Step 16: Serving

Chill the cake for 1 hour to make it easier to slice, taking it out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before you plan on serving it.

Chill the cake before serving to make it easier to slice.

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