Tangerine Chicken

There are couple of island traditions particular to Webb cottage, one being a new jigsaw puzzle set up in a nook off the living room that is the exclusive domain of KT and her dad. The rest of us sort of pick at it in passing, but those two go at it with a vengeance, no looking at the box cover for hints allowed. The other is that every year, rain or shine, Natalie insists on watching either Airplane or Blazing Saddles with her grandchildren. Most of them don't really watch the movie anymore, but wait for that moment when the old girl bursts into fits of uncontrolled laughter, usually with the start of the soundtrack and the opening credits. She sits in her high back chair giggling like the feeble. It's most contagious, actually. And that sets up a story on probably the best meal we've all ever sat down to on Chebeague.

With so much good food coming out of our Cottage kitchen, and so much laughter at the table, it's usually hard to single out one favorite meal, but this year will be remembered as the summer the Captain was introduced to the family, and the Blazing Saddle quotes volleyed across the table got the better of us. The only thing missing was water coming out of somebody's nose.

A Saturday Chebeague Family Dinner

Tangerine Chicken Roasted Asparagus Creamy Risotto

Roast Chicken with Tangerines - Food & Wine, December 2009

Two 6-pound roasting chickens For each bird: 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 6 rosemary sprigs 3 tangerines, washed and halved 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup dry white wine ¾ cup honey Salt and freshly ground pepper 1¾ cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

Preheat the oven to 425°. Set the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and stuff the cavity with the garlic, rosemary and 4 of the tangerine halves. Tie the legs together. Juice the remaining 2 tangerine halves. Rub the oil over the chicken. Pour the wine and tangerine juice over the chicken, drizzle on the honey and season with salt and pepper.

Roast the chicken for 20 minutes. Add 1 cup of the broth to the pan, cover the pan with foil and reduce the oven temperature to 375°. Roast the chicken for 40 minutes. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of broth to the roasting pan. Cover and roast for 50 minutes longer, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in an inner thigh registers 165°.

Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes. Strain the pan juices into a saucepan and skim the fat. Carve the chicken and serve with the pan juices.

While most of the boys were out on the golf course, Miss Muffy and J-Mac were outdoing themselves back home in the kitchen. These birds were unbelievably moist and sweet. All that tangerine juice and honey did a real number on the flesh. Muff and J garnered lots of kudos from around the table that night. I was reminded why I love chicken so much. This is a recipe you'll have to try for a weekend family dinner.

Well, the laughter started at the table and, as predicted, took a crescendo with Natalie's guffaws as Madeline Kahn made her way on stage for "I'm Tired", and petered out as Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder rode drove off into the sunset. But talk of that delicious meal went on for several more days.

Thanks for taking the time - Blog O. Food