An Iconic Hen Recipe, Reimagined for Busy Weeknights

In 1982, Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso printed The Silver Palate Cookbook, named after their connoisseur meals store on Manhattan’s Higher West Facet. At a time when most cookbooks written for American residence cooks regarded to France for inspiration, Silver Palate recipes highlighted different world flavors and elements, akin to Sichuan chile oil and Spanish pimentón. Since its publication, the e book and its recipes have turn into staples for a lot of residence cooks. One of many recipes that has developed a little bit of a cult following is Lukins and Rosso’s rooster Marbella.

Silver Palate’s rooster Marbella feeds a crowd: The recipe requires quartering 4 small chickens, marinating the poultry with prunes, olives, and capers in a single day, then cooking it in a number of massive baking dishes. It’s pretty minimal when it comes to lively prep and prepare dinner time, however the recipe notes that the rooster’s moistness comes from many hours of marination. (The cup of brown sugar within the marinade additionally helps with caramelization and browning.) Nonetheless, many residence cooks do not have sufficient bowls, baking dishes, and fridge area to accommodate about 10 kilos of rooster—which is the place my shortcut model, scaled to serve 4 to 6 and designed for the standard half sheet pan—is available in.

In my twist on the traditional, tender rooster thighs, prunes, and olives rapidly absorb a tangy marinade in a bowl because the oven preheats. I’ve stayed true to the unique in my inclusion of the prunes and olives, in addition to the core elements within the marinade. As a lot as I really like the unique, it is a contact too candy for me, so right here, I take advantage of simply sufficient sugar to offset the acidity of the pink wine vinegar and white wine within the marinade.

Because the rooster roasts, the rendered fats melds with the marinade to create a wealthy, salty-sweet pan sauce that you’re going to spoon over the rooster and rice or couscous. The dish could be served sizzling, chilly, or at room temperature, making it superb for each dinner events and weeknights. Although this recipe and Silver Palate’s differ, the 2 work a lot the identical, so it feels worthwhile to share a line from the unique’s headnote that applies to this sheet-pan model too: “It travels nicely and makes for glorious picnic fare.”  

Why Use Bone-in Hen Thighs

Right here, I go for bone-in rooster thighs, which have extra fats than breasts and might higher face up to high-heat cooking. Meaning you’ll be able to roast the rooster in a sizzling oven with out risking it drying it out. Hen thighs are sometimes essentially the most tender when cooked a bit previous the security threshold of 165ºF (74°C), to about 185 to 195°F (85 to 90°C). At this temperature, the meat is  “wealthy and deeply chickeny in one of the best ways,” as senior culinary editor Leah describes rooster cooked to the next temp in her article about why this “mistaken means of cooking rooster” is so proper. Because the meat cooks, the collagen and connective tissue soften into gelatin, leading to tender, juicy flesh.

A Tremendous-Fast Marination Nonetheless Delivers Nice Taste

The fantastic thing about this sheet-pan model is that it comes collectively rapidly. By utilizing smaller rooster thighs, you’ll be able to merely toss them within the flavorful marinade and depart them to sit down for an hour. That stated, you’ll be able to marinate the rooster for as much as eight hours within the fridge if you would like. If you’re able to prepare dinner, prepare the rooster, olives, and prunes on a sheet pan, pour the marinade over, and pop it right into a preheated oven. Served with rice or couscous, it is a splendidly straightforward, satisfying dinner that is equally nice for a weeknight or big day.

Prepare dinner Mode
(Maintain display screen awake)