BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Position the oven rack 8 inches from the flame/coil and turn broiler to high.
• Crack peppercorns with a mortar and pestle until coarsely ground.
• Add garlic and salt and work well.
• Add lemon zest and just enough oil to form a paste.
• Cut vegetables into pieces and place in a deep roasting pan.
• Place chicken on a plastic cutting board breast-side down.
• Using kitchen shears, cut ribs down one side of back bone and then the other and remove.
• Open chicken like a book and remove the keel bone separating the breast halves by slicing through the thin membrane covering it, then by placing two fingers underneath the bone and levering it out.
• Turn chicken breast-side up and spread out like a butterfly by pressing down on the breast and pulling the legs towards you.
• Loosen the skin at the neck and the edges of the thighs.
• Evenly distribute the garlic mixture under the skin, saving 2 teaspoons for the jus.
• Drizzle the skin with oil and rub in, being sure to cover the bird evenly.
• Drizzle oil on bone side of chicken as well.
• Arrange bird in roasting pan, breast up, atop vegetables.
• Place pan in oven being sure to leave the oven door ajar.
• Check bird in 10 minutes.
• If the skin is a dark mahogany, hold the drumstick ends with paper towels and flip bone-side up.
• Cook 12-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
• Juices must run clear.
• Remove and place chicken into a deep bowl and cover loosely with foil.
• Tilt pan so that any fat will pool at corner.
• Siphon this off with a bulb baster.
• (This fat is great in vinaigrettes).
• Set pan over 2 burners set on high.
• Deglaze pan with a few shots of red wine and scrape brown bits from bottom using a carrot chunk held with tongs.
• Add chicken stock, thyme, the remaining garlic paste and reduce briefly to make a jus.
• Strain out vegetables and discard.
• Slice chicken onto plates or serve in quarters.
• Sauce lightly with jus and serve.