Cherry-licious Dinner: Roast Chicken with Cherries

prep time:: 30 min
total time:: 3.5 hr

Makes 4 servigns

Trish Gonnella

The main dish of the cherry-licious dinner- this dish could also feature duck.

ingredients

8 star anise
Pinch of ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
2 lg Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & cut in lg chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-in rounds
1 lg onion, quartered
1 lg turnip, peeled and quartered
1 lg sweet potato, peeled and cut into lg chunks
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 (4-5 lb) whole chicken or Muscovy duck
6 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
3 cinnamon sticks
3 cups fresh Bing cherries, pitted
3 cups of red wine
1/4 cup of sugar
2 bulbs garlic, separated into cloves

directions

1
Preheat oven to 350°. Grind 6 star anise; place in a small bowl and mix with ground cloves and cinnamon. In a roasting plan large enough to hold chicken, add potatoes, carrots, onion, turnip, and sweet potato. Sprinkle with half of spice mixture, some salt and pepper, and 3 Tbsp. olive oil. Toss until uniformly seasoned and coated with oil.
2
Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry; rub all over with remaining spice mixture and olive oil. Season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Place chicken, breast side up, on top of vegetables in roasting pan. Add thyme, bay leaves, and 2 cinnamon sticks. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil, and roast for 2 hours.
3
In a saucepan, combine cherries, red wine, sugar, and remaining whole star anise and cinnamon stick. Cook over low heat until cherries are soft and wine has reduced to a syrup, about 30 minutes. Reserved about 3 Tbsp for glazing chicken. Transfer rest to a small serving bowl for use a compote; set aside and keep warm.
4
After chicken has cooked 2 hours, remove foil and baste with pan juices. Add garlic, replace foil, and cook until meat starts pulling away from the bone, about 1-2 hours more. Use a thermometer to tell when done.
5
Remove from oven and discard foil. Brush chicken with cherry-wine syrup. Increase temperature to 375°, and roast until skin gets crispy and dark brown, at least another 15 minutes.
6
Carefully transfer whole chicken to a serving platter; let it res uncovered while assembling other elements of dish. Use a slotted spoon to transfer vegetables to a large bowl, letting excess fat drip away. Mash together, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl.
7
Carve chicken at the table. Serve with mashed vegetables and compote.