Roasted Chicken Oysters, Butter Braised Fennel, Fennel Fronds, Watermelon Radish and Shallot Mignonette
These are not the type of oysters that live in the water. They are actually part of the chicken. Specifically the part where the thigh connects to the backbone. At this point you will find a small piece of dark meat, that when removed, resembles an oyster. It is probably the most flavorful and texturally interesting part of the chicken. The oysters are very often overlooked and not eaten. The French have a saying about them that translates to "the fool leaves it there".
The oysters can be removed from the chicken when it is raw or after it is cooked depending on how you want to use them. I roasted a whole chicken and removed these afterwards. Since they lay under the bird when it is being roasted they are continually bathed in fat and juice leaving them amazingly tender. I finished them just before serving by gently heating them in melted butter.
The oysters lay on a bed of butter braised baby fennel. I finely sliced the fennel into very thin strips and cooked it in butter for about thirty minutes until it was translucent and tender. I used some of the fennel fronds to garnish the oysters as well. And I spooned some of the melted butter over them.
A mignonette is a sauce which is traditionally made with red wine, red wine vinegar, shallots and black pepper. It is almost always served alongside raw oysters (the kind from the ocean). This less "saucy" version incorporates sliced watermelon radish along with the usual suspects.
Product:
Free-range Pastured Chicken - Mountain View Poultry
Organic Baby Fennel - Culton Organics
Watermelon Radish - Blooming Glen Farms
The oysters can be removed from the chicken when it is raw or after it is cooked depending on how you want to use them. I roasted a whole chicken and removed these afterwards. Since they lay under the bird when it is being roasted they are continually bathed in fat and juice leaving them amazingly tender. I finished them just before serving by gently heating them in melted butter.
The oysters lay on a bed of butter braised baby fennel. I finely sliced the fennel into very thin strips and cooked it in butter for about thirty minutes until it was translucent and tender. I used some of the fennel fronds to garnish the oysters as well. And I spooned some of the melted butter over them.
A mignonette is a sauce which is traditionally made with red wine, red wine vinegar, shallots and black pepper. It is almost always served alongside raw oysters (the kind from the ocean). This less "saucy" version incorporates sliced watermelon radish along with the usual suspects.
Product:
Free-range Pastured Chicken - Mountain View Poultry
Organic Baby Fennel - Culton Organics
Watermelon Radish - Blooming Glen Farms