I was later to the market than usual on Saturday and my favorite chicken stall had sold out of medium sized birds. There remained very large ones to feed a family or these neat little numbers she called coquelets.
A coquelet is a small chicken, aka a poussin–(though I read that an American poussin is larger*).
The one I bought on Saturday morning weighed two pounds, perfect for the recipe I remembered in Diana Henry’s lovely and unusual book Crazy Water and Pickled Lemons.
A simple marinade and a quick roast made this an agreeable and easy supper for the two of us–a treat in fact, with the oranges and lemon/lime twist in the marinade.
for 2
*1 small chicken–coquelet-poussin–(if you can’t find a small chicken, a larger one could be spatchcocked to cut the cooking time)
2 oranges–quartered and then each quarter, halved
1 sweet potato--sliced in rounds (optional)
the marinade:
juice of 2 oranges + the rind of one**
juice of a lemon or lime + the rind
2 tblsps balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves–peeled and crushed
2 tblsps olive oil
2 tblsps dried oregano
a few thyme sprigs
salt and pepper
Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
Put in the chicken, breast side down and let it rest in the mixture, for 3 or 4 hours in our case–overnight if you can.
set the oven to 180C/350F
- Put the chicken in a roasting tin surrounded snugly by the orange pieces and sweet potato slices (if using).
- Pour a little of the marinade over the chicken.
- Roast in the oven for an hour or more–depending on the size of the chicken.
- Baste with the marinade two or three times.
- Let the chicken rest a little, keeping it warm under a sheet of foil.
- Halve the bird from front to back, along the breast bone and the back bone–best done with kitchen sheers.
- Remove the orange slices and the sweet potato slices to a warm dish.
- Deglaze the pan with a couple of tablespoons of water, scraping off the sticky bits to dissolve them in the liquid.
- Heat the gravy through gently, while stirring.
- Pour over the plated half-a-chicken and sweet potatoes.
**(Meredith wasn’t sure what the rind is and how it differs from the pith. Same thing but the first is solid and obtained by carefully running a knife under the skin/rind, lifting it from the orange with as little of the white as you can. The second (pith) is scraped from the orange with a scraper/pither or a call- it- what-you-willer!)
Dear Robin, Oh my, petit Poussin memories of my childhood.My mother used to make those little chickens (one each person), that time they where cheap till people began to buy them.Now these days they ask more for sutch little one(here in Belgium) then a adult chicken.I heard that the chickens of Brest(Poulet de Bresse-France) are very good.What I have for dinner?Chicken-filet, I have no Oranges for the moment (but I know it’s a perfect mariage fruit & poultry), yummy and enjoy!!
oh Robin it looks delish. shall try it v. soon fondest love to u bothxx.
It’s rainy and gloomy here today, I am on my way out to shop, hoping for inspiration for dinner. This is perfect. Thanks. My mouth is watering in anticipation. Thank You Robin. Glad you are feeling so much better.
Holy cow, does that look good!
Hi Robin. Thanks for explaining the difference between the rind and the pith.
I never knew that!
By the way, I am home recovering from back surgery, and just read your updated “Making Poldark”. I was amazed how you have “reinvented” your life so many times. I also understand the great respect you had for Winston Graham. As a musician, I always hold the composer’s vision in mind when I am performing. I see the same kind of respect and care you had for his vision.
Thanks for a great read!
In the US poussin is called CORNISH hen.
No, mais non! You have roasted so delectably “un petit poulet” but not “an poussin”. That’s a newly hatched and down covered bird.
I’ve read in another of your posts that you have started cooking “a snack” at 10.30 pm after your return from Toulouse. “Mon ami, vous etes une merveille”. Not many of us would attempt to do just that at such a late hour. C’est tout a fait incroyable…
Uhmmm delicious! Robin, thanks; I will cook the chicken in the same way, I tell you know my “capolavoro” ;))
How do you cook it Beatrice?
@Odette. British”poussin”(coquelet), American “Cornish hen” (poussin) are butcher’s terms.
American Cornish hen is small-sized cross-breed chicken,developed in the late 1950s,which is twice as old and twice as large as the typical British “poussin”(coquelet).When I baked it, I just followed the Tyson’s instruction on the envelope. From now on I will follow Robin’s.Those oranges look delicious.
Hi Robin,
I do not know where to put this in your blog because this has nothing to do with the recipy. BBC news online health section reports that curcumin in the spice Tumeric is thought to help cancer patients when combined with chemotherapy. Leicester hospital is doing a study on this because tests on rats have shown the rats to be 100% better when ill. Curcumin has found to help dementia and stroke patients.
Thank you, Ann. Definitely worth reading up on the health benefits of turmeric/curcumin.
Robin your little bird looks just delicious. The first time I ate poussin was at an old stone built inn with a blazing log fire in Kerby Longsdale,Jimmy and I were on a walking holiday,we were tired cold and wet, but that warm smell of something good cooking drew us in,we stayed the night The meal had a wonderfull lemon stuffing that just gave the meat that little zing, to make the difference. I think your added oranges, will do the same. Chicken small,medium,or large can be a bit bland without something to give it a kick,your
marinade will do just that. Looking forward to eating it in the week.
So glad you weren’t disappointed when the smell materialised!
I made this for dinner tonight with chicken breasts, and served it with broccoli. Fabulous.
I must make this recipe! Oddly enough, last night I cooked a chicken in the same pan with a large sweet potato cut in rounds. Is it possible that sweet potatoes can taste better than white potatoes? They were to DIE for.
I wish I could taste it at your home! Very good idea the oranges.
Is there any chicken left in France? I mean lots of your recipies are with chicken.
No, serious…. I love chicken too!
I just put the chicken and the marinade in a zip lock bag in the fridge. Can’t wait to cook this and see how it turns out. I got a small chicken from D’Artganon rather than the Cornish Hens. Two were more expensive than the chicken! Maire.
Saw today on Google that it’s today 138 years ago that Howard Carter was born, he was very famous for the finds of Toetanchamon, a very good character (Howard)you did Robin!
Robin just noticed a bit of info on the Goole page that Howard Carter was born 138 years ago today.Had a read on wikipedia what a remarkable man he was.
This I can do! –and I bet my family will love it. Cross your fingers for me!
Dear Hedviga Krone, thank you for your explanation of “butcher’s terms”. How very confusing are all those poultry terms. “Coquelet” is a purebred French word derived from “le coq” for a small young cockerel. “Le coq au vin” is a very famous French dish. “Le poussin” is another purebred French word for a newly hatched chick. How very interesting to learn about “American Cornish Hen”. I wonder what breeds were involved. I most certainly haven’t heard of such a bird here. To a French person a hen (la poule) cannot be un poussin (a chick). I regret it very much but those “butcher’s terms” are very misleading.
________
Further to Ann de Saram comment – On 8th May 2012 Sky News has reported that laboratory tests suggest curry powder and curcurmin a compound found in turmeric can increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Early tests results suggest it may be able to reduce the development of bowel cancer.
A two year trial by scientists from Cancer Research UK and the University of Leicester aims to recruit for further tests about 40 patients with bowel cancer that has spread to the liver. “We are very hopeful. You don’t often see results like the ones we have had in the laboratory”, chief investigator Professor Will Steward said.