Juniper and Coffee-Roasted Chicken with Uplands Pleasant Ridge Reserve Jus

by Luke Zahm of Driftless Cafe and Wisconsin Foodie

Prep Time: 2-3 Days

Cook Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Serves: 4

At his restaurant in Viroqua, Luke Zahm has always let the flavors of local ingredients, his mood and the weather guide his cooking. These elements inform the artistry of the dishes on its ever-changing seasonal menu. To Zahm, there is nothing more beautiful or enticing in winter than a whole roasted chicken—a meal that deepens our understanding of simple, rustic yet beautiful food. While best results are achieved by seasoning this bird ahead of time, doing so just before cooking will also be delicious.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon whole coffee beans
1 tablespoon whole juniper berries
1 small whole chicken (about 3 pounds)
4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tablespoon dried thyme)
4 sprigs rosemary (or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary)
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 lemon, halved
2 tablespoons salted butter, cubed
2 ounces Uplands Pleasant Ridge Reserve (or Gruyère)

Directions

Grind coffee and juniper berries until they are relatively fine.
Two to three days before serving, pat the chicken very dry. Loosen the skin on each of the breasts and the thickest sections of the thighs, making little pockets. Push a thyme and rosemary sprig into each of the four pockets.
Season the chicken liberally with salt, pepper, and ground juniper and coffee. Sprinkle a little salt just inside the cavity. Twist and tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders. Cover loosely and refrigerate for two to three days.
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, bring the chicken out of the refrigerator and allow to temper for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or shallow flameproof roasting pan over medium heat. Set the chicken breast-side up in the pan and place the pan in the center of the oven. Roast for 20 minutes. At this time it should start sizzling and browning; if it doesn’t, raise the temperature by 25 degrees. The skin should blister, but if the chicken begins to char, or the fat is smoking, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees.
Roast 10 more minutes, then turn the bird over. Place the lemons cut-side down in the pan to caramelize the citrus and then add butter evenly around the chicken. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, 10 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the bird. Then flip back over to re-crisp the breast skin, about 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the roasting pan and set it on a plate. Remove the lemons from the pan and reserve. Pour the clear fat from the pan and discard, leaving the drippings. Add about a tablespoon of water to the hot pan and swirl.
Slash the stretched skin between the thighs and breasts of the chicken, then tilt the bird and plate over the roasting pan to drain the juice into the drippings. As the chicken rests, tilt the roasting pan and skim the last of the fat.
Place the roasting pan over medium-low heat, add any juice that has collected under the chicken, and bring to a simmer. Grate the Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese into the jus. Stir and scrape.
Cut the chicken into pieces and pour the pan drippings over the chicken. Add a sprinkle of sea salt to the cut bird and squeeze the roasted lemon over the top.