Brick Chicken with Braised Cabbage

Brick Chicken with Braised Cabbage

Ingredients:

1 Chicken (Spatchcocked)

1 Medium Head Cabbage (Shredded)

2 Tbsp Mediterranean Compound Salt (see recipe on the blog)

3 Cloves Garlic (Crushed and chopped)

2 Tbsp Pommery Mustard

1 Meyer Lemon (Juiced) - regular lemon is fine as well

2 Tbsp Beurre de Baratte

1/8th Lb Pancetta (Diced)

EVOO

fresh parsley to finish

Tools:

Large Cast Iron Pan 

Heavy Cast Iron Stock Pot or other heavy pan (for pressing)

Sturdy Plate (that will fit in your cast iron pan)

Sheet Pan

Introduction:

This is our favorite weeknight dinner recipe lately. It will turn cabbage into something you look forward to and it provides a fantastic base for a “leftover Parmigiano”! (recipe coming soon)

Prep: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 1.

Heat a large cast iron(or other oven-safe) sauce pan over medium heat and add your pancetta.  Brown for 5 minutes, turning twice to ensure it doesn’t burn, you want it crispy but not burnt!  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add EVOO (2 tbsp) to the pan and turn up the heat to high.  

Let the oil heat up for 1 minute. Carefully place the chicken in the pan, skin side down.  Season the inside of the carcass with Medi Compound Salt. Place the sturdy plate upside down on the chicken and press down to flatten as much as possible.  Balance your Heavy cast iron stock pot on top of the plate, and turn heat down to medium.  Cook for 4-5 minutes.  If your pot is not heavy, fill a jar with water and put it in the pot for additional weight (or find a brick!).  After 4-5 minutes carefully remove the plate/pot/etc(use tongs on the plate it will be hot) and check the skin side of the bird, it should be a dark golden brown. If not, keep cooking 2 more minutes, if so, flip the bird with tongs and season the skin side with Medi Compound Salt before adding your plate/pot/etc back on top.  Cook for 4 minutes on medium.  After 4 minutes remove plate/pot/etc from the bird and using tongs, transfer the bird to the sheet pan, skin side up.  Put the sheet pan in the oven and start a timer for 20 minutes.  

Step 2. 

To your now empty (except for delicious chicken drippings) cast iron pan, add your garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Turn heat to high, add cabbage and Beurre Baratte, season with Medi Salt and mix so that the garlic doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan.  Sautee for 5 minutes until the cabbage begins to soften and go transparent.  

Step 3.

At this point, remove Chicken from the oven and gently transfer to the cast iron pan, placing it skin side up on the bed of sauteed cabbage. Put the cast iron into the oven and continue to cook for the remaining time on your 20 min timer.  

Step 4.  

When your timer goes off, check chicken. Juices should be clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh.  If so, transfer the chicken to the sheet pan to rest, if not cooked through, put back in the oven for 5 more minutes.  

Once you have transferred the chicken to the sheet pan, Put the cabbage back in the oven for 10 minutes.  

Step 5. 

Take the cabbage out of the oven and add the mustard and meyer lemon juice, scraping the bottom of the pan as you mix and emulsify the liquid.  Taste the sauce and add more salt or lemon juice if necessary.  Fold the cabbage to coat it thoroughly with the sauce.  

Step 6. 

Serve the chicken on your bed of cabbage and sprinkle with parsley!