Some Seasonal Chicken

McDowell Family Farms is processing their last batch of chickens for the season this coming Tuesday. These are delicious, fresh, free-range birds. I'll be picking up my bird that day, but I'm already dreaming about my chicken dinner. Yummy, completely local options include chicken with sides of mashed potatoes and green beans or chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce. A recipe that I made last night featuring pork would also work beautifully with chicken. The original recipe comes from Good Housekeeping's Step-by-Step Main Dishes cookbook. Here it is with adjustments to make it completely local--featuring chicken:
Chicken with Sauteed Apples
6 tsp clarified butter
1 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 chicken
Salt
1 tsp thyme
3 medium apples, cut into thin wedges
1 tbsp honey
3/4 cup apple cider
1 1/2 tsp flour

Thoroughly rinse the outside and inside cavity of the chicken with cold, running water. Dry with paper towel, inside and out. Rub salt all over and truss the bird. Roast chicken in 375-degree oven.
2 1/2 - 3 lbs for 1 to 1 1/4 hours
3 1/2 - 4 lbs for 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours
4 - 6 lbs for 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours
(These are just brief cooking notes. I strongly suggest visiting a cookbook you trust for more detailed instructions on oven roasting your chicken.)
Carve roasted chicken and plate it. Keep warm.

In 12-inch skillet, heat 2 teaspoons clarified butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender. Transfer to small bowl.
In same skillet, heat remaining clarified butter. Add apples. Sprinkle with honey and cook until browned. Transfer to warmed dinner plates already holding chicken.
Add any leftover chicken drippings to skillet. In small bowl, mix apple cider and flour. Stir this mixture and onion into skillet; heat to boiling over high heat, stirring. Boil 1 minute. Pour mixture over chicken and apple wedges.
Serve with pasta or mashed potatoes, if you like.

To order a McDowell chicken, e-mail dmcdowell32@yahoo.com.