Roast Chicken with Sauteed Malabar Spinach and Sweet Potato

Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken, 4-1/2 pounds

1 cup of chardonnay

fresh herbs - sage, tarragon, parsley, oregano

Olive oil

salt (and pepper if you can have it)

Dried tarragon, parsley, basil, oregano

Rinse and pat dry chicken.  Take a butter knife (not sharp) and wedge it under the skin to pop the skin loose from the meat.  You will create a little pocket to put the herbs.  Take some of the fresh herbs and stuff them under the skin of the chicken.  Place some into the cavity.  Place chicken into a dutch oven with a lid.  Drizzle with olive oil and rub over all.  Sprinkle with salt and dried herbs.   Place lid on dutch oven.  Place into a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 1 hour.  Remove lid, check temperature, internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Add wine and place lid back on and put back in oven.  Cook for 30 minutes.  Remove lid and cook for 15 more minutes.  Remove chicken and let rest.  Place pan on the stove and reduce, you can use the sauce over the chicken. 

Sauteed Malabar Spinach

Malabar spinach is my new favorite spinach.  I love the texture and taste of it.  Here is a link that tells about the spinach.  Malabar Spinach.  We get our spinach from a local farm who sells it at the Farmer's Market. 

2 bunches Malabar spinach, washed, stemmed removed and cut into pieces

2 cloves garlic, crushed

coconut oil

Heat coconut oil in a large skillet.  Add garlic and saute until fragrant.  Add spinach and cook until the leaves are tender.  Serve. 

Serve this meal with a cooked sweet potatoes.  

Grilled Brined Pork Loin

A friend gave me this recipe.  I saw it and it sounded fantastic, so I made it and will make it again. When I made this I left the meat in the brine for about 8 hours, the next time I make it I plan on leaving it overnight.

4 cups water

½ cup sugar

½ cup coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

4 cups ice

1 bay leaf

1 small bunch thyme

½ orange zest, removed in strips and fruit reserved for garnish

12 whole peppercorns, plus fresh ground pepper (not sure why just 12, I used a few more)

1 boneless pork loin (2 pounds) - (mine was actually smaller and worked just fine - just had to adjust the cooking time)

coarse ground mustard for serving

Bring water, sugar, and salt to a simmer in a large pot, stirring to dissolve.  Remove from heat.  Add ice, bay leaf, thyme, orange zest, and peppercorns, and let cool completely.  Place pork in a non-reactive dish, and completely cover with brine.  Refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 8 hours.  Remove pork from brine, and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.  Pat dry, and season with salt and pepper.

Heat grill to medium.  Grill pork, covered with vent open, turning every 6 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees Fahrenheit, about 32 minutes.  (Pork will continue to cook to proper doneness as it rests).  Transfer pork to a cutting board, and let rest 15 minutes.  Slice pork, and squeeze orange over slices.  Serve with mustard.  

Along with the pork loin.  I cooked whole sweet potatoes and was served with a fresh straight out of the garden salad. 

I first cooked the sweet potatoes in the microwave and then wrapped them in foil to finish on the grill.