Crispy& Crunchy Chicken

Although it contains parmesan cheese,  it  might seem like a Cajum dish.

Ingredients: A whole chicken but deprived of the chest (that you will cook later for another dinner ), 60g of breadcrumbs, 40g of grated cheese (Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano), little olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Here I added quantities, but I just did by eye.

Preheat oven to 150°C (short less if the oven is vented).
Mix breadcrumbs with grated cheese and pepper.

Preheat oven to 150°C (short less if the oven is vented).
Mix breadcrumbs with grated cheese and pepper.

Cut chicken into small pieces.
Broke wings into 2 pieces each as well as the above-thighs, but let whole thighs. If you have time and it is possible, remove skin.
Then, with hands or a brush, grease with olive oil every chicken piece. Bread them in the breadcrumbs mixture.

Pot-Roasted Duck

Ingredients: 1 Duck, Goose grease, Olive oil, 2 cloves of Garlic, 2 Shallots, a spring of Sage, 1 wineglassfull of Red Wine, Salt and Pepper.

Clean and flame the duck and cut it in small pieces.
Arrange them into a baking pan with the goose fat, garlic cloves and thyme.
Season with a little olive oil and sprinkle with coarsely chopped shallots.
If you do not have goose fat, replace it with a few bits of bacon and increase the amount of good olive oil.

Cover and place in preheated oven at 180°C.
After about 20 minutes, add the glass of red wine, turning the duck pieces over so that they all brown evenly.
Add salt and pepper.
Cook for at least 1 hour.

The goose fat is a noble fat, delicate and fragrant. It gives a delicious taste to foods.

Roast Chicken with Tarragon and Citron Confit

If well cooked, this chicken is delicious and the sauce has a delicate lemon scent.

Ingredients: A small chicken or a cockerel, 2 thick slices of fresh bacon, Citron confit, Tarragon, Olive oil, Salt and Pepper

Take a baking pan with high walls and with a lid.
The ideal is a Pyrex baking dish.
Ungetene the bottom and appoggiateci chicken.
Guarnsh the breast with 2 slices of fresh pork bacon that with some toothpicks.


Put inside the chicken at least 4 slices of citron confit (a total of at least ½ lemon) and add a generous teaspoon of dried tarragon.
Pour over the chicken a few tablespoons of olive oil
Add salt and pepper. Cover the pan and place it in the oven at 180° C for 1 hour and a half and after continue cooking until at a temperature of about 160°C until tender.
Check the cooking. The sauce must be clear, abundant and without burning.

Magret de Canard with Orange scent sauce

A Magret is the breast of a Duck or Goose. It is different from the usual duck we find easily at the supermarket, because it comes from a special breed of duck.

The term Magret comes from the Occitan word magre meaning lean meat.

Now it’s more easy to found it, not only in the finest shops but also, vacuum-packed or frozen, in some supermarkets

It can be smoked and treated as a ham but it is more often cooked in a pan or on a grill and served, rare or pink, cut into thin slices.

The cooking is very simple but it requires attention

Ingredients:  One magret will  serve 2 persons

After unpacking the breast remove with a small and very sharp knife the thin film on the flesh side.  It is a natural film that usually enveloppe any muscle. Then, simply cut slits in a diamond pattern across the breast fat side and season this side only with salt and pepper. That will prevent the fat will distribute into the meat when you cook it.

Use a heavy iron skillet or cast iron pan and absolutely don’t oil it.

Place the breast, fat-side-down, in the cold heavy pan and cook until it’s an appetizingly golden-brown color  and fat is melted.

The Magret will "inflate" when seared and it will render lots of fat in no time

Turn the breast and continue cooking in its own fat for 2-6 minutes depending on the point you desire the meat will be cooked.

Do never poke Magret to return it but use pliers kitchen or wooden spoons. After cooking, let your duck breast to rest for at least 5 minutes, loosely covered in foil. This ensures that it will be juicy and easy to slice.

Arrange it on a dish and serve

To garnish  I have made a simple orange sauce with mashed sweet potatoes aside.