Spice-Rubbed Chicken Legs with Duck Fat Potatoes and Apple Puree

By draingal

Brine 30 minutes 
Cook 34 minutes Roast at 425° for 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 chicken drumsticks (about 1 3/4 lbs total)
• Brine
• Duck Fat Potatoes
• Honey Sauce
• Spice Mix
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp duck fat (lard or vegetable shortening may be substituted)
• 6 thyme sprigs
• Juice from 1 lemon (about 4 tbsp)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp minced shallots
• Apple Puree
• 1 cup diced pancetta
• 12 fresh sage leaves

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 60mins
Cooking time 120mins

Preparation

Step 1

Place chicken in a large bowl or stockpot. Add Brine and let sit at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare Duck Fat Potatoes (but don’t brown them) and Honey Sauce.
• Remove chicken from brine, rinse well, pat dry and rub all over with Spice Mix. Heat oven to 425°. In a pan, melt butter and duck fat over medium-high. Add thyme, lemon juice, garlic and shallots, followed by chicken. Sear each side, spooning butter mixture over chicken as it cooks, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a rimmed baking sheet and roast 10 minutes, until cooked through.
• Meanwhile, prepare Apple Puree and brown the potatoes.
• In a saucepan, cook pancetta over medium-high until crispy, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel. Add sage and fry until crispy, about 1 minute.
• On each of 4 plates, place about 1/3 cup apple puree, 2 drumsticks and 4 potatoes. Sprinkle with pancetta and sage, and spoon a good amount of sauce over all.

Brine: Whisk 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/2 cup kosher salt into 1 gallon cold water.

Duck Fat Potatoes: Peel 8 Yukon Gold potatoes, and cut each into two 1-inch-thick cylinders. In a large sauté pan, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter over medium. Toss in 2 sprigs each fresh dill and rosemary, 3 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 1/2 cups chicken stock. Bring to a boil, add potatoes and cook 5 to 6 minutes. Drain, discarding herbs and stock. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 1/2 cup duck fat (or lard or shortening) over medium-high. Brown potatoes, about 5 minutes, and season with 1/2 tbsp Himalayan sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Honey Sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium. Add 2 tbsp chopped shallots, 1 minced clove garlic and 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme. Cook 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add 3/4 cup honey, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp paprika; whisk to combine. Cook 5 minutes, until slightly reduced. Stir in 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tbsp demi-glace (such as More Than Gourmet). Season with 1/2 tsp sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Spice Mix: In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup each kosher salt and paprika, 2 tbsp each coarsely ground black pepper and dried sage and 1 tbsp each ground cumin and coriander.

Apple Puree In a saucepan, combine 4 cups water, juice of 2 lemons and 3 sprigs fresh rosemary over medium. Add 1 lb peeled, diced Granny Smith apples and cook 3 minutes, until tender. In another pan, heat 1/4 cup heavy cream and 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Drain apples and transfer to a blender (discard rosemary). Add some cream mixture plus a pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Blend, adding more cream mixture if too thick. Strain through a mesh strainer if lumpy.