Briarhill Farms chicken with giblet gravy, feta and avocado salad with hydroponic lettuce and Forte Grove Kalamata Olive Bread

I used a whole Briarhill Farms chicken that I brined, in a solution of a gallon of water, cup of salt, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and whatever spices you prefer, for 3 1/2 hours. Removed the bird from the brine and put on a wire rack to dry, once chicken was dry, I made a rub of brown sugar, dry mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper. I then rough cut about 4 cloves of garlic and put them into the cavity of the bird. I baked the chicken at 350 for about an hour or until the thigh meat registers 165.

Remove the giblets before brining to make the giblet gravy. I made a proper giblet gravy years ago and have completely forgotten most of what I did. With one child under foot and another sitting in a bumbo in the kitchen table staring at me to be picked up, I didn't have time to research it. So I made up this recipe as I went along. I put about a tablespoon of bacon grease into a small stockpot on medium, browned the giblets until they released from the pan and were a deep caramel color, removed giblets and added two cloves of finely chopped garlic, cook garlic a few minutes. Deglaze the pan with about 1/4 cup of port add about 1/4 cup of pomegranate juice, 1 cup of chicken broth, salt and pepper, bring to a boil then allow to simmer until almost all liquid is cooked out, then add another 1/2 cup of chicken broth. I do this three of four times or for about 3 hours, you can leave it simmering on the stove and stir only occasionally.

I served the chicken with a bean that I am embarrassed to admit I don't know the name of, can anybody tell me what it is? Brown lima beans? I rendered a piece of bacon, cut into lardons in a saucepan, added beans, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Brought it to a boil then reduced to a simmer for about 30 minutes.

For my salad I used hydroponic lettuce, the perfect solution to our weather being too hot for good local lettuce. I made my house dressing of whole grain mustard, honey, rice wine vinegar, black pepper and olive oil. I topped the salad with avocados and Ryals dairy feta cheese.

food sources:
hydroponic lettuce
Jimmy Hadden
Feliciana Greenhouses
phone: 225-635-0417
feltom@bellsouth.net

free range chicken
Briarhill Farms, Mt. Hermon, LA
Joe and Jackie Dobie
phone: 985-877-5946
georgedobie@bellsouth.net

feta cheese and goats milk
Ryals Goat Dairy, Tylertown, MS
Bill and Niki Ryals
phone: 601-876-6328
ryalsb@telepak.net

Kalamata Olive Bread
Forte Grove , Plaquemine, LA
Contact: Kathleen and Bill Cooper
phone: 225.687.3026
kfcooper@cox.net