'Bite This' - Poultry, Pancetta and Potatoes with Olives

Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat, whether an open flame, oven or other heat source. Roasting can enhance flavor through caramelization and browning on the surface of the food. Crispy skin is the key to this recipe. This is a great dish to serve dinner guests. It’s relatively easy, not overly time-consuming, is delicious and doesn’t leave you in the kitchen alone for a long period while your guests drink all your wine without you. It can be prepared using various cuts of chicken such as thighs, but I have found that it can get a little greasy with darker cuts, so I advise sticking with whole breasts. If you choose to experiment, you are on your own...

And don’t forget the three basics of successful cooking: quality ingredients, prep beforehand and a glass of wine for the chef. Now you may begin.

Poultry, Pancetta and Potatoes with Olives

3 lb whole chicken breasts (bone on) with skin – remember what I said above about crispy skin being an important part of this dish? Please listen to that bit of advice. And for God’s sake, buy your chicken fresh at a butcher shop, not the discount fridge at Giant.

2 - ¼ inch thick slices of pancetta, cut into 1 inch long strips

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ tbsp chopped thyme (do NOT use dried)

2 tbsp chopped rosemary (don’t make me say it again)

1 tbsp chopped sage (really?)

1 tbsp fine sea salt

½ tsp hot red pepper flakes

10 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced in half

1 tbsp capers

3 or 4 potatoes, diced into bite-sized pieces (but not too small), sprinkled with a little salt and black pepper to taste and lightly coated (don’t overdo it) with a little regular olive oil

1 cup dry vermouth (instead of white wine, this is a little trick I learned from Julia Child's recipes)

24 oil-cured black olives, pitted and sliced (if you decide to use a can of presliced black olives, make sure you rinse them first to cut down on the salt)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F with the rack positioned in the middle.

Remove any excess fat from the chicken. Combine the oil, thyme, rosemary, sea salt, sage and red pepper flakes and rub the mixture into the chicken.

Arrange the chicken skin side up in one layer in a large baking dish. Place the potatoes around the chicken but try not to place on top. Scatter the garlic cloves and pancetta on top of the chicken and roast until the chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.

Drizzle the vermouth over the chicken and roast 8 minutes more.

Scatter the olives and capers over the chicken and roast until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through, 15 minutes or so more.

Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with a veggie like steamed broccoli sprinkled with Pecorino Romano cheese, a nice white wine of your choice and enjoy the praise.

Many of these ingredients can be found fresh and locally at the Saucon Valley Farmers' Market, which is open Sundays 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Water Street Park in Hellertown. I highly recommend a visit.