Recipe: Chicken Under a Brick and Garlic Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK
Servings: 4

1 Whole chicken, 3.71 pounds
5 leaves sage, julienned
1 lemon, zested
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper, to taste

The chicken is prepared by "butterflying" it. This is done by cutting along both sides of the backbone, which removes the backbone from the rest of the chicken. Save the backbone for stock along with the neck and the rinsed contents of the bag of innards (minus the liver). After the chicken has been butterflied, remove some of the excess fat (saving it for the stock as well).

On a small dish, mix the sage, lemon, garlic, salt and pepper. Then put that mixture under the skin of the breast and the thigh.

Turn on gas grill, with half of the grill on medium, the other off to prevent it from getting too hot and drying out the chicken. After the grill has a chance to warm up (and burn off some built-up grease), put the chicken on the heated side with the skin side up. Put the brick (wrapped in heavy duty aluminum foil) on top of the chicken. Close the grill cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Using a potholder, lift grill cover and remove brick. Flip chicken over with tongs, replace brick, and put the grill cover down again.

After another 15 minutes check chicken. We want the juices to run clear and the temperature in the leg-thigh joint to be 180 degrees F. Pull chicken off to a plate and squeeze half a lemon onto skin side. Return chicken to the turned-off section of the grill for a few minutes while you get the marinated vegetables onto the grill. Remove chicken from grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes.

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GARLIC ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH PARMESAN

1 lb fresh asparagus
10 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Gently infuse garlic with oil in a small saucepan over low heat until garlic is golden (but not burnt) and oil is fragrant; set aside.

Rinse and trim asparagus and place on a baking pan. Drizzle with infused oil and toss gently to coat, leaving asparagus in a single layer very close together.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle liberally with grated parmesan or Asiago.

Roast in oven for 12 minutes or until cooked to your liking (fatter spears may take slightly longer).

Serve hot.