Recipe: Mel's Bar and Grill Half Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, Tarragon Butter and Spinach

MEL'S HALF CHICKEN WITH MASHED POTATOES,
TARRAGON BUTTER AND SPINACH
(Mel's Bar and Grill, Denver, CO)

"This Mel's classic has been on the menu since the beginning."

FOR THE MASHED POTATOES:
2 russet potatoes
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE CHICKEN:
4 half chickens with breast, wing, leg and thigh
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons oil (whatever you prefer: canola, peanut, olive)
FOR THE TARRAGON BUTTER:
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
Juice of 2 lemons
1 bay leaf
10 whole black peppercorns
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
1/3 cup heavy (whipping) cream
2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed
1 teaspoon salt
FOR THE SPINACH:
1 tablespoon butter or oil
1/2 pound baby spinach
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

TO PREPARE THE MASHED POTATOES:
Wash, peel and cut potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Place potatoes in a 2-quart pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches, add 1 tablespoon salt and cook on medium heat until fork-tender.

WHILE POTATOES ARE COOKING, START THE CHICKEN:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F, and have a 10-inch saute pan ready.

Take any rib bones off the breast by carefully cutting them away. Remove any excess skin, leaving most on for crispy skin. Season chickens evenly on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat saute pan on medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil, and lay chicken in pan skin-side down away from you so there is no oil splatter. Cook 3 minutes or until skin is beginning to brown. Once brown, flip chicken over and cook 3 minutes.

Place chicken in oven skin-side down for 8 minutes or until brown and crispy. Turn chicken over and finish for 5 more minutes. Pull the chicken out and let rest.

WHILE THE CHICKENS ARE COOKING, MAKE THE TARRAGON BUTTER:
In a large sauce pan or 2-quart pot, add vinegar, wine, lemon juice, bay leaf, peppercorns, shallots and tarragon to pan, simmer on medium heat until reduced by 2/3. Add cream, lower heat slightly and reduce by half. Turn heat down to low, and slowly add chunks of butter a little at a time, whisking thoroughly until butter has melted. Remove from heat and strain. Do not allow to boil or the sauce wil break and appear curdled.

RETURNING TO THE POTATOES:
Heat cream and butter in a small pan until butter melts. When potatoes are done and still hot, mash with a masher or run through a food mill. Add cream and butter slowly while stirring to the consistency you like. Add salt and pepper to taste.

TO PREPARE THE SPINACH:
Heat butter or oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat, add spinach and cook 2 minutes or until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

TO SERVE:
Put about 1/3 cup mashed potatoes on plate with about 1/4 cup spinach. Ladle a small pool of butter and lay chicken across.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Kyle Wagner, Denver Post Staff Writer, April 24, 2007