In the early days of the war, chefs from around the country switched their focus from their restaurants to projects like Chefs in Shifts | Food for the Frontline. Many chose to cook chicken — each putting their own spin on the staple ingredient. We asked four chefs to share the chicken recipe they made and what it means to them.
Tamar Cohen Tzedek: “I learned this recipe from a friend in Italy. His father used to make it. He would take a whole chicken, mix some chopped garlic and rosemary with salt, pepper, and olive oil, and massage the chicken under its skin. That way, when you put the chicken in the oven, the skin gets all crispy and flavorful, but the meat inside also gets all the salt, lemon, and everything else it needs. I thought it would be nice to cook something like that for the soldiers, not just throw drumsticks into the oven, but really treat each piece individually, and I think it worked. It was important for me to express the essence of my cooking — which is not the seasoning, but the execution. This is how I work, that’s what’s important to me in the kitchen.”
Ingredients
1 kg (2.2lb) chicken legs
For the sauce:
Leaves from 2 thyme sprigs
Leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs
6 sage leaves
Leaves from 2 oregano sprigs
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Atlantic Sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
For roasting:
6 thick lemon slices
1 pound (500 grams) baby potatoes
1 onion, quartered
1 cup water
Preparation
- Prepare the sauce: Finely chop the herbs and mix them in a bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Gently rub the sauce between the chicken skin and the meat. Brush the drumsticks with the remaining sauce.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the potatoes and the onion quarters in the bottom of the baking tray, then arrange the drumsticks and lemon slices on top. Add water and cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1½ hours. Remove the foil and roast for an additional 15 minutes, until the chicken is browned. Serve hot.
