Glaze
Purée California golden raisins with orange juice, water and olive oil. Pass through a fine mesh sieve and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the glaze in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes; add thyme leaves. Cool to room temperature and reserve 1/2 cup of the glaze separately.
Chicken
Season the outside and inner cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the garlic, 3 sprigs thyme and 2 sprigs of sage leaves in the inner cavity of the chicken. Truss the chicken with twine and place in a roasting pan with wire rack. Roast at 350°F for 10 minutes. Brush with the melted butter and continue to roast for 15 minutes more. Brush the chicken with the California golden raisin glaze and return to the oven. Continue to roast the chicken for an additional 20 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear. When internal temperature reaches 160°F, remove from the oven and brush once more with the glaze. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Carefully remove the breasts from the chicken and slice each breast crosswise into 6 slices. (You may use the leg meat as well or reserve it for another use.) Season the cut meat to taste with salt and pepper.
Cippolini Onions
Leave the skin on the onions and place in a small ovenproof pan with 2 thyme sprigs and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and roast at 350°F for 1 hour or until the onions are very soft. Cool the onions slightly and discard the skins. Reserve any juices that remain in the pan. Cut the onions in half and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Vinaigrette
Place the minced shallot, lemon juice and orange juice in a mixing bowl and slowly whisk in 3/4 cup olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just prior to use, fold in 1/2 cup coarsely chopped California golden raisins and asparagus pieces.
To Assemble
Arrange some of the chicken slices, roasted fingerling potatoes and cippolini onions in the center of each plate. Spoon any juices that remain in the pan from the roasting of the onions around the plate. Season the roasted potato slices with salt and pepper and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Place the potato slices and asparagus vinaigrette around the chicken. Warm the California golden raisin glaze and spoon the glaze around the plate and over the chicken. Sprinkle the remaining thyme leaves around the plate and top with freshly ground black pepper.
Ingredients
Glaze
- 11/2 Cups California golden raisins
- 1 Cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 Cup water
- 1/3 Cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Teaspoons thyme leaves
Procedure
Chicken
- 1 Amish chicken (about 4 pounds)
- 1 bulb of garlic, cut in half
- 5 sprigs of thyme, divided
- 2 sprigs sage
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- Salt and pepper
Cippolini Onions
- 8 cippollini onions
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1/4 Cup olive oil
California Golden Raisin Vinaigrette
- 1 shallot, peeled and minced
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons orange juice
- 3/4 Cup olive oil
- 1/2 Cup California golden raisins, coarsely chopped
- 14 spears asparagus, blanched and sliced crosswise on the bias into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 purple Peruvian fingerling potatoes, roasted and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 4 banana fingerling potatoes, roasted and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- Salt and pepper
- olive oil