Serve with Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon
Created by Winery Chef Eric C. Maczko

Ingredients:
2 pounds coarse rock salt
1/4 cup fennel seeds, toasted & cracked
2 whole eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 bunch fresh thyme, leaves chopped; stems reserved
1 cup Grapeseed oil
1 chicken, approximately 2-3 pounds
1 bunch parsley, chopped
3 bay leaves
8 garlic cloves, lightly crushed with skin left on

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400F. Put all the salt into a bowl with the fennel seeds, eggs, peppercorns and 6 ounces of water and mix together.
Combine chopped thyme and grapeseed oil. Rub this oil all over the chicken outside and inside the cavity. Fill the cavity with thyme stems, bay leaves, parsley and garlic. Completely fill cavity so that no salt will enter.

Arrange aluminum foil sheets side-by-side to create a large work surface. Lay on a third of the salt, spreading until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Put your chicken on top, then pack the rest of the salt around it, making sure not to pierce the skin. Carefully fold up the sides of the aluminum foil and pinch it at the top. Place the chicken on a roasting pan or rack in the preheated oven and cook for approximately 2 hours.

Remove and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Remove foil and crack the salt crust tableside. The chicken should be tender, juicy and falling off the bone.

Yields 2 servings

Chef’s Note:
Chicken and Cabernet? Absolutely! Not every Cab lover is a red meat lover. So for those of us who shy away from red meat, I give you a simple and exciting way to present a classic. Believe me, this is not as salty as you expect, in fact it really isn’t salty at all, but aromatic and juicy.

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