Hello everyone!
One of the things I love to cook and consider myself very skilled is roasting chicken. Some time ago my sister, who happens to be one of this page’s most loyal fans, invited me for dinner and to try a very different type of chicken (at least for us Caribbean cooks!)
In my defense I must say I fiercely opposed this madness!…at least in the beginning… it was a bluntly simple recipe… chicken and salt…
When she first brought it up, I didn’t even pay much attention and thought she was joking, but she insisted on it. The recipe, as it was shared and in case any of you is crazy enough to try it is basically seasoning a chicken with abundant salt, leaving it in a salt bed for at least 12 hours and then roasting.
I have to admit and I’m not too proud of it, that I helped. She asked for my help in the roasting and even though I didn’t think it was going to work I helped. I mean, I didn’t want it “not to work” either. I was pretty sure it would not work without help.
After roasting it I was caught in one of my own rules. “If I haven’t tried it, why not give it a try?” In spite of a pale, almost creepy color, the taste was very good.
I think this was a chance to reflect on how we sometimes abuse seasoning and how sometimes it’s good to go back to the basics. We Hispanics and especially Caribbean’s love our seasons (nothing wrong with that, it’s why our food is so amazing!! LOL!) but sometimes we should be aware of our great ingredients and also let them shine!
Summary
Ingredients
- Chicken
- Salt
Directions
Season with salt and let rest for at least 12 hours in a salt bed. Roast by putting in a preheated oven covered in aluminum foil for at least 2 hours at low fire. Then uncover and raise the fire for at least ½ hour to allow it to take some color. It won’t be much more than what you see in the somehow creepy pictures! So don’t stress over it!
I hope you… enjoyed?…this recipe…LOL
A big hug from the amazingly beautiful Caribbean!
Arturo
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Arturo Féliz-Camilo
Z Yamiris "Sous chef"
I’m almost afraid to ask but… how much salt? Sounds very simple and delicious!
LOL! Just use a generous amount. You can cover with a layer of salt. Since you’re roasting, it doesn’t absorb more than it should (or so says the folk tale! LOL!)
I’ve seen fish cooked in this way… Didn’t know that meat could be cooked like this…I understand what you mean about pale chicken! We Caribbeans are so used to our seasonings that the food seems bare.. And bland.. I’d be going nuts without at least a sprinkle of pimentón! Hahaha!
Big salute from a fellow Carib chef in the U.K! Loving this blog!
I know!! I’m not sure myself that I’ll be able to do it again without sprinkling at least some paprika!