Roast Chicken with Maple and Walnut Glaze, The Rainbow Room

A seasonal specialty from Chef Waldy Malouf.

… 1 3-pound chicken

… 2 tablespoons olive oil

… Salt and freshly ground pepper

… 5 shallots, sliced thin

… 3 cloves garlic, sliced thin

… 3 springs fresh thyme

Glaze:

… 1/2 cup walnut meats, chopped fine but not ground

… 1/3 cup maple syrup

… 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Sauce:

… 1 cup chicken stock

… 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

… 1 tablespoon flour

… 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub the chicken all over with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, season it inside and out with salt and pepper, and put about one-fourth of the shallots, garlic and thyme in the cavity. Truss the chicken, put it in a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes. Add the remaining shallots, garlic and thyme to the pan, set the chicken on top, and roast for 15 minutes more. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees and pour off any fat that has accumulated in the roasting pan.

Make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, maple syrup and vinegar. Spoon half the glaze over the chicken.

Add the stock to the roasting pan and return the chicken to the oven. After 20 minutes, baste with the remaining glaze and continue to roast the chicken for 25 minutes more. Turn the oven off, remove the chicken to a platter, and return it to the oven while you make the sauce.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook, whisking frequently, over low heat for a minute or two, until the mixture is tinged with color. Strain the pan juices into the pan and stir the sauce over medium-low heat until it is smooth and slightly thickened. Let it simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and stir in the vinegar.

Carve the chicken and serve the sauce in a sauceboat on the side.

Serves three or four.