Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s roasted chicken with clementines and arak. This is a such a great choice for entertaining a crowd. With all the prep work done ahead of time, that makes for a very relaxed hostess. In addition, you’ll find the flavors are intense and anything but ordinary. You and your guests will love this dish. I often serve some jasmine rice, a slice of good bread and a simple salad.

INGREDIENTS
6 1/2 Tbs. Pernod (Anise liquor)
4 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. orange juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tbs. whole grain mustard
3 Tbs. light brown sugar
2 medium fennel bulbs
2-3 lbs. chicken thighs or 1 large chicken, cut into 8 pieces
4 clementines, unpeeled, sliced into 1/4″ pieces
1 Tbs. thyme leaves
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
flat leaf parsley, chopped for garnish

DIRECTIONS
First of all, place the first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add 2 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper, whisk together and set aside. On the other hand, I usually use a large zippered bag (or two) to marinate this in. I find it is easier to mix and rotate throughout the marinating process, as a result, all the goodies will reach all parts of the chicken..

Trim the fennel and cut each bulb in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 4 wedges. Add the fennel to the liquids, along with the chicken, sliced clementines and thyme. Mix well, refrigerate and marinate for a couple of hours or overnight.

If you are very short on time and still want to make this dish, you could certainly shorten the marinating time. On the other hand, know that you may be compromising the intensity of the flavors. Consequently, I would  shoot for at least a full hour of martinating.

Preheat oven to 425º
Transfer the chicken and marinade mixture to a rimmed sheet pan or baking dish, large enough for everything to be in one layer. More importantly, make sure the chicken is skin side up, to ensure proper browning/crisping of the skin. During the cooking, check to ensure the chicken pieces are getting browned and move things around a bit if needed.

Roast for 35-45 minutes, until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through.

Next, remove chicken, fennel and clementines from the pan and arrange nicely on a large serving plate, cover and keep warm. Meanwhile, pour the cooking liquid into a small saucepan, place over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Simmer the sauce until it is reduced by about one third, you should end up with about 1/3 – 1/2 cup. Finally, pour the hot sauce over the chicken, garnish with the parsley and serve.

This is a wonderful summer vegetable and a great do-ahead dish for a crowd. I love serving this, because it is a terrific way to highlight summer’s bounty and everyone loves it. However, do take care to choose an array of colorful vegetables for an attractive presentation.

INGREDIENTS
1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced
1 fennel bulb, cored and cut into wedges
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 large vidalia onion, peeled and cut into thick slices
1 small eggplant, cut into thick slices
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled & crushed
fresh sprigs of rosemary
fresh sprigs thyme
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
First, whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl. Add a few sprigs of the thyme and rosemary and set aside to let the flavors meld while preparing the vegetables.

Then, brush the olive oil mixture on the vegetables and grill on medium high (depends on how hot your grill gets) for about 4-7 minutes per side. The peppers and onions will take a bit longer than the eggplant.

Beware and be sure to stay close by, because the veggies can go from perfect to charred in no time!

Finally, arrange on a platter, add a garnish of fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs. Cover with tinfoil and leave at room temperature until you’re ready to serve. This can stay on the counter for several hours, but if you are not serving for six or more hours, I would refrigerate it and take out up to an hour before serving to bring to room temperature.