Chicken Under a Brick

Marinated in olive oil, evenly browned in a skillet ,and finally transferred to a hot oven, you can expect a beautifully crisp and flavorful dish permeated with a small battalion of savory herbs.
It is the brick that accounts for the cracker crunchy skin. When you top off your hot skillet with bricks, your adding 2 lb weights that keep that juicy tender chicken down to brown on all points of contact. The result is something sensational.
I realize bricks aren't a part of every ones kitchen cache, but I can't imagine why you wouldn't be able to find one.
In the event that you have chosen a simple life away from suburban sprawl,or
live in one of those parts of town without relentless construction I have other options for you.
The first,though somewhat advanced, involves a twister and dropping a house on one of your neighbors.
Preferably either one you don't like or one with a killer shoe collection.
If that proves too difficult for you (Wussy...) improvise.
Feel free to use an inverted pot lid with something heavy on top.
A leg of lamb retrieved from the back of the freezer, an empty quart of milk filled with water or a toddler will do just fine in a pinch.
Of course, the second method may also be appropriate if you just can't get your head around the fact that a brick is involved in cooking this little blessing.
In that case you will probably also object to the term "chicken under a brick."
You are welcome to call it by its Italian name.
Pollo al mattone.

And now a few notes:

Keep in mind a dish cooked with olive oil, like wine or chocolate (and sometimes your hair),is only as good as the product you put into it. And just like wine or chocolate olive oils are complex creatures.Usually descriptive phrases are reserved for tense bouts of road rage or when someone dogs you in line while your Christmas shopping.
However, A professional olive oil taster(yes there is such a thing) uses them just as freely as a sommelier when dissecting a wine.
There are fruity undertones and woody aftertastes.
I can't speak with much authority on the subject but follow this link for a more in depth discussion of olive oil. It kind of blew my mind a little and now Im trying all sorts of olive oils.The page is easy to read and informative.
I was surprised to learn that like tomatoes, olives are actually a fruit.

I tried Filippo Berio extra virgin.
Extra virgin - because it is generally used for marinating and dressings.
Filippo Berio - because I had a crush on Brian Berio n the 5th grade and I liked the label.
In trying new olive oil's out I figured it was best to go with what you know.

Though I'd suggest marinating at the minimum over night in a cool Frigidaire,I have soaked chicken for 48 hours out of necessity.
Somtimes there isn't enough time.
The chicken was sumptuous.


There is a long list of herbs , but use what you've got on hand.
Though disheveled and wild I have a large number growing in my garden and this is the perfect time of year to take advantage of the soon to dwindle growth.

And one last thing about the brick. \
Be careful.
Don'thurt anybody when searching one out.
I found this little guy the day of my first mission.



isn't he cute?!
I think he is a type of Imperial moth
(Eacles imperialis).
For those of you shaking your heads and saying, "not so much,"
this little guy
will help impress my next point on you.

Wash the brick.
Wash the brick and cover it in foil.
You don't want any little clay bits falling into your chicken.

Keep a few sheets of newspaper by the range (away from the flame) in order to rest the hot oily bricks on once they have completed their task as heavy weight champions of the wok.
Those bad boys get hot and steamy inside their foil cloaks , and the hot oil on the outside renders them torture devices the likes of which have not be seen since medieval England.

Recipe:

Chicken Under a Brick

4 ilb chicken
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic

A handfull of the following:

Thyme
Basil
Oregano
Sage
Mint
Peppermint
salt
pepper

(you could also add in lemon or crused hot pepper. I did not.)


Marinate the chicken:

Place washed chicken in a pyrex dish , giant freezer bag or tupperware container
(be warned if you go the pyrex route it could stink up your fridge).

Crush the garlic cloves and mix with the salt and pepper.
If you have dainty hands you don't want soiled you may complete this task with the tines of a fork.

Rub your selection of herbs all over the chicken.
Rub the chicken all over with the garlic paste , lavishing a good amount of your garlic paste love on the skin.
place some of the herbs under the skin being careful not to shred it up.
Fill the container with the cup of olive oil and remaining herbs/garlic.

let it rest at least over night for the best flavor.

Cooking:

preheat oven 450.

Wash the bricks and wrap them in foil.

Heat up the skillet and then quickly arrange the chicken within.
This with help seal in the juices.
Cover the chicken immediately with bricks.
Cook 25 minutes and try to disturb them as little as possible.

When sufficiently browned flip the chicken pieces over and place in the oven for an additional 25 minutes.

enjoy!

P.S.
The second time I made this I could'nt find my skillet.How you loose a skillet I don't know.However, it is just as easy to do the brick browning in a frying pan and transfer the meat to a baking dish for the oven.

A similar recipe to the one i staretd with can be found here with instructions on how to debobne a chicken.
If you have a good relationship with your butcher you could ask him to do it for you. If you don't, keep in mind most supermarkets sell packaged chicken pieces.