Blueberry, Tarragon and Vodka Punch and Happy 2017 / Ponche de Vodka com Mirtilos e Estragão e um muito, muito Feliz 2017.

Last day of 2016 and here we are again, thinking about the year we had and making resolutions for the year that will start tomorrow. 2017!

I'm not the kind of person that thinks a lot about how was the year that is finishing or that makes new year resolutions.

For me, if the overall year was good, I call it a good or even fantastic year. If it was bad, I think about what spoiled it and try to not make or allow the same bad things to happen the following year and those are my only resolutions.

Worldwide, 2016 was a very strange year and brexit and the Trump election were just a few of the most concerning and strange things that happened this year, although the consequences from both decisions are still to come...

Personally, it was a very good year and I'm finishing it with a very big smile on my face.

It was a calm and relaxed year.

I retook control of myself and of whom I really are.

Apart from my truthful and real friends and my family, I socialized with very interesting and wise people on social media (blog and Instagram) and I can even say that I have new and fabulous virtual friends and Kimberly, Aimee and Emilie, are just a few names that are worth mention because they are, all of them, absolutely fabulous people and some of my virtual friends and food heroes!

This year, I got to really know people to whom I didn't give much attention in the past and I even changed my opinion - aka "preconceived" idea - about them and how fabulous people they are.

I also came to the conclusion that not everything that looks precious or true, turns out to be and this apply to people, places and all sorts of things that promise to be more than they really are.

The "All that glitters is not gold" well known old saying has never been so important in my life and that's the one I'm treasuring the most now that 2016 came to an end.

Saying that, I just hope for my 2017, if not better, to be as pleasant and good as 2016.

To all of you, I wish a VERY HAPPY 2017!

May all your dreams and wishes come true and may the World be a Peaceful and Better place to live, despite all the 2016 bizarre decisions.

As this is the last post of the year and just as I did last year, I'm leaving you a delicious cocktail to say goodbye to 2016 and to welcome 2017.

Last year, I left you with this delicious Sangria and this year I'm leaving you this fabulous Punch.

Donna Hay magazine is becoming a tradition for the last and first posts of the year and this year will be no exception as this cocktail is from a Donna Hay magazine.

The best roast chicken / O melhor frango assado.

As you can see by the name of this recipe, in her book "The New Easy" Donna Hay calls this roast chicken "The best roast chicken"!

Is it the best roast chicken?

YES!!! It is indeed!!

The fact that the chicken is brined makes the meat juicy and succulent and to tell you the truth, after this roast chicken, I'll hardly roast it other way.

I knew that this method would work as, at Christmas time, I made a roast turkey (also a Donna Hay recipe) and the brining of the turkey made all the difference in the final taste and juiciness of the meat.

You might think that it is to much work and wait, just for a roast chicken but, believe me, this little extra step, is what is going to elevate your meal from normal, to sublime! Have a try and let me know if is true or not!

ingredients (serves 4 to 6):

1.5kg whole free range chicken

150g table salt

3l water

6 springs tarragon

1 lemon, diced

1 head garlic, halved crossways

1 tbsp black peppercorns

extra virgin olive oil, for brushing

sea salt flakes

30g butter, melted

method:

Wash the chicken.

Place the salt and water in a large plastic container and stir to dissolve the salt.

Add the chicken, tarragon, lemon, garlic and peppercorns, ensuring the chicken is fully submerged.

Cover and refrigerate for a maximum of 4 hours.

Drain the chicken and pat dry.

Reserve the tarragon, lemon and garlic.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Place the chicken in a baking dish.

Fill the cavity with the reserved tarragon, lemon and garlic.

Secure the legs with kitchen string.

Brush the chicken with the extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast for 1 hour.

Brush the chicken with the melted butter and any pan juices from the tray and roast for a further 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

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Como podem comprovar pelo título da receita, no seu livro "The New Easy" a Donna Hay chama esta receita de "O melhor frango assado".

Será que é mesmo "O melhor frango assado"?

Pois acreditem que sim. É MESMO!!!

Caso o queiram experimentar, têm de se organizar com antecedência, pois o frango tem de estar de molho por um máximo de 4 horas e é este detalhe que faz dele o melhor frango assado. A carne fica suculenta, tenra e nada, nadinha seca!!

Há que ter em consideração que um frango de campo e de boa qualidade, também será um detalhe de suma importância e a ter em consideração, pois não acredito que com um frango de aviário obtenham os mesmos resultados ou notem grandes diferenças.

Nós cá em casa simplesmente adorámos e garanto-vos que, dificilmente voltarei a assar frango doutra maneira que não esta.

Eu já calculava que assim fosse, pois no Natal assei um peru, receita também da Donna Hay, em que era utilizado mais ou menos o mesmo método e foi o melhor peru de sempre.

Poderão até pensar que não vale o trabalho e a espera, mas sinceramente, há pequenos rituais e "passos" na cozinha, que podem elevar uma refeição de "normal" a "fabulosa" e este é um desses casos.

ingredientes (para 4 a 6 pessoas):

1.5kg frango do campo

150g sal de mesa

3l de água

6 pés de estragão

1 limão, cortado em cubos ou rodelas

1 cabeça de alho, cortada ao meio longitudinalmente

1 colher sopa de grãos de pimenta preta

azeite extra virgem, para pincelar

flocos ou flor de sal

30g manteiga, derretida

preparação:

Lavar o frango.

Colocar a água e o sal de mesa num contentor de plástico grande o suficiente para que o frango fique submerso e mexer bem, a fim de dissolver o sal.

Adicionar o frango, o estragão, o limão, o alho e os grãos de pimenta e confirmar que o frango fica completamente submerso na água.

Tapar o contentor e refrigerar por um máximo de 4 horas.

Findo esse tempo (ou antes), escorrer o frango, reservando o estragão, o limão e o alho.

Aquecer o forno a 180ºC.

Secar bem o frango com papel absorvente de cozinha.

Colocar o frango num recipiente de ir ao forno.

Colocar o estragão, limão e alho reservados, na cavidade do frango e prender as pernas com fio de cozinha.

Pincelar o frango com o azeite e polvilhar com flocos ou flor de sal.

Levar ao forno e cozinhar por 1 hora.

Findo esse tempo, pincelar o frango com a manteiga derretida e algum molho que tenham no tabuleiro onde este está a assar.

Assar por mais 15 a 20 minutos, ou até o frango estar coradinho e a carne estar completamente cozida.

Recipe / Receita: