Creuset Chicken - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 Large Chicken
1 Large White onion or 2-3 medium sized Red onions, peeled
1/2 cup Vermouth or 1/4 cup clear/sweet fruit juice (Apple/Cranberry) juice with 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup water
Kicap Manis (Tamin, Kipas or any other variety)
Olive Oil
Salt
Ground Black Pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 220-230C.

2. Rinse chicken and pat dry (This is important so that the bird sears properly). Rub 1/2 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp pepper on outside of bird and cavity. Mix oil and Kicap at ratio of 1:2 in amount enough to generously coat bird and cavity, allowing to marinade in a large bowl for 5 mins. Stuff the large onion into the cavity (I actually prefer to use the sweeter medium sized red onions)

3. Put Creuset on stove (with the lid off) and heat 1/4 inch of oil to the point just before smoking. Take the pot off the heat onto an insulated surface.

4. Put chicken (breast side up) into pot so that it sizzles, pouring remaining marinade into pot. Allow to sear, untouched, for a minute before putting the pot in the oven (still with the lid off). This step browns the bottom of the chicken.

5. After 15 minutes, turn down the oven to 160C and immediately remove the pot from the oven back on to the insulated surface. Check that the chicken has browned on top. Carefully our in the liquids (vermouth/juice and water) into the side of the pot to deglaze the searing juices.

6. Cover the pot and put back in the oven.

7. After 1 hour (for a 2kg bird), turn off the oven and leave the pot in for another 30 minutes until ready to serve.

8. If desired, vegetables such as peas, diced carrots and other vegetables may be added to the pot immediately after turning off the oven. The vegetables will cook during the 30 minute resting period as the Creuset will still continue to cook inside.