Colonel Mustard In The Library With A Lead Pipe - Barefoot Contessa Mustard-roasted Chicken

Yeah, it's not a pith helmet, but - DAMN!

Colonel Mustard is the best character in Clue. He gets to wear the pith helmet and the safari jacket. I can't look at a pith helmet and safari jacket without thinking of H. Rider Haggard's great character Allan Quartermain from King Solomon's Mines. In the only cinematic version I acknowledge, he was portrayed by the delicious Stewart Granger. Granger is one of my all time heart throbs. 

KSM was a fave flick of my Dad's and he turned me onto it at an early age. In the 80s, they did a remake with Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone. Dad and I were all excited and went to see it when it came out. Within mere minutes, we were staring at each other in dismay. By 15 minutes into it, we left so that we had a better chance of erasing the images from our minds for all time. 

Mustard and chicken are so darn good together. Here's a couple of Ina Garten recipes in honor of Colonel Mustard. You could choose to go with roasted root veggies instead of the sprouts.

So, get out your pith helmet and safari jacket, pop KSM into the Blueray and enjoy! Mangia!

Barefoot Contessa Crispy Mustard-roasted Chicken

Courtesy: Ina Garten

4 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups panko (Japanese bread flakes)

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

2 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup Dijon mustard, such as Grey Poupon

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) chicken, cut in eighths

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the garlic, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the garlic is finely minced. Add the panko, lemon zest, olive oil, and butter and pulse a few times to moisten the bread flakes. Pour the mixture onto a large plate. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the mustard and wine.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle generously all over with salt and pepper. Dip each piece in the mustard mixture to coat on all sides, and then place skin-side down only into the crumb mixture, pressing gently to make the crumbs adhere. Place the chicken on a sheet pan crumb-side up. Press the remaining crumbs on the chicken pieces.

Bake the chicken for 40 minutes. Raise the heat to 400 degrees F and bake for another 10 minutes, until the crumbs are browned and the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts (and Butternut Squash) with Pancetta

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half through the core

4 ounces pancetta, 1/4-inch-diced

1/4 cup good olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon syrupy balsamic vinegar
Ina's original recipe is just for Brussels sprouts. I like to add 1 pound of Butternut squash, cut into 1 1/2 pieces.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the Brussels sprouts on a sheet pan, including some of the loose leaves, which get crispy when they're roasted. Add the pancetta, olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, toss with your hands, and spread out in a single layer. Roast the Brussels sprouts for 20 to 30 minutes, until they're tender and nicely browned and the pancetta is cooked. Toss once during roasting. Remove from the oven, drizzle immediately with the balsamic vinegar, and toss again. Taste for seasonings, and serve hot.