16 medium Jerusalem artichokes (peeled just before using)
1 head garlic, split crosswise
2 shallots, halved
20 pearl onions, peeled and trimmed
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup dry white wine
1.5 cups unsalted chicken stock or broth
1 cup seedless red grapes
For the Salad:
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons walnut oil
2 heads frisée, white part only, washed and dried
4 ounces mâche (lamb’s lettuce), trimmed
1 cup garlic croutons
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F and place a medium roasting pan into the oven to warm.
Separate the chicken wings at the second joint; chop the neck bone into 3 pieces and reserve. Gently separate the skin from the breast meat and slip a sage leaf underneath the skin of each breast half. Repeat with the legs. Smear the butter over the skin and generously season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Truss with kitchen string.
Remove the pan from the oven and coat the bottom with the oil. Place the neck and wing joints in the pan and place the chicken on top. Roast for 10 minutes, basting twice. Add the Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, shallots, and reserved sage stems to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 10 minutes more, basting twice.
Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F. Toss the pearl onions with the sugar and a bit of salt and add them to the pan. Roast the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes longer until the juices run clear when a chicken thigh is pierced with a knife or an instant-read thermometer reaches 180°F. Transfer the chicken to a board; remove the string. Place the chicken on a large serving platter and keep warm.
Skim the fat from the pan and place the pan on the stove. Add the wine and reduce over high heat until it has almost evaporated. Add the chicken stock and grapes and cook for about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the artichokes, onions, and grapes to the platter and arrange around the chicken. Strain the remaining liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a sauceboat, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pan sauce for the salad. After carving the chicken, drizzle each portion with some sauce.
To Make the Salad:
Season the reserved chicken livers with salt and pepper. Warm the olive oil in a small skillet over high heat. Add the livers and cook while stirring for 1 minute. Add the shallots and cook for another minute. Deglaze the pan with the sherry vinegar and reduce by half.
Transfer the liver-shallot mixture to a salad bowl. Make a vinaigrette by crushing the livers with a fork, then stirring in the walnut oil and reserved pan sauce until mixed well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the frisée, mâche, and croutons and toss well.
Wine Pairing:
A hearty dish like this calls for a medium-bodied, spicy Pinot Noir from California’s Central Coast, like Au Bon Climat 2000, whose muted cherry and earth overtones and long, sweet finish will bring out the flavors of the pearl onion and grape garnish.
