Strathearn Chicken in the Oven

Ingredients:

Brine

• 0.5 cups honey
• 0.5 cup coarse salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 3 tbsp. ice cubes
• 1 chicken weighing approximately 2 kg, cut into 10 pieces, removing the spine

Honey glaze

• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• Juice of 1 orange

Chicken

• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Gravy

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 450 g of different mushrooms (for example, champignons, oyster mushrooms or shiitake)
• 1 tbsp. thinly sliced ​​garlic
• 1 tbsp. chopped shallots
• 1/4 cup flour
• 0.5 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup lightly salted chicken broth
• Truffle oil, to drizzle
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
2. Brine:
   
   Combine 1 cup of water, honey, salt, bay leaf, garlic, and thyme in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the water boils, turn off the heat and add ice cubes. Place the chicken in a large zip-lock plastic bag and pour the brine over it. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Honey glaze:
   
   In a small saucepan, combine honey, vinegar, and orange juice and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and let sit at room temperature until ready to use.
4. Chicken:
   
   Remove the chicken from the brine bag and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper and place skin-side down in a cast-iron skillet. Place in the oven. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 150°F (68°C), about 50 minutes, turning once. Remove from the oven, brush the chicken with the honey glaze, and then return to the oven. Roast until the skin is crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Discard the fat in the skillet.
5. Gravy:
   
   Add olive oil to the same cast-iron skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and shallots and stir. Let them soften, but be careful not to burn them. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flour and stir in the fat. Continue cooking for about 2 minutes.
6. Add the white wine and scrape up any browned bits. Reduce for about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and reduce by half, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and drizzle with a little truffle oil. Stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the chicken pieces on a serving platter and drizzle with truffle sauce.