No Meanwhile Anise Chicken

Recipe by Anna Gill

Serves: 5

4 to 4½ lb. roasting chicken
10-12 whole star anise
½ cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken broth
8 tablespoons light butter
salt & pepper to taste

1. Pre-Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash and pat chicken dry. Rub inside of chicken cavity with salt and pepper. Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in the cavity with 7 or 8 whole stars of anise. Truss chicken (Dental Floss works very well).
3. Melt the balance of the butter. Crumble the balance of the anise into the melted butter. Add salt and pepper. Baste the chicken thoroughly.
4. Mix remaining basting sauce with 1 cup of chicken broth and the white wine. Set aside.
5. Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan breast down. Put 1 cup of chicken broth in the bottom of the roasting pan. Put chicken in the oven for 15 minutes. Baste chicken. Check to see if more chicken broth is needed in the roasting pan. Let roast for another 15 minutes.
6. Baste chicken. Turn the chicken breast side up. (A pair of Bluette insulated rubber gloves is my favorite way to turn poultry, but a 4 pound chicken can be turned with a large fork.) You may have to add the remaining broth to the bottom of the pan at this point. Reduce temperature to 350o and cook for 35 to 45 minutes more, basting every 15 minutes and adding chicken broth as needed.

** You can vary the herbs or spices and use the same method. It works equally well with tarragon, rosemary, etc.