JANUARY 2020 51
Kombu Roast Chicken with
Kabocha Squash and Daikon
ACTIVE 25 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 40 MIN
SERVES 4
2019 Best New Chef Matthew Kammerer
amps up butter with salty, mineral-rich
seaweed at Harbor House Inn in Elk,
California. We tried the butter under the
skin of a roast chicken; it built major depth
of flavor in this simple weeknight dinner.
1 (2-lb.) kabocha or acorn squash, cut
into 8 wedges, each wedge halved
crosswise
1 (1-lb.) daikon, cut into 1-inch-thick
rounds
2 Tbsp. olive oil
33 / 4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
(^1) / 2 tsp. black pepper
(^1) / (^8) oz. dried kombu, broken into small
pieces
(^1) / 4 cup unsalted butter, at room
temperature
1 Tbsp. grated garlic
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 (3- to 4-lb.) whole chicken, rinsed
and patted dry
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss together
squash, daikon, oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and
pepper in a large bowl. Arrange squash
mixture in a roasting pan in a single layer. - Process kombu in a spice grinder until
finely ground, about 25 seconds. Stir
together 1 teaspoon ground kombu
(reserve any remaining for another use),
butter, garlic, lemon zest, and 1^3 / 4
teaspoons salt until thoroughly blended.
Carefully run your fingers underneath
skin of chicken breasts and thighs to
loosen. Spread butter mixture under skin.
Season outside of chicken with remaining
1 teaspoon salt. Place chicken on top of
squash mixture.- Roast in preheated oven until a ther-
mometer inserted into thickest portion
of breast registers 155°F, about 1 hour,
gently stirring squash mixture halfway
through. Remove pan from oven; let
chicken rest at least 15 minutes. Carve
chicken, and serve with roasted vegeta-
bles. —LIZ MERVOSH
MAKE AHEAD Kombu butter can be made
and refrigerated up to 1 week ahead.
WINE Earthy, exotic Loire natural white:
2017 La Grange Tiphaine Clef de Sol