Roasted Chicken with Maitake and Walnuts with Garlic Confit

Directions

1. To make brine, put a large pot on med high heat, and add half of the water and all of the other brine ingredients. Heat until the sugar and salt is melted, then remove from heat and add cold water and let cool completely before adding chicken. Let brine overnight or at least for 3 hours. 

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Separate the herbs into even bundles and tie with string.

3. Place garlic cloves in an oven safe container and cover with oil then cover that with a thin sheet of parchment paper and light olive oil. Cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the garlic is cooked through and soft and the oil is infused. Let cool completely before placing in the fridge to cool for later use. 

4. Remove the chicken from the brine and place on drying rack. Pat dry gently with paper towels. Take a large roasting pan and layer the bottom with the green onion. Toss the maitake in a bowl with a small amount of salt and then layer them over the green onion. Take a few of the confit garlic clove and stuff them under the skin of the chicken. Place the chicken over the mushrooms and onions and tuck an herb bundle under the skin in between the thigh and the breast of each half chicken. Rub the chicken thoroughly with the confit garlic oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper.

5. Place chicken in the oven and cook for 60 min, rotating and basting with confit oil every 20 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness until it reads 160 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a cooling rack for 10 minutes or so. Toss the walnuts in the mushrooms, green onions, and fat. Return pan to oven, and roast for 5 minutes, until the walnuts take on color.

6. To finish, place a bed of the green onion, walnut, and mushroom mixture on a plate and drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan. Place half chicken on top and serve.