Les Freres Taix’s Roast Chicken

DEAR SOS: We have been going to Les Freres Taix French restaurant in Los Angeles for 30 years and especially enjoy their roast chicken. Is it possible to obtain a recipe?

--HIRSCH

DEAR HIRSCH: The smell of roast chicken and Bordelaise sauce will make you think you are in a cozy side-street bistro in Paris. Note the recipe uses canola oil, a highly monounsaturated oil, considered healthful.

TAIX POULET ROTI FERMIERE

2 (2 to 2 1/4-pound) whole chickens

Salt, pepper

1/2 cup canola oil

Bordelaise Gravy

Rinse chickens, pat dry and truss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour oil into bottom of roasting pan. Heat in 425-degree oven until very hot. Add chickens, breasts side up. Roast at 425 degrees 30 minutes.

Turn chickens, breast side down, and bake 30 minutes longer or until nicely browned. Remove chickens from oven, reserving drippings for gravy. Carve and serve with Bordelaise Gravy. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Bordelaise Gravy

2 cups beef or chicken broth

Reserved roast drippings, optional

1 small bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon ground oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed thyme

1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary

3/4 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons caramel color or beef glaze

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup dry red wine

Place broth in saucepan. Skim fat from roast drippings and add to saucepan, if desired. Add bay leaf, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sugar, tomato paste and caramel color. Bring to slow boil, stirring constantly.

Mix cornstarch and red wine and add to stock mixture slowly, stirring constantly, until thickened and liquid is shiny. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.

DEAR SOS: Cafe Blanc on Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles serves a coffee gelatin dessert I dream about. Please help with a recipe.

--ROY

DEAR ROY: Here’s a variation of the coffee gelatin dessert. You can serve it without cream for an extra low-calorie dessert.

COFFEE GELATIN DESSERT

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold, strong coffee

2 cups hot strong coffee

2 tablespoons sugar or to taste

Dash ground cinnamon

1 to 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur, optional

1/2 cup frozen whipped topping or whipped cream

Sprinkle gelatin over cold coffee and let stand 5 minutes. Combine hot coffee and sugar and stir into gelatin until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in cinnamon and liqueur. Cool to room temperature. Spoon frozen whipped topping into small electric mixer bowl along with coffee mixture and beat at high speed.

Cool mixture until it mounds slightly when dropped from spoon. Spoon into 4-ounce tulip Champagne or sherbet glasses. Serve with whipped topping or sprinkle lightly with mixture of instant coffee powder and sugar, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Note: Coffee liqueur can be added as part of cold coffee to dissolve gelatin.