Excerpted From Melissa Pasanen and Rick Gencarelli "COOKING WITH SHELBURNE FARMS: Food and Stories from Vermont"

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The sweetness of maple is balanced nicely by the cider vinegar and the light heat of black pepper in the sauce for this golden-skinned chicken. Enjoy it for a weeknight supper with crusty bread and a green salad dressed with our Cider Vinaigrette or the Red Cabbage, Pear and Cranberry Slaw, or try it with Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash Puree.

• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 1 chicken, about 4-4 1/2-pounds, cut into 6 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 bone-in breast halves with wings
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1. Preheat the oven to 375º F with a rack set in the second highest position. With a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, coarsely grind the peppercorns and set them aside.

2. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season them well with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. In a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan or skillet set over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil 3-4 minutes until shimmering. Put the chicken breasts into the pan skin side down and cook for about 7-9 minutes, without moving, until the skin is golden brown. Remove the chicken to a baking dish or roasting pan large enough to hold all the chicken. Next, brown the thighs and drumsticks, turning so the skin is evenly browned, up to 10 minutes.

3. Add the thighs and drumsticks to the baking dish and put the chicken in the oven. (Reserve the pan.) Roast for about 30-35 minutes until the chicken flesh closest to the bone is opaque. An instant-read thermometer should register about 165º F for the breasts, and 175º F for thighs and legs.

4. While the chicken is roasting, make the sauce in the reserved pan. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat and set the pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and thyme and cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes or just until the shallot starts to color. Add the vinegar and simmer 1-2 minutes, using a spatula to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the maple syrup and cracked black pepper and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until the sauce is reduced by about half. Adjust seasoning to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Serves 4