Brine for Chicken

1/2 cup salt
6 thyme sprigs (or any stem herb)

1. Remove neck and giblets. Rinse chicken inside and out in cold water.
2. Combine salt, thyme and 2 cups hot tap water in a large container. Let stand 10 minutes to release flavors.
3. Add 1 1/2 quarts cold tap water, stir until salt is dissolved.
4. Submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate 1 1/2 hours. (can put in a 2 gallon ziplock bag)
5. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.

Chicken
3 Tbls. butter, softened
Salt and Pepper
1 tsp. ground ginger
4 pound roasting chicken
1 cup whole dried figs, stemmed plus dried cherries
2 onions, chopped in large pieces

1. Preheat oven to 450 Degrees. Spray a roasting pan with non-stick spray.
2. Combine butter, salt, pepper, and ginger. Rub the chicken inside and out.
3. Stuff the cavity with figs and cherries.
4. Place the chopped onion in the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken breast side down on top of the onions. Roast chicken for 15 minutes.
5. Turn oven down to 375 Degrees. Remove roasting pan from the oven and turn chicken breast side up. Continue roasting for 45 minutes to 1 hour and temperature in the breast is 160 Degrees or 175 Degrees in the thigh.
6. Remove chicken from pan and let rest 15 to 30 minutes before carving.

(You might want to strain the onions and reheat in pan. They are really good)

Serves 6