4.04.2012

how to roast an amazingly tender chicken

Yesterday, I roasted a chicken and the meat literally fell off of the bone when it was finished. Here's what I did:

You will need:
a local, organic, fresh chicken
some savory herbs and aromatics
some roastable veggies
a generous glass of wine
a few tablespoons of butter
salt
freshly ground pepper
a roasting pan with a lid

Do this:
1. Rinse your chicken. And if you're feeling inclined, thank it for its life and its nourishment.
2. Put into its cavity the herbs and aromatics. Yesterday, I used a few sprigs of rosemary, two delightfully huge bay leaves, and an apple core.
3. Place the bird on the roasting rack.
4. Cut up the roasting veggies, including at least one onion and as many leeks as you can handle loving (3 is a good number) and place them around the bird. Seasonal veggies are optimal. Suggestions would be turnips, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes/yams, and squash.
5. Rub butter onto the birds breast. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Pour wine and a cup of water over the bird.
7. Roast covered at 375 for 50 minutes. Baste generously.
8. Turn the oven down to 300. Roast for an hour.
9. Turn the bird over. Stir the veggies. Baste.
10. Cook for another hour, basting occasionally and checking for doneness.

De-licious. With the leftovers, you can:
Boil the carcass for chicken broth.
Blend the roasted veggies with a touch of cream and thyme for soup.
Make sandwiches.
Eat gravy over biscuits and eggs.

Enjoy!
Everyone says "yum" except the ladies!


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