roast a chicken

We had our friends over for dinner, so I yet again indulged my compulsion to try out new recipes when guests are in attendance. It turned out well, though. I bought a small frying chicken and followed Martha Stewart’s instructions for roasting a bird (don’t judge; she has yet to let me down): stuff the cavity with an entire lemon, garlic, fresh herbs, and slide a little garlic and more of said herbs under the skin next to the breast. Lay the bird on a bed of sliced onions, scatter some root veggies around it all and you’re set.

The result was juicy, flavourful, and really quite nice. It was time consuming but not difficult in any way. It’s a perfect meal when you have a whole Sunday afternoon free to just take your time, listen to music and get on with it without rushing.

Also nice is that I’ve got a wee little bit of cooked shredded chicken to use in…something, plus a carcass that’s in the slow cooker right now with some leftover herbs and vegetables that in the morning will be my first batch of homemade stock. Roasting your own bird is definitely good value for money.

Well, I`ve done this, and I`ll do it again.

It isn`t hard, and the if it goes ok you get enough food to keep you going for a few days.

I turned off the oven but the chicken and the oven cooled much more rapidly than I expected so the food wasn`t staming hot as I would have liked it to be.

Also, idiotically, I put the chicken in upside down, so the breast was at the bottom.

Moral….don`t shut off the oven (at least not out crappy one) and make sure the biird is the right way up!

Chicken to be marinated in honey, Oregano marinade.

Guest for dinner as guinea pigs on Saturday.

Wish me (or them) luck…

The chickpeas are soaking. The chicken is going to be bought and roasted and served to a small party on saturday.

i`ve done this, but i want to do it more, using a stuffing oc chickpeas, and various herbs.

There is almost nothing more basic and satisfying than roasting a chicken in your home oven. I really must do this while it’s cold out. It’s revivifying and very Hobbit-y.

Also, my sweetheart hasn’t ever roasted a chicken or had home-roasted chicken, and I’m hoping he’ll enjoy it as much as I do. Especially the “oyster”...mmm.

Totally worth doing.

And it was a winner.

I used a recipe from the Zuni cookbook, and it was fabulous.
And technically, I served 6 people.

So this one is complete.

Yay Me!

Purchased the chicken – I’ve never done this before,
Washed it,
Salted it with pepper,
and now it’s sitting in the refrigerator til tomorrow evening when I wash it and roast it.