1 whole chicken, 3 ½-4 ½ lbs., washed, pat dried
Fresh rosemary, a 2" sprig, washed, the leaves removed
2 cloves garlic, peeled, thinly julienned
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Line
the bottom of a roasting pan with tin foil to help with clean up. Put a
small rack on top of the tin foil. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
With
kitchen twine, tie the legs together and the wings. Rub the olive oil
all over the chicken, season with sea salt, black pepper, garlic, and
the rosemary leaves. Put the chicken on the rack breast side down and put in the oven for 60 minutes.
Using
tongs, turn the chicken over and return to the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and check for doneness: the legs should move
easily and the juices should run clear. If needed to make the skin
crisp, roast a final 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven
and let it rest for 5 minutes. If you're going to make a gravy, now's
the time to transfer the pan drippings to a small sauce pan, add a pat
of butter and 3 tablespoons of chicken stock and quickly reduce.
The
chicken can be presented whole or cut apart so the pieces are easier to
serve and can be served with a great many side dishes. A plain
green salad with the chicken is perfect for a simple meal. Adding
roasted vegetables, like potatoes, string beans, asparagus, or Brussels sprouts,
makes a feast. If you want a gravy, that's easy enough, just make a
simple reduction of the pan drippings, a pat of sweet butter, and a few
tablespoons of chicken stock. Delicious.
Serves 4. Preparation Time: 15 minutes. Cooking Time: 2 hours.
-Courtesy of David Latt