The Good Cook

It's 4:00 so I'm taking the chicken out of the fridge. I want to start roasting it at 5:00 - and have it on the table around 6:30. You should always bring your food to room temperature before cooking. The timing allows for 15 to 30 minutes of resting the bird before carving. It's amazing how much heat the chicken holds just loosely tented and this allows for all the juices to return to the meat (instead of on the serving platter)

I'll pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Stuff my lemon (quartered into the cavity and truss the legs and wings to keep them close to the bird and protect the breast. Put the bird on a rack - breast side down - back on a rimmed cookie sheet and brush it all over with about 2 T. of melted, unsalted butter. Half way through the roasting time I'll turn the bird breast side up to finish cooking. 

While it's roasting (about 15 - 20 minutes per pound) I'll toss up a small salad and make some lemon vinegrette. At this time of year I can get Meyer Lemons so that's what I'll use for my dressing - a nice compliment to the lemon chicken. 

The juice of one lemon

1/3 as much extra virgin olive oil as lemon juice (3 to 1 with juice winning)

a teaspoon of dijon mustard

a T. of minced shallot

Salt and Pepper.

Add some store bought ciabatta rolls and a bottle of white and viola - dinner is served. 

tomorrow: the weather forecast is calling for the last of winter - some wet snow mixed with rain. I think I'll make the final roast pork for the season - with gruyere and leek potato casserole -and maybe steamed asparagus.  yum.  Have a good night.