DINNER 11: Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Our week of dining is shaping up… From humble beginnings earlier in the week, we’ve progressed to tonight’s nice, homey, dinner. 

This evening, I made a simple roasted chicken and vegetables. Wendy made a green salad. The chicken skin was wonderfully crispy from the dry, high heat.

Here’s how I did it, using a 2.5-3 pound chicken (plenty for two people):

• Heat oven to 450.
• Rinse chicken inside and out with cold water.
• Sprinkle kosher salt and pepper inside the cavity of the chicken. 
• Truss the chicken.
• Dry the outside of the chicken very well.
• Sprinkle the outside of the bird with black pepper and kosher salt. Be generous with the salt.
• Put it on a rack in the preheated oven, breast side up.
• Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken’s thigh registers 160 degrees, 50-60 minutes.
• Remove chicken from the oven.
• Stir a tablespoon or two of chopped fresh thyme into the accumulated pan juices.
• Baste the crispy skin with the pan juices.
• Remove the chicken to a plate and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Note: If the oven starts smoking like crazy, it’s probably because juices are coming out of the chicken and burning in the roasting pan. A small amount of water (or chicken stock) in the bottom of the pan will stop this, but the chicken skin will not be as crispy.

While the chicken rests, throw some roughly chopped pieces of your favorite vegetables (onions, carrots, turnips, and some mushrooms are good choices) into the roasting pan, toss with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper, and roast in the oven. When the chicken is done resting, the veggies are done roasting.

Eat the chicken with mustard, bread, and some butter. And for heaven’s sake, eat the skin. Delicious!