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Roast Chicken with Lemon. Sunday on a plate


Sunday lunch is an occasion I always look forward to, but let's face it sometimes it turns into a bit of a nightmare. The vision in my mind is one of harmony via gastronomy. It’s a sort of East Moleseyian version of A Table in Provence. The only problem is that it can turn into a bit of a chore.
Getting the food right can help. It won’t stop the kids arguing but it might just stop you and your better half coming to blows.
One of my family’s favourite meals is Roast Chicken, which has, of course, to be served with roast potatoes.
This is one of my favourite recipes and is simplicity itself. Once again it is courtesey of The River Cafe.
Get the best chicken you can, preferably free-range and organic, but it will work with any old chicken. Wipe it clean, trim off the fat that sits just inside the neck. Get a lemon, roll it on a board until you feel it lose its structure a bit and go soft, then pierce all over with a sharp fork; It will go really soft.
Whack this in the cavity with 4 tablespoons of thyme leaves, season inside and out with plenty of salt and some pepper, then close the cavity with a couple of toothpicks.
Pre-heat the oven to 200C; roast the chicken for one and a half hours. Starting it off breast side DOWN and then turning it breast-side-up after an hour. Do not add any oil or butter.
To serve, take the chicken out about five minutes before the rest of the food. (If you are doing green beans now is the time to get salted water boiling for them.) It’s vital that you let the chicken rest before carving. First though tip the chicken up over the roasting tray so that all the juice runs out, this is going to make your gravy. Put the chicken to one side. Add some vegetable water or a little vegetable stock to the pan, put it on the hob turn the heat up high and stir. Scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pan heat for a couple of minutes, season to taste and strain through a sieve into a warm jug or gravy boat.

Ingredients

Organic Chicken 1.5kg
1 lemon
4tbs Thyme leaves (it will work without them but they defintely add something)

Method

Pre heat oven to 200 degrees

Wipe chicken clean and trim off excess fat.

Squash lemon all over and pierce all over with a cooking fork until soft.

Season the chicken inside and out. Put the lemon and thyme inside, and close using wooden toothpicks.

You could also bung in a peeled garlic clove

Roast the chicken on an oven tray, breast side down, for 1 1/2 hours. Do not use any oil or butter, the chicken will self-baste. Turn the bird breast side up after the first hour and turn the oven down to 160 degrees.

Serve with juices,done as suggested above, some green beans and roast potatoes (see perfectly acceptable roast potatoes)
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