Whole Roasted Chicken on a Bed of Root Vegetables

As many of you may heave heard, I would choose a perfectly roasted chicken as my deathbed meal. The beauty is in the simplicity.

Thomas Keller's new book, Ad Hoc (which I have been using a bit lately), had this recipe which spoke to me right away. It is getting into autumn time and nothing beats roasted root vegetables. Except maybe a perfectly roasted chicken. But why decide? Put them BOTH into a cast iron skillet, and you're a little over an hour from paydirt.

One cool tip I learned doing this recipe is his technique for achieving crispy skin. Namely, leave the chicken out in the fridge, uncovered, for two days before you want to use it. This will dry the skin out prior to roasting, which aids dramatically in crisping it up. It's the first time trying this method and IT WORKS like crazy. I will be doing all chickens like this in the future.

As I've said before, it's worth getting a temperature probe for ANY meat cookery. Especially for this wonderful chicken!

4-4.5 pound chicken
salt and black pepper
6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
6 sprigs thyme
2 large leek
3 tennis ball-sized rutabaga (swede)
2 tennis ball-sized turnips
4 medium carrot, peeled, trimmed, cut in half
1 small yellow onion, trimmed (leaving root end in tact), and cut into quarters
8 small red-skinned potatoes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it comes to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 475F.

Remove the neck and innards if they are still in the cavity of the chicken. Using a paring knife, cut out the wishbone from the chicken. (This will make it easier to carve the chicken.) Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper, add 3 of the garlic cloves and 5 sprigs of thyme, and massage the inside of the bird to infuse it with the flavors. Truss the chicken.

Cut off the dark green leaves from the top of the leeks. Trim off and discard any darkened outer layers. Trim the root ends, cutting around them in a 45 degree angle. Slit the leeks lengthways almost in half, starting 1/2 inch above the root ends. Rinse the leeks well under warm water.

Cut off both ends of the rutabagas, Stand the rutabagas on one end and cut away the skin, working from top to bottom and removing any tough outer layers. Cut into 3/4" wedges. Repeat with the turnips, cutting the wedges to match the rutabagas.

Combine all the vegetable and the remaining garlic cloves and thyme sprig in a large bowl. Toss with 1/4 cup of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in a large cast-iron skillet or a roasting pan.

Rub the remaining oil all over the chicken. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Make a nest on the center of the vegetables and nestle the chicken in it. Cut the butter into 4 or 5 pieces and place over the chicken breast.

Put the chicken in the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400F and roast for an additional 45 minutes, or until the temperature registers 160F in the meatiest portions of the bird - thighs, and under the breast where the thigh meets the breast - and the juices run clear. If necessary, return the bird to the oven for more roasting; check every 5 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 20 minutes.

Just before serving, set the pan of vegetables over medium heat and reheat the vegetables, turning them and glazing them with the pan juices.

Cut the chicken into serving pieces, arrange over the vegetables, and serve.