Rosemary Roast Chicken

         One of my favorite dishes to make is roast chicken; it's simple, versatile, and absolutely delicious.  I have prepared it many times for close friends who never seem to tire of it.  And since the quality of a cook can be determined by this classic dish, I love making it for new dinner guests.  Yet, as uncomplicated as it is to produce a truly splendid roast chicken, it is child's play to render one utterly unpalatable.  Half the battle though is procuring the most desirable bird possible.  I usually go to the local Fresh Market for my meats, but on special occasions I will definitely go the extra mile; actually, the extra twenty-five miles.  A fresh chicken tastes nothing like the chickens available in most supermarkets, and the ones I get from East Fork Farm in Madison County, NC are wonderful!
         In this recipe, I put lemon wedges, garlic, and rosemary into the cavity of the bird to give it really great flavor.    

Rosemary Roast Chicken

• 1- 4lb. roasting chicken
• 1 lemon cut into wedges
• 1.5 heads of unpeeled garlic cut through the cross-section
• A big bunch of rosemary and a reserved teaspoon
• 4 Tb butter, melted
• 2 large yellow onions, quartered
• 4 large carrots cut into 2" chunks

Preheat oven to 425°F

Rinse the chicken inside and out, then pat dry with paper towels.  Remove any pin feathers and liberally salt and pepper the cavity.  Put the lemon, garlic, and rosemary inside the chicken and tie the legs together with kitchen string.  Brush on the melted butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper.

Toss the vegetables in the roasting pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Place the chicken atop the vegetables and sprinkle the reserved rosemary over the entire pan.

Place in the oven for 20 minutes.  Then without opening the oven door turn the temperature down to 400°F for another 40-50 minutes.  The internal temperature taken in the thigh should be about 165°-170˚F; the chicken is done when the juices run clear yellow.

Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pan and cover with aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes, so that juices may run back into the meat.