Roast Chicken with Herb and Lemon Paste

A simple roast chicken is one of the great pleasures in life and the test of a good kitchen. Perfectly roasted chicken has crisp skin and tender meat. At Olives we spit-roast our chickens over a live fire, which adds char to the skin and smokiness to the meat. The spinning motion of the rotisserie allows the bird to self-baste. If you have a chance to, try this method.

I believe in hormone-free chickens, but the quality of the chicken is the more important factor in taste. This has more to do with the strain of bird than how it is raised. My favorite variety is any type that derives from the Bresse chicken, from France (you can't get them here -- only in Europe). Don't use frozen chicken (freezing dries the meat out), free-range birds (you can't be sure they're really free-range), or yellow-skinned ones (sorry, Frank). Try to stay with hormone-free chickens.

Serve this with Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

When cooking chicken at this temperature, it is critical that you have a clean oven and good ventilation. If you don't have either, skip this recipe or set the oven at 350 degrees and increase the cooking time to 50 to 60 minutes.

It may seem like a lot of extra work to sear the chicken on the stove, but the crispy skin and moist meat are well worth it.

Serves 4

Herb and Lemon Paste:
1 Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Grated zest of l lemon
1/4 cup olive oil

2 3-pound chickens, giblets and neck removed, or 4 pounds bone-in chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry

To make the marinade: place the onion, basil, parsley, rosemary, mint, sage, salt, pepper, and lemon zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until coarsely chopped. While the machine is running, gradually add the olive oil and process until the mixture is smooth and emulsified.

Place the chicken in a large glass or ceramic bowl and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add the chicken. Cook until deep brown on all sides, about 10 minutes in all. (You will need to do this in two batches.)

Place the chicken in the oven and roast until the juices run clear from the thigh and the leg moves easily, about 35 minutes (25 minutes if you are roasting breasts only).

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R E C I P E S :

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Gorgonzola-stuffed figs with balsamic glaze
Roquefort Caesar Salad
Everyday Polenta
Lobster Bolognese
Roast Chicken with Herb and Lemon Paste
Pan-roasted rib eye with gorgonzola vidalia onions
Artichoke-crusted salmon with mint vinaigrette
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

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