Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

We don't have a roasting pan or even a large dutch oven and I've thought for a while that that was an excuse for not roasting a chicken at home.  Plus they sell organic roasted chickens at the store across the street for about the same price as raw chickens.

However, I was inspired when I saw that Thomas Keller has a recipe for roasted chicken made in a cast iron skillet in his new book Ad Hoc at Home.  It's a beautiful but expensive book, so I just got the idea of the recipe by reading it over in the book store and then I went home to try my own variation.  The same recipe may be made using a roasting pan or large dutch oven.


Tip: When preparing a chicken to roast, remove any giblets first and then wash all over the chicken well.  Pat it dry with a towel and then leave it uncovered in the refrigerator for a few hours.  This will dry the skin out and help it to crisp up nicely without using any butter.

Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

INGREDIENTS:

2 cloves garlic, crushed
A few sprigs fresh thyme, tarragon, or rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 4-pound chicken, giblets removed, rinsed and dried all over
2-3 pounds mixed root vegetables (turnips, fingerling or yukon gold potatoes, parsnips, carrots) cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into wedges through the root so they stay intact

Kitchen String
Large cast iron skillet (12 inhes or more)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Truss the chicken with kitchen string. To do so, start by cutting a 3-foot section of kitchen string. Place the chicken so that it is breast up, and the legs pointing toward you. Tuck the wing tips under the chicken. Wrap the string under the neck end of the bird, pulling the string ends up over the breast, toward you, plumping up the breast. Then cross the string under the breast (above the cavity and between the legs). Wrap each end around the closest leg end, and tie tightly so that the legs come together.
Generously salt and pepper the inside cavity of the chicken.  Add the garlic cloves and herb sprigs to the cavity and rub around with your hands.  Coat the outside skin of the chicken with olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper.

Put the cut up root vegetables in a large bowl and toss with olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper.  Transfer vegetables to a large cast iron skillet (11 inches is good) and then place the chicken on top of the vegetables.

Put the skillet in the oven at 475 degrees for the first 20 minutes.  Then turn the heat down to 400 and cook for another 40 minutes or so, or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil.  Let rest for 20 minutes.  Test the vegetables with a fork.  If they are not very tender, put the skillet with the vegetables back in the oven to cook longer while the chicken is resting.

Carve the chicken.  Serve with the vegetables and gravy on the side.