Roast Chicken Sunday

You'd be forgiven for thinking we have been starving. We have not. But we have been in kitchen survival mode, looking for the quickest way to get nutritious and happy meals on the table in record time. No photo shoots. And without photos, there are no food posts. But it's roast chicken Sunday tonight, and I've had time and inspiration to be cook/phototgrapher/writer again. Feels great.

Start with a chicken, but really start with a trapse out to the garden. Get some rosemary from the neighbour's lovely border, and some parsley from your own. A lemon from the fridge (but originally from Adolf's garden in Haitaitai) and some garlic.

I got a bit carried away and skewered garlic cloves on rosemary stems. Totally not necessary. But shove them into the chicken cavity with some chunks of lemon, rosemary leaves and a bay leaf or two. Don't mind the puppy.

Time for the herbal slush. Parsley, rosemary, garlic cloves, salt flakes, whole pepper corns (but by no means be limited by this list -- this is just what was outside the door and in the pantry -- smash up whatever you have on hand). Smash up the drier ingredients first.

Once you've got something looking minced and sticky, add lemon juice and olive oil to produce the final slush. If you put the liquids in before everything else is crushed up, you'll end up with green slime splashed all over your kitchen.

How you get the slush together with the chicken is up to you. Tonight I went to town and put it under the chicken skin. I also did a bit of decorating with the rosemary... but whatever. Put the slush inside the chicken or pour it over the top. It doesn't matter.

There is no harm in a few garlic cloves soaking up the leftover oil and herbs, thrown in the roasting pan.

Put the chicken in the oven for an hour and a half at 180 degrees.

Tonight I'm serving the chicken with house ratatouille. But serve with whatever veges or grains you like. Roast chicken Sunday is one versatile bird.