balance

An entire week has passed since I last posted. Just like that! I'm sorry, but I was all caught up with my old friend, Life. If I were in elementary school and you were my teacher, I would say: "I'm sorry, but Life ate my homework".

Though she can sometimes be kind and gentle, Life tends to harry me, so much that I often find myself ignoring her a little. But she is quite prompt in reminding me of her existence, be it through the daily loads of laundry, the stinky diapers, the nasally nighttime wailing, the dirty floors, the kindergartener tantrums, the clutter, the grumpy husband, the bulimic cat, the hormonal mood swings, the mysterious vanishing keys and wallet, and, my favourite, the squirrel family that is happily nesting in my roof. I think it is high time for me to make a new friend. I've mingled with her a few times but things never really gelled. Her name is Balance. She could most probably help me get reacquainted with the kinder and gentler version of Life. She could help me make better choices and set realistic goals. Perhaps she could bring along her friend Organisation, who would teach me how not to procrastinate and how to keep my house from looking like a bomb blast site all the time, no matter how much I constantly tidy up after myself and the aforementioned baby, kindergartener, husband, cat and damn squirrels. Ah, Life!  But where would I be without her? The answer is quite simple: nowhere. Yin and yang.

Life also brings me love, laughter, food, wine, beauty and kindness. She brings me a happy little girl who sings and dances through my heart, a sweet-smelling baby boy who giggles and squeaks, a darling husband who loves me unconditionally, and a cat who warms my lap. And after she and I have had a fight, Life makes up for it by offering me simple and delectable roast chicken.

Simple Roast Chicken with Autumn Root Vegetables
Serves 4 or 6, depending on portion, appetite, size of bird, etc!
Ingredients
One 4 to 4 1/2 pound organic, free-range chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed
3 sprigs rosemary
Half a lemon
Butter (optional)
Olive oil
4 to 6 medium parsnips, halved lengthwise
4-6 medium carrots (rainbow coloured look extra pretty), halved lengthwise
8-10 fingerling or small red-skinned potatoes

Directions
1. Remove innards from the chicken's cavity, wash bird inside and out and dry thoroughly with paper towels. With scissors, discard any extra fat hanging from the neck or bottom. Let the bird stand at room temperature for at least an hour, or else it will not roast evenly.
2. Preheat oven to 425F. In the oven, place a roasting pan that is not too large, but that will comfortably accommodate the vegetables later on if you choose to roast them with the chicken instead of separately (we'll get back to that).
3. Generously season the inside of the bird with salt and pepper, throw in the garlic cloves, rosemary, lemon and a nob of butter (optional).
4. If you want, place your index finger underneath the skin on the breast and very gently begin to separate the skin from both breasts, being careful not to tear the skin. Sprinkle salt underneath and pour in a little olive oil (this will make for crispy skin).
5.Generously season the outside of the skin with salt and pepper and rub a little olive oil all over it (it can't hurt).
6. Truss the chicken only if you feel like it! I have these thin skewers (about 15 cm or 5 inches long) and just place two at the opening. I only use string when I'm dealing with a turkey or capon.
7. Swivel and tuck the wing tips underneath the bird to prevent them from burning.
8. Carefully place chicken into the hot roasting pan and roast, breast-side down, for 30 minutes.
9. While chicken roasts breast-side down, prep your veggies. The vegetables should all more or less cook at the same time, provided they are roughly the same size. If your potatoes seem too large, don't hesitate to cut them in half. Place all veggies into a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Veggies usually take between 30 or 40 minutes to roast on a baking sheet, so this is why I add them after the chicken has already roasted for half an hour. If you have a smaller chicken, you'll have to start them earlier. Here is your choice with the veggies. You can either cook them on a cookie sheet, on the rack below the roasting pan, or you can add them to the roasting pan when the time comes to turn the chicken breast-side up. Both equally good, one way not quite as healthy (I'll let you guess which one...).
10. Lower the heat to 400 F. Turn the chicken over, arrange vegetables around the chicken (or place vegetables on a cookie sheet). Roast until ready, for about another 45 minutes. Feel free to spoon some pan juices onto the breasts as the bird roasts. The chicken should register 160 on a meat thermometer, it should run clear juices when pricked with a fork, the legs should move easily when wiggled (not bounce back) and the skin should separate from the meat on the drumsticks. If your bird is smaller, it might take about an hour total.
11. Remove chicken to a platter and let rest for about 15 minutes until the juices settle.
12. Use this time to finish cooking veggies if they are not cooked enough to your liking.

Chicken Stock

After dinner, put the carcass as well as all other chicken bones into a large pot. Add two or three carrots, two or three slices of celery, a handful of parsley, a skinned and halved onion, as well as a few peppercorns and a pinch of salt. Cover with water. Bring to a slow boil and lower heat to a simmer (a high boil will make the broth cloudy). Let the broth simmer slowly, uncovered,  for two hours. Drain into a food storage container through a sieve, let cool, and refrigerate (or freeze).