Take
the butter out to soften in a warm place.
Preheating
your oven to 200°C, or ( 375°F).
Wash the chicken taking
care to remove the small brown glands in the chickens lower spine
you see when you look into the bird, now dry the chicken.
Then
with your fingers press up under the skin of the breasts and work
them under it. The pocket you create should go all the way to where
the wings are attached. Do the same on just the tops of each leg.
This will create a place for you to put in the butter which will
baste and flavor the bird as it roasts. Take care not to rip the
skin as you do this. If you do you can repair it using a toothpick
by knitting it back together after you have tied up the bird.
Take
the butter in a small bowl, and add all the finely chopped herbs,
salt and give it a good grinding of black pepper, and mix very well.
Taste for salt.
Take
the lemon and cut it in half and insert both halves into the bird.
Be sure that the cut sides are not facing each other.Take
2/3 your herb butter and form it into a little flat disk and place
it under the skin of the chicken breasts smoothing it out so that
it covers the entire breast evenly.
Take from the remaining amount
a small ball of butter (about a tsk. or teas.) and place it on under
the skin on top of the legs.
Bend
the wing tips back and under the bird which will hold them in place
and truss (tie up) the chicken tightly taking care not to displace
the butter.
Now
take the remaining herb butter and with your hands cover the whole
top of the bird, any excess butter you should smooth over the fold
where the top of the leg rests against the breast. (see above photo) Place
the chicken in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it and place
in the middle of a preheated oven and roast for 1 hour.
If the bird
is a little larger it will take a little longer.You
can check by sticking the point of a small knife into the thigh
of the chicken just under the thigh bone. If the juice runs clear
it should be cooked.
To
make a sauce:When
the chicken comes out of the oven have your stove already hot. Take
the chicken from the pan and place on a serving plate. Take the
pan an pour off all the fat, leaving the juices from the chicken
in the roasting pan. Place on the heat and add 2-3 dl. or (1/3 cup)
white wine and boil down until you have about 4 large dessert spoons
of liquid. Be sure to scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom
of the roasting pan. Remove from the heat and add 2 msk or (2tbls)
of butter and whisk it into the sauce, taste for salt and pepper,
then transfer to a warmed sauce bowl.
On
this night it was served with potatoes that I peeled and steamed for 15 minutes,
then finished off in a pan with butter and parsely. Really any potato
dish will go with this, how about mashed potatoes with lots of butter? |
