Recipe: Perfect Roast Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Spinach
Page: 148
Date Cooked: September 30, 2011
"Roast chicken is the cornerstone of the basic recipes, but it holds its own against any complicated, expensive dish. It's a universal standard." - Jonathan Waxman. That quote really says it all. The recipe is basic, yet holds its own. I had never roasted a whole chicken prior to this recipe. I've been somewhat intimidated by the idea of buying a whole bird (other than during Thanksgiving) and roasting it for myself. However, I was quite happy with the results.
Well the recipe is called "Perfect Roast Chicken," so I started with the chicken. I removed the gizzards and any extra fat, rinsed the chicken, patted it dry, and then salted, peppered, and rubbed the chicken (inside and out) with olive oil. I placed the bird into a pan and put it in a hot oven to roast. Making sure to baste it ever 5 minutes.
The basting part was a bit tedious, and the oven was really hot! I didn't realize it till now but the intro to the recipe warns of this. JW advises you to wear long oven mitts and to use a large soup spoon rather than a plastic baster. I didn't have a plastic baster and did indeed use a large soup spoon and it worked just fine.
While the chicken roasted I worked on the side dishes - the potatoes and the spinach. First, I scrubbed the potatoes and cut them into pieces. I put the potatoes along with water, garlic cloves, and salt into a large saucepan. The contents were brought to a boil and then remained on simmer until the potatoes were tender. Second, I drained the water from the saucepan but reserved the starchy potato cooking water. Third, I returned the potatoes and garlic to the pan and added butter, olive oil, and some of the potato water. Finally, I mashed the potatoes and salt and peppered to taste.
After its stint in the oven, I removed the chicken and allowed it to rest for a few minutes. It was during these last few minutes that I focused on the spinach. I melted butter in a pan, added garlic cloves, and cooked until brown. I discarded the garlic, added the spinach, and cooked until wilted (really just a few minutes).
The only thing left to do was to carve the chicken and plate....
I say this from time to time and find it necessary to say it once again. I didn't grow up with the all-around typical American meal, a good reason for why I chose this particular cookbook. Having said that, this felt like an "American" meal. Perhaps it was the simplicity of the ingredients or the typical sides - mashed potatoes and spinach.
I made this on a really cold and rainy night here in Central PA and it worked perfectly for that occasion. I was really happy with the meal. Nothing was out there or really all that new and different. It was comforting. Yet, I was super excited about the chicken. First off, no longer will a whole chicken scare me ever again! Secondly, it was cooked perfectly. I really appreciate the simplicity of cooking an item in just salt, pepper, and olive oil/butter. You get to taste the ingredient at hand. The chicken was the main event of the plate and it tasted like it too.
Overall, it was a great recipe. I can see myself making this again. It required little effort but had a pretty big payoff.
Page: 148
Date Cooked: September 30, 2011
"Roast chicken is the cornerstone of the basic recipes, but it holds its own against any complicated, expensive dish. It's a universal standard." - Jonathan Waxman. That quote really says it all. The recipe is basic, yet holds its own. I had never roasted a whole chicken prior to this recipe. I've been somewhat intimidated by the idea of buying a whole bird (other than during Thanksgiving) and roasting it for myself. However, I was quite happy with the results.
 |
| Free-range/corn-fed/naturally raised chicken, salt, pepper, olive oil, yellow Finn potatoes, garlic, butter, and spinach |
Well the recipe is called "Perfect Roast Chicken," so I started with the chicken. I removed the gizzards and any extra fat, rinsed the chicken, patted it dry, and then salted, peppered, and rubbed the chicken (inside and out) with olive oil. I placed the bird into a pan and put it in a hot oven to roast. Making sure to baste it ever 5 minutes.
The basting part was a bit tedious, and the oven was really hot! I didn't realize it till now but the intro to the recipe warns of this. JW advises you to wear long oven mitts and to use a large soup spoon rather than a plastic baster. I didn't have a plastic baster and did indeed use a large soup spoon and it worked just fine.
 |
| Left: Chicken salted, peppered, and rubbed down with olive oil Right: Roasted chicken |
While the chicken roasted I worked on the side dishes - the potatoes and the spinach. First, I scrubbed the potatoes and cut them into pieces. I put the potatoes along with water, garlic cloves, and salt into a large saucepan. The contents were brought to a boil and then remained on simmer until the potatoes were tender. Second, I drained the water from the saucepan but reserved the starchy potato cooking water. Third, I returned the potatoes and garlic to the pan and added butter, olive oil, and some of the potato water. Finally, I mashed the potatoes and salt and peppered to taste.
 |
| 1. Potatoes, garlic, and salt 2. Potatoes and garlic with reserved potato cooking water 3. Mashed potatoes |
After its stint in the oven, I removed the chicken and allowed it to rest for a few minutes. It was during these last few minutes that I focused on the spinach. I melted butter in a pan, added garlic cloves, and cooked until brown. I discarded the garlic, added the spinach, and cooked until wilted (really just a few minutes).
 |
| Left: Browning the garlic Right: Cooking the spinach |
The only thing left to do was to carve the chicken and plate....
 |
| Perfect Roast Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Spinach |
I say this from time to time and find it necessary to say it once again. I didn't grow up with the all-around typical American meal, a good reason for why I chose this particular cookbook. Having said that, this felt like an "American" meal. Perhaps it was the simplicity of the ingredients or the typical sides - mashed potatoes and spinach.
I made this on a really cold and rainy night here in Central PA and it worked perfectly for that occasion. I was really happy with the meal. Nothing was out there or really all that new and different. It was comforting. Yet, I was super excited about the chicken. First off, no longer will a whole chicken scare me ever again! Secondly, it was cooked perfectly. I really appreciate the simplicity of cooking an item in just salt, pepper, and olive oil/butter. You get to taste the ingredient at hand. The chicken was the main event of the plate and it tasted like it too.
Overall, it was a great recipe. I can see myself making this again. It required little effort but had a pretty big payoff.
Enjoy!
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