Recipe
Roast Chicken And Vegetables With Gremolata Butter
Ingredients
- 1 (5-pound) roasting chicken
- Essence [2]
- 4 baking potatoes
- 1 large sweet onion
- 18 baby carrots
- Olive oil
- 2 lemons
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
Directions
- Thoroughly season the inside and outside of the chicken with Essence. Cover the bird and return to the refrigerator for 1 hour to marinate.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Place the chicken on the center column of an angel food cake pan with the legs touching the bottom of the pan. Place the cake pan on top of a pizza pan or other flat pan with a small rim to catch any fat or juices which might escape.
- Roast the chicken for 2 to 2 1/2 hours (depending on your oven) until it's a beautiful coppery brown. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes in half widthwise. Place flat side down and have your child cut the halves in half. Repeat so that each potato is cut into 8 wedges. Place in a casserole dish. Repeat the process with the onion. Add the baby carrots. Drizzle veggies with some olive oil and Essence and toss. Cover and place in the oven after the chicken has been cooking for 1 hour.
- When chicken is done, remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Gremolata Butter: Using a damp washcloth on the counter, set a large bowl on top of cloth to keep bowl from moving around. Place a grater inside the bowl (I use a rubber topped grater with rubber feet for safety). Have your child grate the zest of 2 lemons using the medium holes of the grater. Explain to them that you only want the yellow skin. Have them grate 4 or 5 strokes and turn the lemon. (No matter how careful they will be, some of the pith will get into the bowl. This is not a big deal! It won't ruin the taste. Besides, all you will taste is the love!) Clean off all the zest into the bowl and remove the grater. Next, take a garlic press and have your child press the garlic cloves into the bowl. There is no need to remove the skin from the garlic.
- Place the bunch of parsley on a cutting board. Using a mezzaluna or crescent knife with handles, help your child roughly chop the parsley. Gather the parsley up in a pile and turn the cutting board so they can continue chopping until it's finely chopped. Place the chopped parsley into the bowl. Add the room temperature butter. Mix well and set aside. If making gremolata butter ahead of time, refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve chicken and vegetables with a spoonful of gremolata butter on top.
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