Marcella Hazan's Roast Chicken

Marcella Hazan 1924-2013... The great Chef Marcella Hazan died last week at the age of 89-  Marcella changed the way American's cooked Italian food.  She's known for her cookbooks and for her famous recipes like roast chicken, and tomato sauce with onion and butter.

Chicken recipe:

Wash a whole chicken under cold water inside and out and allow to drain in the sink for 15 minutes.  Pat dry with towels.  Take two lemons and prick them all the way through with a skewer or tooth pick at least 20 times.  Salt and pepper the inside of the bird and place a whole sprig of fresh rosemary into the large cavity a long with the lemons.  Now truss the bird leaving a small opening so the steam can escape and the lemons don't explode.

Salt and pepper the outside of the chicken and place breast side down in a roasting pan.  Place in a hot 350* oven for half an hour, then turn the chicken breast side up and sprinkle on a few fresh rosemary leaves.  Cook for another half an hour.  Without opening the oven door turn the heat up to 400* for another half hour.  Note that there's no oil or butter used in this dish, but I did add a little oil and butter later on when I added some veggies.

This will be the best roast chicken that you have ever had, with the most wonderful juices...

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes