From the cookbook Gordon Ramsay’s Healthy Appetite
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 large chicken, about 4 lb
- sea salt and black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra to drizzle
- 1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
- 2 lemons, halved
- handful of thyme sprigs
- few rosemary sprigs
- 10 oz baby carrots, scrubbed
- 10 oz baby turnips, washed and halved if quite large
- generous 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
Directions
- Heat the oven to 450°F. Rub the chicken all over with salt, pepper, and a little drizzle of olive oil. Place in a large roasting pan and stuff the cavity with half the head of garlic, 2 or 3 lemons halves, and a few herb sprigs.
- Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, then take it out of the oven and lower the setting to 400°F. Add the carrots and turnips to the roasting pan and turn to baste in the juices. Put the remaining garlic, lemon halves, and herbs around the chicken. Drizzle a little olive oil over the bird and vegetables, and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Roast for another 35 to 40 minutes or until the bird is golden brown and cooked through—the juices should run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a knife.
- When ready, lift the chicken onto a warm platter, cover with foil, and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes in a warm place. Put the vegetables into a warm dish, cover, and keep hot.
- Meanwhile, skim off any fat from the cooking juices in the roasting pan, then place on the stove over medium heat. Add the wine, scraping up the sediment from the bottom of the pan to deglaze and let bubble until reduced by half. Pour in the stock and again boil until reduced by half. Add any juices from the rested chicken, then strain into a warm pitcher.
- Carve the chicken and divide the meat and roasted vegetables between warm plates. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Serve with new potatoes, a green vegetable (such as broccoli or Brussels sprouts), and a bottle of Rosemount Diamond Label Shiraz.
