Poulet Roti (Roast Chicken)

Ingredients:

1. 1 3-4 pounds whole chicken (defrosted :D)
2. 1 stick of butter
3. some sprigs of thyme, marjoram, lavender and tarragon - thyme is the necessary one, the rest add a nice fragrance
4. 4 large carrots
5. one whole garlic
6. 4-6 celery stalks
7. 3-4 medium onions quartered
8. 1 lemon cut into wedges
9. Salt and pepper

Defrost chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. You have to leave the skin on. Reach under the skin and season the chicken all around (even the cavity). Be careful not to tear the skin. Also crush a couple of cloves of garlic and spread it under the skin evenly around the chicken.

Let the butter come to room temp - then mix the chopped herbs in the butter and spread it on the skin and in the cavity. Place a few garlic cloves in the cavity and some lemon wedges. Tie chicken legs together with string/twine.

In the roasting pan, place the veggies(including onions), chopped into large pieces, at the bottom of the pan with the remainder of the garlic cloves. It is better if you have a rack in which to cook the chicken, so the juices are separate from the chicken. You can put half cup of water in the bottom of the pan to prevent the veggies from burning when the pan gets hot. (If you dont have a rack, skip the water step)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (you have to do the C conversion). Place chicken on the rack on the pan in the middle of the oven. Roast for 1.5 hours ... and check thermometer inserted in the middle of thigh meat at 160 F.

Prepare mashed potatoes and gravy, and enjoy with already roasted veggies.

(this recipe is a pretty direct copy of Patricia Wells recipe - ive cooked this - its very good)