The new edition of The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook is nearly finished!  We hope to have copies available for sale by the end of the month.  To celebrate, here’s one of the recipes.  

Maryellen Driscoll, Free Bird Farm, New York

Maryellen writes: “This chicken is roasted at a high temperature, which normally

creates a lot of smoke. But here, thin-sliced potatoes are layered underneath the bird

so that they absorb the chicken renderings—tempering the smoke and, even better,

sopping up the flavor. This dish is easy and quick enough to serve on weeknights

but fantastically delicious enough to serve to guests.”

 

SHOWCASE • ON A BUDGET

SERVES 4

1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds, giblets removed

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 branches of fresh rosemary or fresh thyme, 3 inches long

1 fresh lemon, cut into 4 thin slices

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into .⁄8-inch thick rounds

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 475. F.

Using heavy-duty kitchen shears or poultry shears, cut along both sides of the

chicken’s backbone and remove it. Save the backbone for homemade stock.

Breast side up, spread the chicken open, and press down with the palms of

your hands to splay out flat. Rinse the butterflied chicken, and pat it dry with

paper towels. At the top of the breast, loosen the skin so that you can insert

your fingers between it and the meat. Spread about . teaspoon salt and a

few good grinds of pepper under the skin of each breast half. Then insert a

branch of rosemary, 2 lemon slices, and half the garlic slices under the skin

of one breast and toward the thigh as far as you can reach, being careful not

to tear the skin. Repeat with the other breast. Sprinkle the rest of the chicken

with salt and pepper.

Gently toss the thin-sliced potatoes with the olive oil until thoroughly coated,

and season with salt and pepper. In the bottom half of a broiler pan, overlap

the potato slices, like fallen dominoes, in rows the length of the pan, and

covering the entire bottom.

Place the slotted half of the broiler pan over the base, and set the chicken,

skin side up, on top. Press to flatten. Roast until the skin is golden-crisp and

the juices of the bird run clear, about 50 minutes to 1 hour; an instant-read

thermometer should read 160 degrees in the thickest part of the breast and about

165 to 170 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh. Set the chicken aside on a

cutting board, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, if the potatoes have not turned a crispy golden brown around the

edges, return them to the oven while the chicken rests. Carve the chicken

and serve with the potato slices.