SUNDAY ROAST CHICKEN

It's Sunday - time to roast the chicken that will fill your house with a delicious smell so classic that its effect is primordial.

So it is important where you get the chicken, because that counts more than technique:  as Nigella Lawson says, it's almost embarrassingly easy to do this.  My go-to place for chickens is the East Liberty Farmer's Market - every Saturday morning - right from the farmers (the valiant Kennedy family) and, more amazing, the most inexpensive chicken in Pittsburgh.  (People complain that they run out early, but if you call and reserve one, you can show up as late as 10 and they'll have it all ready for you.)

• 1 chicken (roaster or fryer), 2 1/2 lbs to 3 1/2 lbs  (smaller one serves 2 - larger serves 4)
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
• olive oil or soft butter
• kosher or other coarse salt
• some kind of herb that you like, dried or fresh (I have some rosemary in a pot outside that is somehow alive and well all winter long and has been there for years.)

Preheat oven to 425.
Any pan is OK (though not glass), and if you have a roasting rack, that will help - I use a little cheap one which looks like this and is fine.

Wash and dry the chicken, and sprinkle the inside with a tsp. of salt.  Put the smashed garlic and the herbs (either sprigs of fresh ones or a tsp. of dried) inside, and (optional - makes it look better) tie the legs together with string.  With your fingers, spread some olive oil or butter over the skin.

Put the chicken on the rack in the pan on its side, and set the timer for 20 minutes.  Now take it out and turn it on the other side (dishwashing gloves are a big help here) and roast another 20 minutes.  Take it out and turn it again, this time right side up.  (All the turning crisps the skin underneath.)  Put a little more butter or oil on the top side, turn the oven down to 350, and that's pretty much it, so you can go read a book or write a blog entry.   Don't get too involved though, since you will want to baste it every 20 minutes or so with the liquid in the pan. and turn it from back to front at least once.  If the top starts getting too brown, slide a piece of foil or baking parchment over it.  Timing doesn't have to be perfect:  I find 1 1/4 hrs. for the smaller and 2 hrs. for the larger chicken will do if you like it tender and falling apart, like I do.  You can tell it's done if, when you pierce the thigh with a knife (how savage, really) the juices run clear and not pink.  Or, use an instant thermometer - 165 degrees is safe.

Now the end game:  take it out of the oven and lift the chicken onto a plate and loosely cover - it should rest for 15 minutes. While that is happening, spoon off at least some of the liquid chicken fat floating on top of the liquid in the roasting pan, put the whole pan over a burner and pour in about a cup of white wine or chicken broth or a combination. Bring to a simmer and scrape up all the bits stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon; boil down until it's a little thicker and more concentrated - there's your sauce!  If you're a perfectionist you can strain it.  Cut the chicken up and arrange it any way you like, spoon some sauce over the top and serve the rest on the side.  You are now in your own bistro.

Of course googling roast chicken will give you a million more ideas to jazz this up - but try it this way at least once, for its knockout simplicity.  And for the last 45 minutes, do consider roasting some potatoes alongside, either those tiny ones, or bigger ones cut into 1"cubes - just use another pan that you have spooned some of the chicken fat into (oh alright, olive oil is fine also.)