This has become our favorite way to have a roast chicken. The flavors from the herbs within infuse the entire bird. If you like, you may make gravy for it, using the recipe given for turkey gravy – just cut the proportions down to match the smaller quantity of drippings.
Rinse and pat dry:
1 roasting chicken
Rub cleaned chicken inside and out with:
Salt
Juice of ½ lemon
8 cloves crushed garlic
Place inside the cavity:
a few sprigs each of fresh thyme & rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 stalks celery leaves.
Rub the chicken all over with olive oil or butter.
Place it in a very hot oven (230) for 5 minutes. Then lower the heat to moderate (175) and roast the chicken, basting frequently (about every 10 – 15 minutes) with the drippings.
If it browns too quickly, cover with foil or greased paper. Allow about 20 minutes roasting time per ½ kilo of chicken. Serve the chicken immediately. Skim fat from the pan juices, add a little white wine and boil briefly. Serve in a sauce bowl with the chicken. Roast partridge and squab in the same way, barding them with thinly sliced pork fat to prevent the birds from becoming too dry.