lemon and herb roasted chicken/honey balsamic pearl onions/rutabaga mash

for the chicken
1 5-7 lb roasting chicken
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 lemon
1 stick of herb butter*, room temperature
2 tbsp olive oil

 for the pearl onions

2 tbsp olive oil

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 10 oz. bag of frozen of pearl onions

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp honey

for the rutabaga mash

2 large rutabaga

3 tbsp herb butter*

salt and pepper to taste

*i prefer using herb butter, but you can use plain butter with fresh or dried herbs mixed in

preheat oven to 375.
to prepare the chicken: remove any innards that came with the bird. rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry with a paper towel. use 1 tsp of the salt and 1 tsp of the pepper to season the inside of the chicken. place the bird in your roasting pan, breast side up.  use your fingers to separate the skin from the flesh, being careful not to tear or rip the skin. separate the skin from the entire breast section and both legs. spread the room temperature butter evenly under the skin on the breasts and legs. slice the lemon into 1/4 inch slices and place under the skin of the chicken. drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. tuck the tips of the wings under the bird to avoid burning. place in 375 degree oven and cook for 2 hours,  or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165.


to cook the onions-warm the olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. pluck the leaves off the sprigs of thyme and drop them into the warm oil. let the thyme infuse with the oil for about 5 minutes. add the frozen onions and increase heat to medium-high. continue to cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. the onions should begin to brown. add the balsamic vinegar and honey, stir to combine with the onions. continue cooking until almost all the liquid is gone.


to cook the rutabaga-peel the skin and outer layer of the rutabaga until the light yellow/orange flesh is exposed. chop the rutabaga into 1/2 inch pieces. drop the rutabaga in a large pot of boiling water. boil for 15-20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the rutabaga. drain the rutabaga and transfer to a food processor. pulse the rutabaga until in it smooth and there are no large lumps. cut the herb butter into smaller pieces and pulse it into the rutabaga until is melted and combined thoroughly. add salt and pepper to taste.

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roasting a chicken is a daunting task for many. but fret not- it really is simple. part of the beauty in cooking a whole chicken is the rustic quality of the finished product. it doesn't have to look like it does the magazines, it just has to taste good. try adding crushed garlic cloves, sliced lemons and fresh herbs to the cavity before roasting-the flavor is fantastic and the possibilities are endless. as for the onions and rutabaga-they are easy to make and are also pretty quick recipes. they pair well with pork recipes as well.  if i can get one bite of everything onto my fork and taste it all at once my taste buds dance, but my soul takes a deep breath. here's to your deep breath.