Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

I made this simple roasted chicken and potatoes the other night.  The recipe is from May's Martha Stewart Living, which is an excellent issue.  Go get it!  I'm not always interested in Living, but this is a great issue.  I have all the recipes flagged.

These were great because I had everything other than the chicken already in my pantry or in my garden.  I felt very domestic and competent.  Just call me Mini-Martha.

Roasted Quartered Chicken with Herb Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), quartered and backbone removed, room temperature (I used 2 breasts and 4 legs because that was on sale at Earthfare)

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

• 1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (from 1 small clove)

• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rub chicken with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange, skin-side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until golden and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast (without touching bone) registers 160 degrees, about 30 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a plate. Pour off and discard fat from baking sheet; return chicken to sheet. Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup oil, vinegar, parsley, garlic, and pepper flakes in a bowl. Season with salt. Spoon sauce over chicken and let stand 10 minutes before serving with accumulated pan juices and sauce.

Pair with these potatoes- I could not stop eating them straight off the cookie sheet.  Put them in the oven after the chicken has roasted for about 15 minutes, then everything will be ready at the same time 

Crispy Potatoes With Rosemary

• 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover potatoes with 2 inches of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil; add a generous amount of salt. Boil until potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and immediately toss in a bowl with oil and rosemary. (Potatoes will break apart slightly.) Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer potatoes to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, flipping once, until golden and crisp, about 35 minutes. Serve immediately.

 I paired the chicken and potatoes with white wine sautéed mushroom with fresh thyme and greens dressed with the chicken sauce and a touch of balsamic vinegar.  Make sure you have some good French bread for mopping up the pan juice from the chicken- it's the best part!

We ate outside and had a glass of white wine.  I felt sooo European with my simple fresh dinner enjoyed al fresco.  Then I looked over to Dell Harper who was dipping bread into ketchup. Illusions of French countryside living dashed immediately by the toddler clad only in a diaper.  C'est la vie!