Hearty Vegetable Chowder

This hearty chowder is a meal unto itself.  It warms you from the inside out on a cool day.

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

6-8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups carrots, 1/4 inch slices
2 cups potatoes, 1/2 inch pieces

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, 1/4 inch dice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups coarsely chopped kale

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped escarole

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped radicchio
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat the stock in a stock pot over medium high heat.  When broth comes to a low boil, add the carrots and potatoes.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender enough to easily pierce with a fork.

While carrots are cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium low heat, and sauté the onion, garlic, kale, escarole, and radicchio for 10 minutes, stirring.  When greens are tender, remove from heat.

When carrots and potatoes are just tender, add the greens from the skillet to the stock pot.  Heat for a minute, the turn off the heat, and distribute chowder to serving bowls, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Potatoes Roasted with Rosemary

Freshly dug potatoes have a flavor all their own - grocery store versions that have been sitting on the shelf are pale shadows of these babies.

The method is simple: Preheat the oven to 350F. Scrub off any earth, and slice them into wedges. Toss them in olive oil a bag or a container with a lid, and arrange them skin side down on a baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and rosemary, and bake for 30 minutes or until nicely browned and tender.

Kid Favorite Alert!

Served up by Tod Dimmick,

Roasted Roots

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










I've been playing with variations on this Wolfgang Puck recipe for years. It's a terrific destination root vegetables, and a perfect addition to the Thanksgiving table.

Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 10 to 12

INGREDIENTS
2-3 large beets
4-5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
3 small turnips, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
2 small rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
6 to 8 potatoes, scrubbed and and cut into 1” chunks
1 or 2 large parsnips, peeled, trimmed, and cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices
1 or 2 medium onions, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
1 celery root, trimmed and cut into 1” chunks
1 whole head garlic, separated into cloves, unpeeled
2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Heat 4 cups of water in a saucepan over medium heat. When the water reaches boiling, boil the beets for 15 minutes.

While the beets are cooking, preheat the oven to 400F. Place the beets in ice water for a minute, and slip off their skins. Slice beets into 1/5 inch slices. Put the beets and the rest of the vegetables and the herb sprigs in a large baking dish. Season well with salt and black pepper, drizzle generously with olive oil, and toss them with your hands to coat them evenly. Put the baking dish in the preheated oven and cook, stirring the vegetables occasionally, until they are tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick










Simple to make, and boy are these tasty.  This shot is from the Christmas Market in Wiesbaden, Germany (2012), where  "Kartoffelpuffer mit Apfelmus" (with applesauce) is very popular.  For atmosphere, the photo at the bottom is of the market itself.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Yield:  10-12 pancakes

INGREDIENTS
3 medium organic potatoes, to yield about 2 cups when shredded
1 onion, about 2" in diameter
2 eggs
1/4 to 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
Canola oil for frying

DIRECTIONS
Using a food processor with the coarse shredding wheel, shred the potatoes and the onion. Remove as much moisture as possible from the shredded potatoes.  A colander with narrow openings is perfect for this.  Scrape the shredded potatoes into a colander in the sink, and let them sit for a few minutes.  Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl, preheat a skillet with a few tablespoons of canola oil over medium heat.

Press the potatoes against the sides to expel the water.  Scrape the potatoes into the mixing bowl, add the flour and the salt, and mix.  Scoop about 1/4 cup of the mixture into the skillet, and press into pancake shape.  Repeat to fill the skillet with pancakes, ensuring that they do not touch.  Cook without moving for 4 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.  Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until potatoes are soft all the way through, and pancakes are nicely crisp on the outside.

Serve hot with applesauce.  Or with sour cream.  Or, yes, with ketchup (not authentic, but tasty). 

Tip:  The coarse shredding wheel creates a rustic pancake.  The fine shredding wheel, or a box grater, enables a more finely grained result. 

Baked Eggs with Potatoes, Mushrooms & Kale

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Serves 4

An utterly satisfying, rustic combination of fresh ingredients.  We devoured this for dinner, although it would be great any time of day.

INGREDIENTS
About 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion sliced 1/4" thick

1 teaspoon pimenton, hot smoked paprika (optional)

1 1/2 cups mushrooms sliced 1/4" thick

4 cups kale, coarsely chopped

2 large potatoes sliced 1/4" thick (about 2 - 2 1/2 cups)

4 eggs
Salt and pepper

Freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 300.  Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large cast iron (or oven proof) skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sprinkle with the paprika if using.  Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the mushrooms and the kale and cover.  Cook for 3 minutes, remove the cover and stir, and recover for another minute or two or until the kale is beginning to wilt.  Remove mixture to a bowl or plate with a slotted spoon, leaving any remaining oil in the skillet.  If necessary add a little more oil for the potatoes.  Cook the potatoes in the skillet in a single layer for 8 minutes, turning once, until browned on both sides and tender when pierced with a fork.

Spread the onion, mushroom and kale mixture over the potatoes in the skillet.  Crack the eggs evenly spaced over the vegetable mixture.  Slide the skillet in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the yolks are just set.

Bring the skillet out and serve with a spatula, seasoning to taste with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. 

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Potato, Corn & Sausage Skillet Meal

Attention parents in a hurry:  this dish results directly from the urgent need to produce a tasty, kid-friendly comfort food meal on short notice and based entirely on ingredients on hand.  Do you ever find yourself in a situation like that?

With organic potatoes, no need to peel 'em, just scrub and dice.  Those peels have loads of flavor and nutrition.



Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Serves:  4-6

INGREDIENTS
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups potatoes, 1/4 to 1/2 inch dice
1 pound ground sausage
1/2 cup onion, 1/4 inch dice (one small onion)
1 cup corn
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary or one teaspoon dried
5 fresh sage leaves, minced or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano, or one teaspoon dried
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat, and cook the potatoes, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until browned outside and just soft inside when poked with a fork. Remove potatoes to a bowl and add the sausage and onion and cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes or until sausage is cooked.  Add the corn, rosemary, sage, and oregano, along with the cooked potatoes and cook, stirring, for more 3 minutes.

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Stew of sausage, basil, potatoes, carrots, & caramelized onions

Fresh basil frames this picture with minty, pungent flavor.  This recipe is oriented towards the simplicity of a one pot meal.  For added flavor, grill the sausages separately and add to the soup with the spaghetti.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil
1 pound merguez sausage (or your favorite), cut into 1/4 inch slices.

1 cup onion, 1/4 inch dice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups carrots in 1/4 inch wide slices

2 cups potatoes, 1/2 inch dice

1 tablespoon fresh Oregano, minced

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
3-4 cups broth, room temperature or warm
1/2 cup dry spaghetti 

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh basil 

DIRECTIONS
Heat a medium sturdy stock pot over medium heat.  Add enough olive oil to barely coat the bottom of the pot, and cook the sausage slices and onion for 6 minutes, stirring, or until sausage is cooked and onion is soft.  Add the garlic, carrots, potatoes, oregano and rosemary and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.  Add the stock and bring to a gentle boil, and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the pasta, and cook for 6-7 minutes or until pasta is al dente and potatoes are just soft.  Stir in the basil, heat for another 30 seconds, and serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Hash Browns

These are so simple to make.  The (good) conundrum is that they vanish quickly.  Shred the potatoes with the peels for flavor and nutrition.

Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Serves:  6+ as a side dish

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, chopped into pieces small enough to fit through the food processor feeder tube.
2 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into pieces small enough to fit through the food processor feeder tube.
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage (optional)

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
3-4 tablespoons canola oil

DIRECTIONS
Using a food processor with the coarse shredding wheel, shred the potatoes, and scrape them into a colander in the sink.  Shred the onion and scrape into a mixing bowl.  Turn your attention back to the potatoes, and press them with the heel of your hand in the colander to remove some liquid.

Add the potatoes, sage, pepper, and salt to the onion in the mixing bowl and stir to mix.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add half of the potato mixture, spreading the potatoes with your spatula to maximize contact with the skillet. Cook 5 minutes or until browned on one side, then turn the potatoes over (they will cling in chunks).  Cook for another 5 or until evenly browned and crisp on the outside, tender on the inside.

Serve hot, as is, or with ketchup or sour cream.  Or ramp it up with a fried egg on top.

Photos and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Leek and Potato Chowder

Hearty, chunky leek chowder pairs well with inclement weather.  This recipe takes inspiration from the immortal Marion Cunningham, although I made several changes.

Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  45 minutes
Serves: 8-10

INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons butter, separated
4 cups thinly sliced (1/8 inch) leeks, white and light green parts
2 cups thinly sliced (1/8 inch) celery (about 2 stocks) including leaves
5-6 cups chicken stock
2 1/2 cups potatoes, 1/4 inch dice*
1 teaspoon thyme
4 tablespoons whole wheat (or white) flour
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a stock pot over medium heat and saute the leeks and celery for 10 minutes, stirring.  Add 2 cups of stock and cook, covered, for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the diced potatoes and 2 more cups stock.  The potatoes should be just about covered. If not, add more stock.  Add the thyme.  Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes pierce easily with a fork.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat.  Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, as the roux bubbles and smooths.  A few tablespoons at a time, add hot stock from the soup to the roux, stirring or whisking constantly.  It will bubble and thicken.  Do this several times, then pour this flour mixture into your chowder, along with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for a a minute or two, stirring, as it thickens.

Serve hot, with crusty bread and a glass of Beaujolais, and laugh at the storm.

*If your potatoes are organic, leave the peels on for flavor, nutrition, and texture.  Just scrub 'em and use 'em

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Haddock Chowder with fresh Potatoes, Corn, Onions & Sage

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










The whole family devours this creamy version of classic fish chowder. This is a gateway dish for kids who "don't like fish" - they might just change their minds.

Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook time: 18 Minutes

INGREDIENTS
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
5 strips bacon
1 onion, 1/4 inch dice
2 cups corn
5 fresh sage leaves, minced, or 1 tsp dried sage
3 cups milk
2 pounds haddock fillets
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Cook the potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until a fork sinks into a piece with less resistance (they will cook further in the chowder). Set aside.

Cook the bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat. When bacon is done, remove to paper towels and drain most of the bacon fat, reserving as much as you like to cook the onions. Cook the onions, stirring, for 5 minutes or until browned and softened. Add the corn and sage, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Now add the milk and the potatoes, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the haddock, and if necessary a little more milk to cover. Return to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until the fish turns white and flakes easily. Break fish into 1/2 inch pieces.

Serve steaming bowls of chunky chowder, sprinkling with crumbled bacon and seasoning to taste with pepper (and salt if necessary). A piece of crusty bread and a salad alongside, and you've got the perfect meal. All right, add a glass of white wine, too.

Variation: Roasting the potatoes instead of boiling adds a new flavor dimension to chowder (30 minutes in a 400F oven). For decadence, add a little cream along with the milk. All white fish make good chowder, although flat fish tends to break into very small pieces that disappear. The flavor will still be there, though.

Tip: If you're using organic potatoes, just scrub 'em - no need to peel them. The peels add texture, flavor, and nutrition.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Curried Butternut Broccoli Soup

This hearty cream soup, enjoyed after a cold day outside, was perfect for the occasion.  Prepare extra squash, broccoli, and potatoes a day or two beforehand, and it's very fast prep (not to mention efficient use of leftovers, if you're that type of cook).

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Serves:     4-6

INGREDIENTS
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups cooked butternut or other winter squash
1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked potatoes or sweet potatoes, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced (about 2/3 cup)

DIRECTIONS
In a deep stock pot, combine the stock, squash, broccoli, potatoes, curry powder, and salt.  Puree with an immersion blender to a smooth consistency.  (Alternatively, prepare in batches in a food processor or blender).  Place the stock pot on your stove over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until beginning to bubble.

While soup is heating, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat and saute the onions, stirring, for 5-8 minutes or until they become soft and translucent.  Remove from heat.

Distribute soup to serving bowls, garnishing with caramelized onions, and perhaps with a touch of sour cream.



Variation:  Swap in other winter squash.

Grilled Potatoes

Throw these on the grill alongside your main course.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

5 medium size thin skin ("new") potatoes, scrubbed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

Boil the potatoes for 7 minutes.  Drain them. Slice into pieces about 1/2" thick, and place in a large bowl.  Drizzle with the olive oil, and turn to evenly coat.  Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper.

Preheat your grill.  Grill potatoes for 10 minutes, turning once, or until tender when pierced with a fork.

Serve hot as is, or with a touch of sour cream.  Or sprinkled with Parmesan.


Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Cream of Potato Soup

Sometimes the best thing you can find in the fridge are leftovers.  Follow Plato's advice (you know, the chestnut about "necessity is the mother of invention")!

Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook time: 18 Minutes
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
3 TB olive oil
1 small onion, 1/4" dice
4-5 fresh sage leaves, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
3-4 cups stock
2-3 cups cooked potatoes with peels on, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
Cooked bacon to garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion and sage, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onions are soft. Using an immersion blender (or a food processor in batches) process the onions with 2 cups of the stock, the potatoes, and the salt and pepper.  Add more stock to achieve the consistency you like. Heat soup over medium-low heat in the saucepan, stirring.

Serve, garnished with the bacon.  Talk about comfort food.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Asparagus & Broccoli Soup

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick










I have heard hearty soups like this called "peasant food".  I can't think of higher praise, because to me the term embraces simplicity, flavor, and creativity with ingredients.  A meal in a bowl like this is perfect for a cool spring night, and makes terrific use of tender broccoli stems.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Serves:  4+

INGREDIENTS
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups tender broccoli stems, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups asparagus, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked potatoes, coarsely chopped
2-4 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Salt to taste
Toasted almonds to garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat, and cook the broccoli stems, the onions, and the red pepper for 2 minutes, stirring.  Add  the asparagus and cook for another three minutes, stirring, or until the broccoli and asparagus are tender-crisp.

Add the potatoes, the chicken stock, the pepper, and the salt.  Process with an immersion blender (or in batches in a countertop blender) until smooth and thick.  Heat in the stock pot to a simmer, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Distribute to serving bowls, garnishing with toasted almonds and a grind of black pepper.

Tip:  Use only tender broccoli stems.  A simple way to test them is to try a stem raw, or cut it with a paring knife.  If it's crunchy, use it.  If it's woody, or hard to cut with a knife, banish it to the compost.

Tip:  This soup is a terrific destination for leftover cooked broccoli or asparagus.  Feel free to vary the proportions of these key green ingredients.  All asparagus?  Great.  All Broccoli? Yum.

Butternut Bisque

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

This rich, creamy bisque will have guests asking for more.  It's a fantastic use for Thanksgiving leftovers, but could also be an innovative way to serve squash for the big meal itself. 








Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Serves:  6-8

INGREDIENTS
3 TB olive oil
1 small onion (about 1/2 cup chopped)
3 cups turkey, chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups cooked butternut squash
1 cup cooked potatoes, coarsely chopped
1 TB ground cumin
2 tsp. ground paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 TB butter
2 TB whole wheat flour
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring, or until the onion is soft and beginning to tan.  Add the stock, squash, potatoes, cumin, paprika, and nutmeg and and puree with an immersion blender (or work the ingredients in your blender or food processor in small batches).  Heat to a simmer, stirring.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, and stir in the flour.  Stir for a minute or two.  Add a few tablespoons of the hot soup and stir.  Add a little more and stir again.  Scrape this mixture into the soup and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Distribute your bisque to serving bowls, and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds

Variations:  Other winter squash or pumpkin work well with this recipe.

Butternut squash could not be simpler to cook.  Preheat your oven to 350.  Cut the squash in half, and place cut side down in a baking dish.  Add 1/2 inch water, and bake for an hour or until squash is soft. 

Potato-Carrot Pancakes

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick











Carrots and par-cel add an earthy pungent crunch to these robust potato pancakes.  I used the larger slice disk in my food processor for the texture you see in this picture.  The critical question here is whether these beauties should be breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  The answer is yes.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups shredded potatoes
1 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup minced parcel (or parsley or celery!)
1/2 cup shredded sweet onion
handful fresh sage leaves (about 10) minced
3 eggs, whisked
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
3-4 TB canola or olive oil
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
Press the potatoes several times to extract as much moisture as possible.  Put the potatoes in a large bowl, and mix in the carrots, par-cel, onion, sage, and eggs.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Using a 1/3 cup measure, or a large spoon, scoop some of the potato-carrot mixture into one side of the skillet, and press into roughly pancake shape.  3 or 4 pancakes should fit in the skillet.  Cook for 4 minutes, then turn and cook for another 4 minutes, or until both sides are browned and crisp.  Remove to paper towels and continue with the rest of the mixture.

Serve hot, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.  Sour cream is nice, too.

If these appear on your table at the end of the day, try them with a dry rosé or Pinot Grigio.  Yum.

Cream of Butternut Soup

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










Thanksgiving leftovers can transform into something even better than the original.

Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook time: 18 Minutes
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
3 TB olive oil
1 small onion, 1/4" dice
2-4 cups turkey (or chicken) stock
1 - 2 cups cooked butternut squash
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
Pine Nuts or toasted sliced almonds to garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onions are browned and soft. Process the onions with 2 cups stock, squash, potatoes, cumin, and red pepper with an immersion blender, blender, or food processor. Heat soup over medium-low heat in the saucepan, stirring. Add more stock if necessary, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished as you like, with bread, salad, and a glass of light bodied red wine. Life is good.

Tip: start with 2 cups of stock, and add more to achieve the consistency you like.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Everything Powisset Crock Pot

This delicious potluck dish was created by Christiane Oberli for Powisset Farm.

Prep time: 20 Min
Cook time: 6-8 hours unattended
Serves: 6-8

1 smoked ham hock
1 lb dried beans mix washed and sorted
3 carrots sliced
2 parsnips sliced
1 celeriac cubed
1 large red onion roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic skinned
1 tbsp salt
4 fresh sprigs parsley
3 fresh sprigs thyme
2 cloves
3 bay leaves
2 tbsp ketchup
water
4 peeled potatoes cubed

Place all except potatoes in crock pot and fill with water (allow beans to expand). Turn on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add potatoes 2 hours prior to serving. At time of serving, cut up ham hock and return all (bone included) to the pot. Enjoy with crusty bread slices.

Cream of Broccoli & Carrot Soup

One of the world's most wondrous inventions is the immersion blender, which enables leftovers to magically transform into soup. In this case, roasted broccoli & carrots, with a few potatoes, and several cups of chicken stock, becomes the perfect satisfying dish. And this is only one of many.

Soup veterans like CSA member Sophie Cannon start by sauteing onions with spices like cumin, turmeric and coriander, then adding the other goodies for blending.

Cooked greens (think kale) are perfect in soups like this.

Roast Chicken with Powisset Root Vegetables

A roast chicken takes only minutes of prep, and then the oven does the rest of the work. Fun History: Steve Friedman wrote about this recipe in a New York Times article. Adapted from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Cooking for Guys.

Prep time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 2 1/2 hours
Serves: 4 - 6

1 whole free range chicken, approximately 4-5 pounds.
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup water
3 large baking potatoes, scrubbed and cut into pieces about 2 inches square
3 onions, peeled and quartered
5 big carrots, peeled and cut into 2” pieces

Preheat the oven to 325. Rinse the chicken under cold running water and pat it dry with paper towels.

In a bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice and chopped garlic. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan or a large casserole dish. Drizzle the chicken all over (even get a little on the inside) with the olive oil mixture. Then sprinkle the chicken inside and out with the Italian seasoning, cumin, and salt and pepper. Pour the water into the pan (not on the chicken, don’t want to wash off the seasoning), and slide the chicken into the hot oven.

Cook for about 2 hours, and then add the potatoes, onions and carrots around the chicken, adding a little more water if the pan is dry. Cook for another hour (the total cooking time will be about a half hour per pound of weight), or until chicken is fully cooked. If you have a meat thermometer, the meat should be 185 in the thigh.

Pull that masterpiece out of the oven, and let it cool for a few minutes, then carve off slices to serve with cooked carrots, onions and potatoes alongside.

Last but not least by any means, save that carcass! Bones, skin etc are the perfect base for homemade chicken stock, which is the foundation of all kinds of other recipes.

Bring out a roast chicken for dinner, serve with your favorite Merlot or Pinot Noir, and everything is right with the world.

Served up by Tod Dimmick