Roast Cardamom Chicken

Tonight, I fixed Roast Chicken with Fingerling Potatoes and a Green Salad. This is unabashedly based on Alice Waters’ method of roasting chicken, as detailed in her book The Art of Simple Food. She recommends seasoning the chicken as soon as possible, as many as two days in advance before roasting the chicken. The first time I roasted a chicken, I used only the salt and pepper on the outside and inside of the bird, and added sprigs of fresh marjoram and garlic under the skin, but I have had equally good results with a blend of paprika and sage mixed in with the salt and pepper, no garlic or herbs required! Feel free to experiment with your own variations! Below is my favorite so far:

1 chicken

1 ½ t. salt

½ t. cardamom

¼ t. freshly ground black pepper

4 spring onions

5 cloves garlic, sliced thickly

1. Inside the cavity there are frequently large pads of fat. Pull these out and discard them. Tuck the wing tips up and under to keep them from burning. Season, 1 or 2 days in advance, if possible.
2. Sprinkle, inside and out, with the spice blend. Insert green onions and garlic slices under the skin, concentrating on the areas over the breast and thigh. Swivel the wing tips and tuck them underneath the bird; this keeps them from burning while roasting.
3. Cover loosely and refrigerate. At least 1 hour before cooking, remove and place in a lightly oiled pan, breast side up. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roast for 20 minutes, turn the bird breast side down, and cook for another 20 minutes. Then turn breast side up again and roast until done, usually another 10 to 20 minutes, more if you’re dealing with a larger bird. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

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