With New Potatoes and Seared Asparagus Spears!

My friend John, the rugged, he-man, Lake Superior Chef of Asian Glazed Thigh fame, has submitted another recipe. I am posting this now because it sounds like it’s just the thing for a Sunday supper. So go now! Get a chicken and have this for dinner tonight!

John says: “I adapted the chicken and potato recipe from Williams-Sonoma—the recipe for the asparagus spears is my own. I like this recipe for a number of reasons: you only have to use two pans and one bowl, your kitchen smells wonderful when you’re done, you can drink chardonnay while you cook, and the recipe is so easy.“

Roasted Rosemary-Garlic Chicken

With New Potatoes and Seared Asparagus Spears

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
• 1 roaster chicken, 3-5 lbs.
• 1½ lbs. small red potatoes, quartered
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• Asparagus spears, washed and trimmed

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°, and pour yourself a glass of cool (not cold!) chardonnay to enjoy while you cook.
2. Mix olive oil, garlic and rosemary in small bowl.
3. Coat chicken with olive oil mixture, reserving about ¼ of the mixture for the potatoes.
4. Place chicken in a large oven-proof frying pan, breast side up, then tuck its wings behind its back, tying the legs together.
5. In another bowl, stir together potatoes and remaining olive oil mixture.
6. Arrange the potatoes around the chicken, then sprinkle both the chicken and potatoes with salt and pepper, and transfer pan to oven.
7. Roast until instant read thermometer—inserted into thickest part of the breast, away from bone—registers 160°, about 60 to 70 minutes.
8. Transfer chicken to carving board and cover loosely with foil; let rest for 10 minutes.

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse asparagus and pat dry.
2. Coat with olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Heat ribbed skillet over high heat until screaming hot.
4. Sear asparagus, turning frequently.
5. Transfer skillet to oven—still hot from cooking the chicken—for five minutes.

TO SERVE

Carve the chicken and serve with potatoes and asparagus—another glass of chardonnay wouldn’t hurt, either!

Now doesn’t that sound awesome?  I think a slice of the Chocolate-Pumpkin cake would round off this meal quite nicely!