You can roast any chicken over a big pile of vegetables, securely knowing that everything will cook safely, nothing will be lost, and much will be found. As the chicken roasts, its juices season the vegetables, helping them roast too. The roasted meat is easily shredded and stirred into a simple pan stew. This is one of the most delicious ways I know to cook meat and vegetables together. ROOT VEGETABLE AND ROAST CHICKEN PAN STEW Serves 4 to 6 as a vegetable-forward main
Celebrity Chef MICHAEL SMITH and his wife, Chastity, are the proprietors of The Inn at Bay Fortune and the award-winning restaurant FireWorks, Bay Fortune, Prince Edward Island. Michael is the bestselling author of nine cookbooks, including Fire, Farm, & Feast; Real Food; Good Food, Family Meals; Back to Basics; Fast Flavours; Chef Michael Smith’s Kitchen; and The Best of Chef at Home. He has hosted several TV shows on Food Network Canada and has appeared as a judge on Chopped Canada. Michael lives on Prince Edward Island with his wife, and their children, Gabe, Ariella, and Camille. (Photo: Al Douglas)
INGREDIENTS
2 carrots, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces 1 turnip, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces 1 celery root, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces 1 pound (450 g) baby potatoes 1 leek, top and bottom trimmed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) intact rounds, rinsed as needed Cloves from 1 head of garlic, peeled and halved Sea salt
METHOD
Freshly ground pepper 1 large roasting chicken
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Turn on the convection fan if you have one.
(About 5 pounds/2.25 kg) 2 lemons, halved crosswise Leaves from a handful of fresh rosemary, thyme, sage, savory, or oregano sprigs, minced A few handfuls of tender savoury greens (baby spinach, baby kale, arugula, or Swiss chard)
Fill a large roasting pan with the carrots, parsnips, turnip, celery root, potatoes, leeks, and garlic. Lightly season the vegetables with salt and pepper and gently mix together. Thoroughly season the chicken with salt and pepper and nestle breast side up in the centre of the vegetables. Position the lemon halves cut side up around the chicken. Roast, gently shaking and settling the pan once or twice, until the vegetables are tender and caramelized and the chicken is golden brown and finished, an hour or so. The chicken is done when a digital or quick-read thermometer registers at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the breast meat and thigh.
Remove from the oven.
With the chicken still in the pan and a pair of tongs in each hand, pull, tug, and shred the meat away from the carcass. Share the crispy skin treat with all assembled. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and squeeze the roasted lemons with a pair of tongs, allowing the juices to mingle. Stir in the greens and rest as they wilt before serving, a minute or two. Reserve the carcass for another day’s chicken broth.
Excerpted from Farmhouse Vegetables by Michael Smith. Copyright © 2023 Michael Smith. Photography by Al Douglas. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
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