Recipe: Nigella Lawson's Buttermilk Roast Chicken

NIGELLA LAWSON'S BUTTERMILK ROAST CHICKEN
Source: The New York Times Chicken Cookbook by Linda Amster
Servings: 4

Butterflying a chicken is a surprisingly simple task that can be done with a pair of kitchen scissors. The two immediate advantages are that the chicken takes Less time to cook and it is also easier to serve since carving isn't required - you just cut the chicken into four pieces. The bird may be marinated in the refrigerator for up to two days in a freezer bag. Using buttermilk, which is usually associated with fried chicken, somehow conveys the aromatics better; you really get the full value of the rosemary, pepper and garlic. If you want to substitute maple syrup for the honey, you can. Nigella Lawson tries to remove excess buttermilk from the chicken before roasting it, but leaves some on so that the chicken browns better, even turning barbecue-black in parts.

1 (4 pound) chicken
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
1 tablespoon Maldon or other sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon honey

Butterfly chicken by placing breast-side down and using heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut along both sides of backbone. Discard backbone, turn chicken over and open it like a book. Press gently to flatten it.

Place chicken in a large freezer bag. Add buttermilk, 1/4 cup oil, garlic, peppercorns, salt, rosemary and honey. Seal bag securely and refrigerate overnight or up to two days.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove chicken from marinade and place on a rack so excess can drip off. Line a roasting pan with foil and place chicken in pan. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. .

Roast for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F. Continue roasting until well browned and until juices run clear when chicken is pierced where leg joins thigh, about another 20 minutes.

Place chicken on a carving board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces.

Place a portion on each of four plates, and drizzle each serving with pan juices.

NOTE:
A good coleslaw is sufficient accompaniment, hut if you want potatoes, just cut some into one-inch cubes, toss them in a shallow roasting tray and pour over a tablespoon or two of oil, add a few unpeeled cloves of garlic and a sprinkling of sea salt and mix well. Roast them in the oven below the chicken. When the chicken is done, let it rest for about 15 minutes, keeping the potatoes in to crisp up.