Ingredients

1 to 1 and a 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, washed and halved
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 shallots, peeled and halved
15 cremini mushrooms, halved
5 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
2 3 and a 1/2-pound organic chickens
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
4 sprigs each of tarragon, rosemary, and thyme
1 cup dry white wine
Fleur de sel

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, shallots, mushrooms, and garlic with the oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper in a large roasting pan. Cut the lemon in half, and rub the chickens with the lemon flesh and then the butter, and season the birds generously with salt and pepper. Place half a lemon and 2 sprigs of tarragon, rosemary, and thyme in the cavity of each chicken.

Arrange the chickens on top of the vegetables, and roast in the lower half of the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until chickens are cooked and the skin is crisp, basting the chickens every 20 minutes. If the birds are not crisp, increase the oven temperature to 475 degrees for the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking.

Remove from the oven, cover the chickens loosely with aluminum foil, and allow the chickens and vegetables to rest in the pan for 20 minutes.

Remove chicken and vegetables to a platter, pour the fat off the pan, deglaze with the wine, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the carved chicken and vegetables with fleur de sel, and serve with pan juices.

(Published 2001)