Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Tuscan Roast Chicken, Peas and Onions and Insalata Caprese



Buona giornata! We landed in Tuscany today….no, no, no…don’t get excited….I am not actually in Tuscany. Wouldn’t that be a wondrous set of circumstances? No, we are firmly planted in swampy, hot old Florida .

We’re just traveling via Williams-Sonoma’s Essentials of Italian. More of a mind trip that is aided by good food, music and the best company I could ever want :-)

First, let me make a stop on the way to Tuscany and bring you this lovely dish from Campania .

Insalata caprese…..creamy mozzarella, fresh juicy tomatoes, a bit of olive oil and fresh basil leaves



Let me try and not be too wordy...too chatty...who likes a long-winded post, no one :-) So lets get right to the food.



Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme
Il pollo

Ingredients......

1 chicken, preferably 4 to 5 pounds
2 TB olive oil
Sea salt and ground pepper
1 TB fresh thyme leaves
2 small lemons

Rub the chicken with olive oil and generously pat down with salt and pepper, sprinkle some inside the cavity as well. Dust the bird with fresh thyme and insert cut lemon into the cavity. Tie legs together. Lace breast side up in a cast iron pan or small roasting pan – one just large enough to hold the chicken.

Roast at 450 F degrees, basting occasionally with juices, for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 F and continue basting until done. Once done, tent with foil and let the bird sit for ten minutes before carving.

(I was in such a hurry to get it on the table that I forgot to get a shot of this browned beauty before Doug carved it.)



When lemon is cool enough to handle, squeeze into the pan juices. Add a bit of water, not too much, and deglaze pan. Cook for about 2 minutes and use the juices to spoon over carved chicken.


Fresh Peas with onion and basil
I piselli



Simple – English peas (shelled), a finely chopped yellow onion, olive oil, some salt and pepper and fresh basil leaves.


If you cooked along with me then...... Congratulazioni! You’ve made a Tuscan meal!



39 comments:

  1. well what do you know - Italian huh? that's like a baste I use on grilled chicken sometimes.... what food blog project, I am out of the loop...

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  2. What a lovely tuscan feast. I am going home tomorrow and axious to get back to my real kitchen.

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  3. You have definitely devoted all your cooking skills to this gastronomic trip to Italy and with great results.

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  4. What a beautiful feast! Everything looks perfect :-)

    Sorry I haven't been by lately. I do keep up in on my google reader from work but can't comment from there.

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  5. Tina Marie - Love your Tuscan feast (hard to beat a well roasted chicken), and I love that you took a little side trip to Capri on the way.
    Thanks for sharing your "journey".
    Sue

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  6. I love how Italian food, though simple, is also just so incredibly tasty. I wish you had been transported to Tuscany as well. I would love to hear about how wonderful it is!

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  7. Drick - me too! It was one of the lovely photos and dishes in the Tuscan section.

    Rita - I know what you mean, there is nothing like your own kitchen. Have a safe journey back :-0

    Katerina - It's been fun...when I get the onging for Greece I may be pestering you!

    Martha - I do the same, I can read the blogs that way but no comments until I get home :-( Thanks for swinging by!

    Sue - Thank you!

    Joanne - Wouldn't that be so great to just transport there by magic?

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  8. These have been some amazing meals the two of you have been enjoying. Great book, I'll have to look for it on my next trip to the library.
    Thanks.

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  9. Carla and Michael - I keep checking this book out, I really ought to buy it. But I figure if I am cooking lots of the recipes and posting, I will end up with all my favs on my blog!

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  10. That looks absolutley delicious - and you've got to love tomatoes that look like that ... YUM!
    Mrs L

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  11. I love chickens roasted with lemons in the cavity. They always turn out so moist! Looks like a lovely "trip" to Italy.

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  12. Tina, this is an amazing feast. You are getting dangerous, girl :-). I always love to visit here. I hope you are having a great weekend. Blessings...Mary

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  13. Oh Mrs. L, those tomatoes are what I live for in the summer!

    Kristen - Thank you, it's been fun traveling this way. Cheaper too! Thanks for visiting me :-)

    Mary - Thank you, we are having a great weekedn despite the 98 degrees we had yesterday. A good book has been my friend in the heat of the day!

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  14. Tina, there is nothing more fun than travelling by way of food. I love to do that. This is a lovely meal, I especially love your salad with the fresh basil and mozzarella. It's one of the few salads I truly enjoy. Thank you for linking up with Cookbook Sundays!!

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  15. Stopping by from Brenda's. This is yummy. All my favourites in one delicious meal. Thanks for sharing!

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  16. Brenda - I had notoced some other bloggers joining you for Cookbook Sundays and wanted to get involved. What a cool idea! Thanks for having me :-)

    Kitchen Flavours - Thank you so much for visiting me! I hope to be a regular at Brenda's place.

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