World's Best Roast Chicken

Although I'm sure I have previously claimed a roast chicken recipe as the world's best, this one really is. We use Rangitikei corn fed free range chickens, they cost a bit more than your average chook but it is well worth the extra money to get a bird that has lead a relatively happy life and tastes like chicken should taste.
This dish is based on a recipe from Tessa Kiros' "Falling Cloudberries". Tessa has produced a beautiful range of cookbooks quite unlike anything else on the market. They are full of the most wonderful recipes, pictures and stories from her life, I highly recommend them all.



Ludi's Chicken

4 or 5 large potatoes, peeled
2 large carrots, thickly sliced
2 heaped tablespoons of grainy mustard
Juice of two large lemons (but save the squeezed lemon halves)
1 tablespoon of dried oregano or thyme
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium sized chicken (about 1.3kg)
3 onions, peeled and cut into quarters
2 bay leaves
12 garlic cloves (with the skin left on)
125ml of white wine

Preheat the oven to 180C. Halve the potatoes length ways and then cut into large wedges.
Mix together the mustard, lemon juice, oregano and olive oil to make a marinade. Put the chicken, potatoes, onion wedges, bay leaves and eight garlic cloves in a large oven dish. Season the potatoes and chicken with plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put two of the squeezed lemon halves and the remaining garlic in the chicken cavity. Splash the marinade over the chicken and potatoes, shuffling them around with your hands so they are well coated. Gently pour a cup full of water into the dish (trying not to wash away the marinade) Roast for about one hour.
After an hour the top of the chicken should be getting brown. Add the carrots and pour the wine over the top of the chicken. Turn the potatoes and onions and roast for another hour. If the tray is too dry add a little more water and place tin foil over the top of the chicken if it starts to brown too much.
Serve with something green. Delicious.