The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible (78 page)

One 5- to 6-pound roasting chicken

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 heads garlic

4 lemons

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 onions, peeled and halved

1 bunch fresh tarragon, stems removed

1 bunch fresh sage, stems removed

1 bunch fresh rosemary, stems removed

1 bunch fresh thyme, stems removed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Remove the giblets from the chicken. Rinse the bird and pat it dry. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Drizzle it with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Slice the tops off the garlic. Take one head and rub it all over the skin of the chicken, then place it in the cavity. Slice one of the lemons in half. Squeeze the juice from both halves over the chicken, then place the halves in the cavity. Liberally season the bird with salt and pepper. Add another drizzle of oil to the bottom of the pan, then add the onions and the remaining heads of garlic. Cover the chicken with the fresh herbs, and place a few of the herbs into the cavity. Slice the remaining lemons into ¼-inch-thick slices and place around the pan, with a few on top of the bird. Dot the bird with the butter.

Roast for 20 minutes per pound, approximately 2 hours. Carve the chicken and serve with the browned onions, baked garlic, lemon slices, crispy herbs, and a spoonful of drippings from the bottom of the pan. (
See
color insert
.
)

SERVES 4 TO 6

roast chicken with mushroom sausage stuffing and tarragon gravy

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

CHICKEN

One 5- to 6-pound roasting chicken

6 cups
Mushroom Sausage Stuffing

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 bunches fresh tarragon, stems removed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cups chicken stock or broth, preferably
homemade

TARRAGON GRAVY

2 to 3 tablespoons pan drippings

2 cups dry white wine (use stock for Detox)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the chicken:
Remove the giblets from the chicken. Rinse the bird and pat it dry. Place as much of the stuffing as will fit into the cavity of the chicken. Rub the outside of the chicken with the olive oil, liberal amounts of tarragon, and salt and pepper. Pour the chicken stock into the bottom of a roasting pan. Add the chicken. Place a foil tent loosely over the chicken and bake for 1 hour, then remove the foil and cook for approximately 1 hour more (see Note).

Remove the cooked chicken and set aside. Pour off most of the fat in the pan, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons to make the gravy.

For the gravy:
Place the pan with the drippings on the stovetop over high heat. Add the wine and stir, constantly scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the browned bits. When the liquid is reduced by half, lower the heat and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until well combined.

Remove the stuffing from the chicken, carve, then serve with the gravy.

SERVES 4 TO 6

NOTE
 An unstuffed chicken takes 20 minutes per pound to cook. Allow 25 minutes per pound for a stuffed chicken. The chicken is done when you prick the thigh with a fork and the juices run clear.

roasted herbes de provence chicken

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES, INSULIN TRIGGERS
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

One 5- to 6-pound roasting chicken

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons herbes de Provence

1 large bunch fresh tarragon

3 yellow onions, roughly chopped

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (omit for Detox and Level 1)

1 cup chicken stock or broth, preferably
homemade

1 cup dry white wine (use stock for Detox)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove the giblets from the chicken. Rinse the bird and pat it dry. Place it in a roasting pan and rub with some of the olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence. Place the tarragon under the skin, in the cavity, and all around the outside of the bird. Place one of the chopped onions in the cavity. Sprinkle the remaining onions and parsnips around the chicken in the pan.

Drizzle a little more oil on the vegetables. Pour the stock into the bottom of the pan. Put a foil tent on top of the chicken, and bake for 1 hour. Remove the tent and let brown for another hour (see
Note
).

Remove the chicken from the roasting pan and place it on a serving platter. Pour off most of the fat from the pan, reserving 2 to 3 tablespoons. Place the roasting pan on the stove and heat the drippings over high heat. Add the wine and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan to make a sauce. Reduce for 5 to 7 minutes, or until desired thickness is achieved. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and add the butter. Stir until well combined. Carve the chicken and serve with a spoonful of sauce.

SERVES 4 TO 6

chicken with forty cloves of garlic

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES, INSULIN TRIGGERS
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2