Cookbook

Pull off and discard lumps of fat from chichen. Rince chicken , chicken neck and giblets. Pat chicken dry and fold the wing tips back and under wings. Rince thyme sprigs.

Gently ease fingers between the meat and skin from the neck side of chicken over breast and down onto thighs, releasing the skin but leaving it in place. Push 8 thyme sprigs under skin and distribute then evenly over breast and thighs. Place remaining thyme sprigs, along with the chicken liver, in the body cavity. Rub chicken all over with about 1 Tbsp olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set chicken breast up, in the highest position on a V-shaped rack. Set the rack in a shallow pan (1-2" deep; 10-12" x 15-17"). Lay the chicken neck and remaining giblets in the pan.

Rinse onions and cut in half crosswise (do not peel); rub cut sides with lemon juice. Scrub potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Rub cut sides of potatoes and onions with oil; set, cut sides up, around the rack in pan. If chicken weighs 6 pounds, add the vegetables 15' after placing the bird in the oven.

Bake chicken on the lowest rack - 400 F, until skin is well browned and a thermometer inserted through the thickest part of the breast to the bone registers 160 F, about 1h for a 4 lbs bird, about 1h 1/4 for a 6-pounder. Bake the vegetables until browned and tender when pierced, about 1h, occasionally basting with pan drippings.

Transfer the vegetables to a platter. Tilt the chicken to drain cavity juices into pan. Put chicken on platter and keep warm; let stand 5-10' for juices to settle. Discard chiecken neck and giblets from pan. Stir pan juices, adding up to 1/4 hot water to release browned bits. Skim and discard fat. Pour juices into a small bowl and keep warm. Carve chicken, setting aside herb sprigs. Serve chicken, potatoes and onions with pan juices and lemon-parsley butter.

Lemon-parsley butter: Combine lemon peel, juice, parsley and butter.

Journal.