WELCOME 'THE LUSTY MONTH of MAY' ~ ROASTED LEMON-ROSEMARY CHICKEN

Sweet April showers

Do spring May flowers.

~ Thomas Tusser

( A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry, 1557)

Note: For an informative biography on Thomas Tusser visit ~

http://www.gardenhistoryinfo.com/gardenpages/tusser.html

~ Trillium grandiflorum

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ROASTED LEMON-ROSEMARY CHICKEN

~ fresh rosemary is a must for this lovely lemon-rosemary infused chicken

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1 4-5 lb. plump chicken

8-10 springs of rosemary

1 thinly sliced lemon

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

• Preheat oven to 425-degrees. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle cavity with salt & cracked pepper. Place on rack in roaster.
• Using fresh rosemary sprigs for a brush, liberally paint the chicken with melted butter. Insert the rosemary springs and lemon slices inside of chicken.
• Place chicken in oven and reduce heat to 350-degrees. Roast for 1 hour, basting frequently. Pour wine in roasting pan and cook another 20 minutes, basting frequently with pan drippings, until chicken is done (about 20 minutes per pound).
• To serve, spoon pan juices over chicken. A complimentary side would be diagonally sliced carrots & asparagus sauteed in olive oil, seasoned with a pinch of coarse salt & freshly cracked pepper.

Wine Pairing: Either a cool, smooth Michigan Chardonnay or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

For a list of Award-Winning Michigan Wines 2006
(http://www.michiganwines.com/Awards/awards.html)