Ode to my grandfather

So, I've been told that my grandfather went to cooking school. I never knew that. I just remember eating awesome food at his house.  He never became a chef at a restaurant. He was a teacher/professor in Chicago Public Schools and at national universities.  The story goes that he loved food and just wanted to learn more about it. He shared his knowledge of food with me and my siblings.  Several of my fondest food memories come from hanging with my grandfather after school waiting for my parents to pick me up.

Well, when I was really little and he wasn't sick, he would prepare this Chicken.  It was so good. All of the pieces were really tender, even the breast.  He cooked it over french bread, which collected all of the juices while the chicken cooked.  This leaves the bread flavorful, tender/soft next to the chicken, but crispy on the cast-iron side.  I understand his chicken came from a recipe in the NY times. I have scoured the internet and can't find the recipe. My grandfather died before I could get the recipe from him.  So, this Evanated recipe comes from my memories of my grandfather and flavors that I love. 
Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
1 Whole chicken 
Herbed Rub (recipe below)
1 loaf french bread.


Herbed Rub
2 Shallots (rough chop)
2 Cloves of Garlic
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 Lemon
2 Rosemary Sprigs
2-3 Thyme Sprigs
Salt and Pepper to taste
​
  1. Combine the above ingredients in the Food processor til it makes a thick paste.
  2. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon to the paste and mix well. 

Assembly
  1. Slice bread into 1-inch thick rounds and line the bottom of the cast-iron pan with the slices.  
  2. Slice the chicken in half and place on top of the bread.
  3. Massage the chicken with the herbed rub. 
  4. Cover with aluminum foil and roast until internal temp is 160 degrees or about 40-50 min (roasting times will vary depending on the size of your chicken and oven).
  5. Let it cool. The pan will be really hot. 


Pro-tips:
  • Use a cast-iron skillet to provide even heating and controlled heating due to its heavy, dense metal. 
  • This dish can be prepped ahead of time and placed in the refrigerator overnight to be roasted the next day. 
  • Chicken will continue cooking after you remove it from the oven. Therefore, remove it from the oven at 155 and let it rest until it achieves a temperture of 165.
  • The french bread soaks up the juices and concentrates the lemon, which I think is fantastic, but adjust the amount of lemon based on your like of citrus...it packs a tang.