This is a two-part story. The first half hearkens back to the 1990s, when my then-boyfriend (now-husband) and I were strict vegetarians. One of our favorite dishes was a recipe we found in Vegetarian Times. It was a chickpea-potato-carrot-curry dish we called “Yummy” because each time we made it, we just kept saying, “Oh my gosh, is it so yummy!” Alas, somewhere along the way, we lost that magazine, and I have searched high and low for the recipe online to no avail.
Fast-forward to this June, when we drove to visit our best friends in Iowa City, Iowa. These are our “eating and drinking” friends; it’s what we do. We eat, drink, recover and plan the next meal. Lather, rinse, repeat. When we arrived this trip, our hostess, in her sweet, southern style, apologized that she was only making a “really simple roast chicken dinner.” Lies. All lies. She turned out an amazing dish that made my eyes cross. My husband turned to me and asked, “Do you know what this reminds me of?”
I didn’t even need to respond. It’s not the identical; the ingredients, outside of the chickpeas and carrots, are not the same. But it hits all the same notes: aromatic, sweet, textural. More Moroccan than Indian with garam masala and lemons, this dish took us right back to our little Dogtown rental, cooking in bare feet with the Grateful Dead in the tape deck and a glass of the cheapest Gallo burgundy in hand. This dish is special.
Crisp Roasted Chicken with Chickpeas, Lemons and Carrots*
Adapted from Melissa Clark’s Cook This Now 4 to 6 Servings
2 lemons
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. garam masala, divided
3 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 whole chicken (3 1/2-pound), rinsed and patted dry
1 lb. carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch rounds
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Quarter the lemons lengthwise and remove any seeds. Thinly slice 6 lemon quarters crosswise into small triangles and toss them with the chickpeas, olive oil, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
• Season the inside of the chicken cavity with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Fill the cavity with the remaining lemon wedges. Combine the softened butter and 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Rub the butter all over the chicken, getting under the skin if possible.
• Scatter the carrots in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the chicken breast-side-up on a wire roasting rack over the carrots. (If you don’t have a rack, you can put the chicken directly on the carrots.) Transfer the pan to the oven and roast, stirring the carrots occasionally, for 30 minutes (If not using a rack, be sure to stir the carrots under the chicken so they don’t burn.).
• Add the chickpea and lemon mixture to the bottom of the roasting pan. Continue to roast 45 to 60 minutes, until the thigh juices run clear when pierced with a knife.
• Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before carving. Place the chickpea, carrot and lemon mixture on a platter and place the chicken pieces on top to serve.
*Gild the lily with this simple gremolata. Combine 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley,
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 1 finely chopped garlic clove in a bowl and sprinkle over the chicken prior to serving.
This article appears in August 2013.