Really grown-up food

Roast chicken...grown-up food and I don't mean that it is grown up just because adults like to eat it. It is food that only really proper adults cook. People who spend a lot of time at home cooks this because it takes a long time in the oven. So, that is it, I am admitting to myself that I have grown up, there is no turning back because I now know how to cook roast chicken and potatoes with gravy...on a Monday. So, adults cook it but really teenagers could, it is simple. It is so simple that I am not sure I am even allowed to post it on a food blog. It has no fancy ingredients, no cool tricks up its sleeve and really doesn't look much either. But the kids (including husband) love it. The recipe is my mother's, it was a good dish for a family with five kids and even better now that there are also 8 grand children. So here's to you Mum!

Roast chicken

1 whole chicken, 1-1,5kg

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

salt and pepper

Roast potatoes

4 large potatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp melted butter

salt and pepper

Gravy

2 dl hot water

1 dl cream (I use double cream, only the real deal is good enough for this)

1 tbsp white flour

1/2 tbsp chicken stock

1 tbsp lingonberry jam or cranberry sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 200º C. 

Melt the butter and mix with olive oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Put the chicken in a roasting tray and brush the chicken with the mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 1-1,5 hours (1 hour per kilogram usually). If the chicken looks dark then remove, cover with tin foil, return to oven and continue to cook. To check whether the chicken is cooked, push a skewer into the thigh at the thickest point. If the juices run clear the chicken is done. 

Wash and cut the potatoes into wedges. Place in a roasting tray, add olive oil, melted butter, salt and pepper. Make sure all potatoes are covered with the mixture. Place in oven when the chicken has about 35 mins left to bake. 

When the chicken is done, remove from roasting tray, cover with tin foil and leave for 10 mins. Pour 2 dl hot water into the roasting tray and whisk so that you get all the burnt bits out, then pour the water into a pan through a sieve. Reduce for 5 mins. Mix the cream with the flour then pour it into the pan, add the stock. Bring to a boil and boil until it thickens, add the lingonberry or cranberry sauce, thin with more water if necessary. Season to taste. Serve the chicken with roast potatoes, gravy and steamed broccoli and mange tout.