Easter Sunday last weekend was a magical day. Seattle gave us one of the prettiest days so far this year. I was hosting a dinner for friends and it was absolutely amazing. When a few people showed up early to help, I was working in the yard in the sun. I got my garden planted that afternoon. Some people cooked, some gardened, and by the time everyone was here and it was time to eat, it was still so nice out that we decided to eat outside.
It is entirely possible I might put too many pictures of this up, but they just all look so good!
I know these pictures look magical. It isn’t a trick of photography. It was just a beautiful day. I made a little arrangement of spring flowers and herbs from the yard to decorate the table.
This image is also of the vegetables from the roast, which was delicous. The fennel may have been my favorite part.
Doesn’t that just look delicious? My Bon Appetit this month gave me a recipe for Easter dinner. I made Roast Chicken with Fennel, Potatoes, and Citrus. It was delicious and perfect for this event. There was plenty to go around and most importantly, it did not require a lot of work after guests arrived. I was able to toss it in the oven and just deal with the vegetables when people were here.
I did a simple asparagus saute to go with the roast vegetables. Tossed them in lemon juice and topped with chopped hard boiled eggs. Delish!
And here next to the beautiful Greek salad another of my guests provided.
Most importantly, the simple roast recipe gave me lots of time to sit in the yard with my Gin and Sun Cocktail and chat with friends while things were cooking.
Can you believe how beautiful that chicken is?
Roast Chicken with Fennel, Potatoes, and Citrus
My notes: I used 2, 5 pound chickens because, as always, I was worried there wouldn’t be enough food. Silly me. So, I baked for an hour and a half. Also, I didn’t have a roasting rack, so I sat the Chickens directly on the vegetables. Other than the skin on the thighs not getting crispy, there wasn’t much difference there. And since I was using a large disposable pan, I wasn’t able to put it on the stovetop for that cooking step. Instead, I dumped all the vegetables into a pan to cook the liquid off and then tossed them back in the roasting pan to go back in the oven. Worked fine.
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic plus 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt plus more for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 fennel bulbs (3 pounds), trimmed, each cut into 8 wedges, plus 1/4 cup fronds
• 2 poundsfingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
• 24 small carrots, peeled or scrubbed
• 8 shallots, halved lengthwise
• 3 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 2 halved
• 1 orange, cut crosswise into 8 slices
• 8 tablespoonsolive oil, divided, plus more
•2, 4-pound kosher chickens
•
Special Equipment:
A spice mill
Preparation
• Preheat oven to 450°. Toast fennel seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly darker, 2–3 minutes. Let cool; finely grind in spice mill. Mix fennel, lemon zest, garlic, 4 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Set spice mixture aside.
• Place fennel wedges, potatoes, carrots, shallots, and lemon and orange slices in a large heavy roasting pan. Drizzle 4 Tbsp. oil over, season with salt and pepper, and toss well to coat. Spread out in an even layer.
• Rub remaining 4 Tbsp. oil all over the chickens. Season chickens inside and out with spice mixture. Stuff each chicken with a lemon half and half head of garlic. Tie legs together loosely with twine.
• Set a roasting rack over vegetables in pan; place chickens on rack. Roast until chickens are cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thighs registers 165°, about 1 hour.
• Preheat broiler. Transfer chickens to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place roasting pan on stove over 2 burners. Transfer lemon and orange slices to a small bowl. Cook vegetables over medium heat, stirring often, until liquid is evaporated, 8–10 minutes. Set pan under broiler; cook vegetables, rotating pan once, until browned in spots, about 5 minutes.
• Season vegetables to taste with salt and pepper. Squeeze juice from remaining lemon halves over vegetables to taste.
• Carve chickens. Divide roasted vegetables and chicken among plates. Garnish with reserved citrus slices and fennel fronds.
February 27, 2015 at 7:27 pm
I like what you guys are up too. Such intelligent work and reporting! Keep up the superb works guys I¡¦ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my site 🙂
February 27, 2015 at 7:28 pm
I have recently started a blog, the information you provide on this site has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
February 27, 2015 at 7:30 pm
You completed some fine points there. I did a search on the topic and found a good number of persons will agree with your blog.
February 27, 2015 at 8:37 pm
Good write-up, I¡¦m normal visitor of one¡¦s site, maintain up the nice operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a long time.
February 27, 2015 at 9:10 pm
I am continually looking online for ideas that can aid me. Thank you!
February 27, 2015 at 9:38 pm
I cling on to listening to the newscast speak about receiving boundless online grant applications so I have been looking around for the finest site to get one. Could you advise me please, where could i acquire some?
February 27, 2015 at 11:48 pm
Really enjoyed this post.Really looking forward to read more. Will read on…
February 28, 2015 at 1:08 am
I’m still learning from you, while I’m making my way to the top as well. I definitely enjoy reading everything that is posted on your site.Keep the tips coming. I loved it!
February 28, 2015 at 2:48 am
Thank you for your article post. Want more.
February 28, 2015 at 3:38 am
It¡¦s really a nice and helpful piece of info. I am satisfied that you shared this useful information with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
February 28, 2015 at 3:40 am
Im thankful for the blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Keep writing.
February 28, 2015 at 4:52 am
A person essentially help to make severely posts I’d state. This is the very first time I frequented your website page and up to now? I amazed with the analysis you made to make this actual publish incredible. Wonderful process!
February 28, 2015 at 5:38 am
Generally I don’t learn article on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very compelled me to take a look at and do it! Your writing style has been amazed me. Thank you, quite great post.
February 28, 2015 at 5:54 am
Im obliged for the blog article.Thanks Again. Much obliged.
February 28, 2015 at 5:56 am
Thank you a lot for sharing this with all people you really understand what you are talking approximately! Bookmarked. Please also consult with my site =). We may have a hyperlink alternate agreement between us!
February 28, 2015 at 6:07 am
I am also commenting to make you know of the fabulous discovery my child went through viewing the blog. She realized lots of pieces, with the inclusion of what it is like to have a very effective coaching spirit to have the others with ease learn selected tortuous subject matter. You really exceeded readers’ expected results. Thank you for supplying such powerful, safe, informative not to mention easy tips about your topic to Ethel.
February 28, 2015 at 6:33 am
Thanks for the article.Thanks Again. Want more.
February 28, 2015 at 6:47 am
I¡¦m no longer positive where you’re getting your info, but great topic. I needs to spend a while learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for wonderful information I used to be looking for this information for my mission.
February 28, 2015 at 6:49 am
Hello. remarkable job. I did not imagine this. This is a excellent story. Thanks!
February 28, 2015 at 7:43 am
You actually make it seem really easy with your presentation however I in finding this topic to be really one thing that I think I would by no means understand. It kind of feels too complex and extremely large for me. I’m having a look ahead on your subsequent submit, I will attempt to get the hold of it!
February 28, 2015 at 7:59 am
Thanks again for the article. Awesome.
February 28, 2015 at 8:29 am
Hello. fantastic job. I did not anticipate this. This is a remarkable story. Thanks!
February 28, 2015 at 8:52 am
Fantastic blog post.Much thanks again. Fantastic.
February 28, 2015 at 9:29 am
Im grateful for the blog article.Really thank you! Keep writing.
February 28, 2015 at 10:55 am
Thank you for every other informative blog. The place else may I get that type of info written in such a perfect means? I’ve a mission that I am simply now running on, and I’ve been at the glance out for such info.
February 28, 2015 at 11:46 am
Hi my friend! I want to say that this article is amazing, nice written and include approximately all significant infos. I would like to peer extra posts like this .
February 28, 2015 at 11:46 am
Very neat blog.Really thank you!
February 28, 2015 at 1:17 pm
Thanks for sharing, this is a fantastic blog post.Thanks Again. Keep writing.
February 28, 2015 at 1:18 pm
Thanks for every one of your labor on this website. My mother really loves managing investigations and it’s really simple to grasp why. Most of us hear all about the dynamic medium you render simple suggestions through the website and in addition increase participation from other individuals about this theme while our own girl has always been being taught a lot of things. Take pleasure in the remaining portion of the new year. Your conducting a dazzling job.
February 28, 2015 at 1:22 pm
I’m also writing to make you know of the remarkable discovery my friend’s child had browsing your web page. She mastered so many pieces, most notably what it is like to possess a marvelous teaching mood to make a number of people with ease completely grasp a number of extremely tough topics. You undoubtedly exceeded readers’ expected results. Many thanks for offering these effective, dependable, explanatory and cool tips on that topic to Mary.
February 28, 2015 at 1:26 pm
Hello there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it’s really informative. I’m gonna watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future. A lot of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
February 28, 2015 at 2:40 pm
I truly appreciate this blog post. Keep writing.
March 1, 2015 at 2:12 am
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation however I to find this matter to be really something which I feel I would by no means understand. It kind of feels too complicated and extremely extensive for me. I’m taking a look ahead to your next put up, I¡¦ll attempt to get the grasp of it!
March 1, 2015 at 2:21 am
Wow! Finally I got a web site from where I be capable of truly take valuable facts concerning my study and knowledge.|
March 1, 2015 at 3:38 am
Hey there, You’ve done a great job. I’ll certainly digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I’m sure they will be benefited from this web site.
March 1, 2015 at 5:35 am
I wish to show some appreciation to you for rescuing me from this situation. After looking out throughout the world wide web and coming across tricks that were not helpful, I believed my life was gone. Living without the approaches to the difficulties you’ve sorted out through your blog post is a critical case, as well as ones which may have badly damaged my career if I hadn’t noticed your site. Your own natural talent and kindness in touching the whole thing was tremendous. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if I hadn’t discovered such a step like this. I am able to at this moment look forward to my future. Thanks a lot so much for this expert and result oriented help. I won’t think twice to refer your blog to anybody who should get guidelines about this area.
March 1, 2015 at 6:30 am
I think that what you posted made a bunch of sense.
However, what about this? suppose you typed a catchier title?
I mean, I don’t want to tell you how to run your blog, but what if you added a title that makes people desire
more? I mean Easter Dinner- Roast Chicken with Fennel, Potatoes, and Citrus | Katie
Stew is kinda vanilla. You should look at Yahoo’s home page and watch how they write post
headlines to get viewers to click. You might add a related video or a related
picture or two to grab people interested about everything’ve written. In my opinion, it might
make your posts a little livelier.
March 1, 2015 at 11:27 am
Thank you for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do some research about this. We got a grab a book from our local library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I’m very glad to see such magnificent info being shared freely out there.
March 1, 2015 at 12:25 pm
Thanks for any other informative site. Where else could I am getting that type of info written in such an ideal approach? I have a undertaking that I am just now operating on, and I’ve been on the look out for such information.
March 1, 2015 at 12:33 pm
I have been exploring for a little for any high-quality articles or weblog posts in this sort of space . Exploring in Yahoo I eventually stumbled upon this website. Studying this information So i am satisfied to show that I’ve a very just right uncanny feeling I found out exactly what I needed. I so much without a doubt will make certain to don¡¦t overlook this web site and give it a glance regularly.
March 1, 2015 at 1:27 pm
I intended to send you this very little word just to thank you very much as before for the incredible things you’ve shown on this website. It was certainly strangely open-handed of people like you to present without restraint all numerous people would’ve sold as an e-book to generate some money on their own, most notably now that you might have done it in case you wanted. Those principles additionally acted to be the easy way to comprehend many people have a similar fervor much like mine to learn a whole lot more with regard to this matter. I’m sure there are a lot more pleasant instances in the future for individuals who read carefully your site.
March 1, 2015 at 2:46 pm
Nice read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing a little research on that. And he just bought me lunch since I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
March 1, 2015 at 5:18 pm
Thanks a lot for sharing this with all people you really understand what you’re speaking about! Bookmarked. Kindly also seek advice from my web site =). We can have a link change contract between us!
March 1, 2015 at 5:26 pm
It is in reality a great and helpful piece of info. I am glad that you just shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
March 2, 2015 at 12:54 am
There is noticeably a bundle to find out about this. I assume you made certain good factors in features also.
March 2, 2015 at 2:05 am
A big thank you for your post.Really thank you! Much obliged.
March 2, 2015 at 4:02 am
Thanks a lot for the article.Really thank you! Great.
March 2, 2015 at 4:44 am
Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all of us you really know what you’re talking about! Bookmarked. Please also visit my web site =). We could have a link exchange agreement between us!
March 2, 2015 at 7:59 am
Hi, Neat post. There’s an issue with your site in internet explorer,
could test this? IE nonetheless is the marketplace leader and a huge part of
people will miss your fantastic writing due to this problem.
March 2, 2015 at 8:04 am
Appreciate you sharing, great post.Much thanks again. Really Cool.