Fall Cooking

I miss a lot of things about summer, mostly peaches, blueberries and sunlight until 9pm. But you really can't beat autumn food. This weekend I made beef stew, butternut squash curry, corn and poblano pepper soup and pumpkin soup, all of which I froze for busy days to come. It turns out that working full time and starting a farm doesn't leave much time for cooking during the week.

This afternoon, Theo and I went to pick up four chickens from Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds. When we got home, we immediately set to making Apple Cider Roast Chicken. We omitted the parsnip and added squash and a potato. It's in the oven now and I can't wait until it's done! Plus, we'll have enough stock from the carcass that we can make a second round of soup madness in a few weeks!

Dessert is pumpkin ice cream and ginger snap molasses ice cream from Bates Farm in Carlisle. Wonderful!

Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables and Cider

1 chicken

2 tblsp butter

2 firm tart apples such as Granny Smith, cored, peeled, and cut into 1” dice

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1” dice

1 medium onion cut into 1” dice

1 large parsnip cut into 1” rounds

2 medium carrot cut into 1” rounds

½ head medium cauliflower cut into 1” chunks

Salt and pepper

2 c. fresh apple cider

Preheat oven to 400.

Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold water, and pat dry with paper

towels. Place the chicken in a flameproof (so you can put it on a burner later to

make the sauce) roasting pan large enough to hold it and the vegetables without

crowding. Smear the chicken with the butter, surround it with the vegetables,

sprinkle everything with salt and pepper, and pour in the cider.

Place the chicken and vegetables in the oven and roast until the apples have

practically melted, the vegetables are tender and brown, and the chicken juices

run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork, about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours. Stir the

vegetables halfway through for even cooking.

Remove the chicken to a platter. Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables

and place them around the chicken, and keep warm. Set the roasting pan over

high heat and bring the cider and juices to a boil, scraping up the brown bits on

the bottom of the pan. Cook, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the liquid is

reduced by half.

Serve the sauce alongside the chicken in a sauce boat or pitcher.