For the last couple of weeks we've been awash in zucchini and potatoes from our backyard garden. So far, I've made zucchini bread, zucchini soup, zucchini burritos, roasted zucchini, pan-fried zucchini, and stuffed-zucchini flowers. The potatoes are much easier to deal with -- them, we boil in salted water, drain, and simply add a dollop of butter to. They are gorgeous.
In hono[u]r of Joe's son coming to visit (we did it for the other one who came a few weeks ago, and it's quid pro quo with the offspring), and there being one dry day out of nine, we're putting a can of beer up the bum of a chicken and roasting it on the barbecue.
Joe is the master of roasting -- whether it's on the barbecue, in the electric oven, or in the Aga -- he can do it all, and do it well. After having the Aga hooked up, we did a lot of English roast dinners. We roasted beef tenderloin, lamb shanks, pig shoulder, and lots and lots of chicken. One night, we even had a chicken roast off -- one chicken done on the rotissary in the electric oven and one chicken done in the Aga. They both came out succulent, moist, and flavo[u]rful and heavily laden with wafts of thyme and/or rosemary. I preferred the Aga-cooked chicken -- but I'm slightly partial to anything that comes out of that beast. Joe also cooks wonderfully on the barbecue -- and this is proven once again by our latest party trick: The beer-can-up-the-bum chicken.
First we rub the insides of the chicken with a little sea salt and pepper. Then I mash garlic cloves, thyme, lemon zest with butter in the mortar and pestle, and massage it under the skin and against the breasts of the chicken. Next, we open a beer, and drink half – then stuff the opening of the can with rosemary. The entire can goes up the back side of the chicken, and the entire thing goes into a roasting pan – balancing on a tripod of chicken legs and can. Tuck the wings behind the back like the chicken is kicking back.
The barbecue should be heated to 400 degrees. Cook at 400 for 20 minutes, then reduce to 375/350 for about an hour … use a thermometer if you’re not sure if it’s cooked. Wrap the bird in foil, and then carefully pull the can out (I love to make a gravy with the hot beer that’s left in the can) – wait ten minutes and then ENJOY. The bird will be incredibly moist – and all of your friends will be well impressed that you roasted such a moist bird on the barbecue.
We served said chicken with grilled zucchini and boiled potatoes.