| Ingredients for 4-6 | |
| 1 | free range chicken (about 1.5kg) |
| 3 | bright-skinned lemons |
| coarse sea salt | |
| 3 | garlic cloves,crushed |
| fresh rosemary | |
| 2 Tsp | Olive Oil |
| 1 cup | chicken stock |
| For olive Oil mash | |
| 1 kg | Potatoes, peeled and cut into 5cm chunks |
| 6-8 | garlic cloves, peeled (optional) |
| 6 Tsp | Olive Oil |
| 1 cup | warm chicken stock |
| Salt | |
| milled black pepper | |
Split the chicken down the back and open it out as flat as possible. Wash it and dry well.
Pour boiling water over the lemons and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Cut 2 of the lemons in half and rub in coarse salt and crushed garlic. Slice the third lemon thinly, remove any pips and rub in salt.
Arrange the chicken skin-side up in an oiled roasting pan, on a bed of rosemary and the halved, salted lemons. Carefully push the sliced lemons underneath the skin together with bits of rosemary.
Season with milled black pepper. Drizzle the skin with olive oil and roast at 220C for 45 minutes, or untill crisp and golden. Keep the chicken warm on a heated platter.
Squeeze the pulp from the soft-cooked lemons into the roasting pan and pour in the chicken stock. Taste, if too acidic, add more stock. Reduce slightly over high heat on top of the stove. Check seasoning, then strain before serving.
Serve immediately with olive oil mash (see below) or potatoes roasted in olive oil at the same time as the chicken, and a side salad of mixed greens.
To make the olive oil mash, place the potatoes with the garlic (if using) in a saucepan and cover with cold water. mix in 1/2 Tsp salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or untill the potatoes are tender when pierced. Drain well and return to a low heat.
Crush with a potato masher, gradually adding the oil and warm chicken stock. Check seasoning and add salt if necessary, and a grinding of pepper.
Cape Town Food, p57