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Abby Tries Again is doing breakfast week but I haven’t been able to get up early enough, then when I do eat, I forget to photograph it. I did have the beauteous tartina [layer foccacia, pesto, mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes — today’s were red and green — pine nuts, and a drizzle of olive oil] at Julie’s Café with J. shortly before noon, which might count as breakfast, but I forgot to photograph that, too.

But it did get me thinking about making a real dinner [I haven’t in awhile, Chad’s been doing all the cooking, which is awesome though I have about had it with stir fry]. Someone posted a Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme recipe earlier this week and I was determined to make it — I had a chicken! and lemons! — but got derailed today by roasting a chicken with Gwynneth.

Gwynneth's Quick Roast Chicken and Potatoes, with Carrots

I deboned a chicken for the first time. I used all fresh herbs [Parsley, sage, rosemary AND thyme.] and a Meyer lemon from my garden. And I added a bunch of carrots to the potato steps [I tossed them in a bit of oil after draining instead of pouring it over after adding them to the chicken].

I made dressing, too, which I was missing several ingredients for but has turned out magnificently nonetheless.

Gwen's Magnificent Dressing

Gwen’s Magnificent Dressing
Serve with Gwynneth’s Chicken

Chop uncooked chicken liver [saved from chicken], sauté in olive oil.
Add one diced shallot, sauté til translucent.

Seach high and low for chicken stock, resort to that one last kosher onion boullion cube from last Passover and one novelty bacon boullion cube.
Add two cups water and boullion cubes to onions.

Throw in handful of cubed mushrooms.
Low simmer while you toast a scoop of sliced almonds in a bit of butter.

Tear up leftover 2/3 of yesterday’s La Farine baguette.
Toss everything in baking pan, put on top rack in oven with chicken [which is at 450°F, per Gwynneth] for last 20 minutes til tops of bread are crispy.

Remove from oven then pick at it while you wait for the chicken to cook.

Then serve with chicken, potato, and carrots that you are already too full to eat.

Chad, checking the chicken

Unless you are Chad, who has the metabolism of a bird and the capacity of a human waste disposal.

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