Coraline: Classic Roast Chicken with Mash Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 – 4-5 pound chicken, cleaned
• salt and pepper

mash potatoes

• 3 pounds – russet potatoes, cleaned and peeled
• 1 stick, 4 oz – unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup, 4 oz – heavy cream
• salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment:

• roasting rack
• twine
• thermometer

Directions:

1. Take the cleaned chicken and absorb some of the moisture with a towel.  Make sure to also dry the inside of the bird, as well. Place the chicken in the refrigerator, uncovered, to dry for one hour. The dryer the chicken gets, the crisper the skin will get in the oven.
2. Preheat the oven to 450F. Place the chicken on a roast rack.  Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Truss the chicken with twine and place it into the oven for about 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches 155F.  Remove the twine and let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
3. To prepare the mash potatoes, slice the potatoes into equal size medallions. Place it into a large pot of cold water and bring it to a simmer. Cook until it’s easily pierced with a knife. Drain and dry the potatoes.  Let the steam evaporate. Meanwhile, heat the cream and butter until warm.
4. I prefer to mash my potatoes through a ricer but I didn’t have one on hand so I used a masher instead. Either method is fine but you will get a smoother texture with the ricer. Add the cream and butter mixture and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper.