Cass County

Love is in the air! With Valentines Day nearing, people all around the globe are preparing to show their special loved ones how much they care. Some may dine in a fancy restaurant, but for those looking for a special added touch, the recipe this week is designed to make the heart swoon in delight. Engagement Chicken was originally developed in Italy, and as the story goes, once your sweetheart eats this amazing dish, a proposal will soon follow! So grab those apron strings, and with a little bit of luck and a lot of love, this dish will not disappoint.

Engagement Chicken

1 whole chicken, appropriately 4 lbs. ½ cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 whole lemons – including one sliced for garnish 1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper Fresh herbs for garnish – 4 rosemary sprigs 4 sage sprigs 8 thyme sprigs 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley To prepare: Position an oven rack on the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Remove giblets from the chicken, wash the chicken inside and out with cold water, then drain the chicken, cavity down, in a colander for two minutes.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the chicken breast-side down in a medium roasting pan fitted with a rack and pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, inside and out. Season the chicken with salt and pepper both inside and out.

Prick 2 whole lemons three times each, in different places with a fork and place deep inside the cavity. (If it partially sticks out, no worries. Also, if the lemons are stiff, roll them on the countertop to get the juices flowing and then prick.)

Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350 and roast, uncovered for 15 minutes.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn the chicken breast-side up. Insert a meat thermometer in the thigh, and return the chicken to the oven and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Continue roasting if necessary. *Keep in mind ovens vary with cooking times. Roasting a chicken at 350 takes approximately 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.

Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. ***Here is the secret*** Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.