Get a fresh natural chicken, preferably from a farmer's market. Don't use frozen or mass produced chicken. Clean out anything inside and dry chicken all over with a paper towel.
Prop the chicken on the side of a shallow casserole with the cavity open. Grind in some fresh pepper. Add a pinch of salt. Slice a bulb of garlic in half and add it. Same with a lemon. Sprinkle in some fresh herbs. Throw in a few pistachios. Drizzle in some honey. Now close the cavity.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Pour some fine olive oil in your hands, pick up the chicken and massage the oil all over. Wipe your your hands off on a paper towel.
Throw a load bay leaves into the casserole and sit the chicken on them. Grind on fresh pepper. Sprinkle with Paprika, use Hungarian Paprika if you have it. Throw a handful of chopped garlic over the chicken. If you have any fresh herbs left throw them on. Throw on a handful of chopped pistachios, then drizzle honey all over the chicken.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in oven. Towards the end of the baking remove the aluminum foil so the skin browns and gets a bit crispy.
You may need to add some liquid to stop the bottom of the casserole from burning. Liquid can be cider, apple juice, white wine, chicken stock or water. If you found anything in the cavity when you cleaned the chicken throw it in the casserole half way through cooking.
Remove, let sit for a few minutes than place on a carving board and serve.
Carving board juices make a wonderful natural gravy.
The "stuffing" inside the cavity is not for eating, it's only for flavor.
Content written and posted by Ken Abbott abbottsystems@gmail.com