Recipe: An Italian American grandmother’s roast chicken with potatoes, tomatoes, and artichokes is a winner

Serves 6

Author Hailee Catalano’s Italian American grandmother, Tina, cooked dinner for the family every Sunday. In her book, ”By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear” in a chapter about Tina’s cooking, her granddaughter offers her take on some of those Sunday specialties, including meatballs and gravy and stuffed fresh artichokes. There is also roast chicken on a bed of potatoes, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts, a favorite of Catalano’s parents and an aunt, though Catalano never tasted it cooked by her grandmother. When Catalano heard about the dish, she writes, ”I instantly knew I wanted to include a version in this book. There is something so exceptionally special about a potato that has soaked up a bunch of luscious chicken fat. Tina often added basil to the dish, so I made a quick herb puree with basil, dill, and parsley as a nice, fresh component to eat alongside this lovely roasted meal.” Make the herb sauce while the chicken roasts, so everything is ready at the same time. At the end of cooking, you remove the chicken from the dish and slide the baking dish of vegetables under the broiler. They’re plump with chicken juices, and also a little charred. The sauce is bright and refreshing. It’s a winning dish.

SAUCE

• ½

  cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

• ½

  cup loosely packed fresh dill fronds

• ½

  cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves

• ½

  cup olive oil

• Juice of 1 lemon (3 tablespoons)

• 1

  teaspoon honey

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1. In a blender, combine the basil, dill, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.

• 2. Blend until smooth, turning off the motor and scraping down the sides once or twice. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

CHICKEN

• 4

  large Yukon Gold or other yellow potatoes, cut into 1-inch wedges

• 3

  medium Roma tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch wedges

• 1

  can (14 ounces) or 2 jars (about 8 ounces each) artichoke hearts in brine, drained

• 6

  shallots, halved

• 4

  cloves garlic, grated

• 3

  tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 8

  bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)

• Extra olive oil (for sprinkling)

• 2

  teaspoons dried oregano

• 1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. Have on hand a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

• 2. Spread the potatoes, tomatoes, artichokes, shallots, and garlic in the dish. Sprinkle with the olive oil and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss to coat the vegetables all over.

• 3. Pat the chicken dry. Sprinkle the skin lightly with olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. Place the chicken, skin side up, on the vegetables.

• 4. Transfer to the oven. Roast for 60 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 185 degrees. (Do not turn the oven off.)

• 5. Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover with foil, and keep warm.

• 6. Slide an oven rack about 10 inches from the broiler element. Turn the broiler to high. Set the baking dish of vegetables under the broiler and cook for 6 minutes, watching them carefully and turning the dish once or twice, or until they start to char.

• 7. Spoon the vegetables around and under the chicken. Top with pan juices and herb sauce.

Sheryl Julian. Adapted from ‘‘By Heart’’

Serves 6

Author Hailee Catalano’s Italian American grandmother, Tina, cooked dinner for the family every Sunday. In her book, ”By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear” in a chapter about Tina’s cooking, her granddaughter offers her take on some of those Sunday specialties, including meatballs and gravy and stuffed fresh artichokes. There is also roast chicken on a bed of potatoes, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts, a favorite of Catalano’s parents and an aunt, though Catalano never tasted it cooked by her grandmother. When Catalano heard about the dish, she writes, ”I instantly knew I wanted to include a version in this book. There is something so exceptionally special about a potato that has soaked up a bunch of luscious chicken fat. Tina often added basil to the dish, so I made a quick herb puree with basil, dill, and parsley as a nice, fresh component to eat alongside this lovely roasted meal.” Make the herb sauce while the chicken roasts, so everything is ready at the same time. At the end of cooking, you remove the chicken from the dish and slide the baking dish of vegetables under the broiler. They’re plump with chicken juices, and also a little charred. The sauce is bright and refreshing. It’s a winning dish.

SAUCE

1. In a blender, combine the basil, dill, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.

2. Blend until smooth, turning off the motor and scraping down the sides once or twice. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

CHICKEN

1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. Have on hand a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

2. Spread the potatoes, tomatoes, artichokes, shallots, and garlic in the dish. Sprinkle with the olive oil and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss to coat the vegetables all over.

3. Pat the chicken dry. Sprinkle the skin lightly with olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. Place the chicken, skin side up, on the vegetables.

4. Transfer to the oven. Roast for 60 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 185 degrees. (Do not turn the oven off.)

5. Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover with foil, and keep warm.

6. Slide an oven rack about 10 inches from the broiler element. Turn the broiler to high. Set the baking dish of vegetables under the broiler and cook for 6 minutes, watching them carefully and turning the dish once or twice, or until they start to char.

7. Spoon the vegetables around and under the chicken. Top with pan juices and herb sauce.Sheryl Julian. Adapted from ‘‘By Heart’’