Dark Days Challenge Week 5

I have fallen madly in like with the little farmer's market near my house.  It's not that I avoid the markets (and here in DC, there is one on every corner, including on my campus), it's just that between my own garden and my CSA, the farmer's markets did not hold that much interest for me.  My CSA farmer did not offer chickens this year and I'm still waiting on my pig. In the meantime, it's off to the market to find local meat.  This week's meal was last night and our guests included my favorite 3 year old niece and her mom.  The menu was:

Roasted chicken - local poultry from farmer's market, stuffed with leeks from market and rosemary from my garden, rubbed with local butter
Steamed Carrots - my garden
Roasted potatoes - farmer's market
Parsnip puree - my garden

The chicken with neck attached

The unnerving thing about this chicken is the neck was still attached and since I don't have a meat cleaver, the neck stayed attached while roasting.  The looks of it was, well, a little naughty.

I used a very simple recipe from the cookbook Starting with Ingredients by Aliza Green. 

Leeks, rosemary and butter

Potatoes

Cut up potatoes, coat with olive oil, salt and pepper and whatever herb desired.  Roast at 450 along side the chicken.  The potatoes only take 1/2 hour so put in oven towards end of chicken roasting time.

Parsnips and carrots

Carrots were peeled and sliced and steamed until done.

Parsnips were peeled and cut into chunks, then simmered in water until done.  Put chunks through a ricer, then add butter and milk and mix with wooden spoon, salt and pepper.  I have to say, even though my kids didn't want to try it (they ate everything else), the parsnips were absolutely delicious.

Happy Eaters!