Roast Chicken and Roasted Potato with Garlic and Sea Salt

Since this will be my first post for Christmas, although it's quite late(belated)let me take this moment to wish you all a happy holiday! I hope and pray that this coming year brings us all peace, stability, and personal fulfillment. Many blessings....

My Christmas Eve is not the same as I used to have while still back home in Philippines. Last night along with my eldest son, we spend it with my fellow Filipinos. This year it's held at Karen Lao's residence. Kids and adults alike enjoyed the get-together party as there's a lot of fun and games; newspaper dance, basagan ng itlog(breaking of the egg),banana eating and lots more. It's only during get-together party that you will find a pure Pinoy foods, with the likes of asado, sisig, fried lumpia, kinilaw, Papait, puto, kutchinta, buko salad and a lot more. In between the fun there's the gift giving for the kids and adults.Before midnight strike we headed home and my son was tired and past sleeping in the car way back home. Before me and my husband settle for the night we creep to our son's room to put their presents and still make them believe that its Santa Claus who gave them the gift. Christmas is not just gift giving, family reunion, but the true meaning of it is the celebration of the day baby JESUS is born.

I prepared a roast chicken and roasted potato for dinner last night. Everyone has their own way in roasting their celebratory birds. This one is delicious, it has a crispy golden skin, soft white meat, and a hint of lemon in the juices. Accompanied my chicken is the roast potato with garlic and sea salt. Crisp, crunchy, and brown on the outside and fluffy on the inside. These are everything a roast potato should be. You can tweak it for a change with herbs, such as rosemary or sage leaves or a pinches of paprika. garam masala or tikka masala.


Roasted Chicken in Olive oil

1 kg chicken
1 lemon
1 onion, quartered
fresh parsley, coriander, thyme or rosemary
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper



1. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken. Finely chop the herbs and mix with a little of the olive oil. Gently knead and prise the skin away from the chicken meat and use the herbs to stuff the gap between the skin.

2. Using your hands, rub the remaining olive oil into the skin of the chicken and the cavity,then season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside for 30-40 minutes to marinade.

3. Preheat the oven to to 220°C.

4. Place the squeezed lemon halves in the cavity along with the quartered onion. Alternatively, for an attractive garnish, place the lemon halves in the roasting tin alongside the bird.

5. Cook for 1 hour or until chicken is browned and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thick area of the bird.







Roast Potatoes with Garlic and Sea Salt


10 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 head garlic, separated into cloves
sea salt



1. Preheat oven to 220°C.

2. Measure the oil into a large roasting pan and place in the oven to get hot.

3. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water. Dry them well, using a kitchen towel.

4. Carefully place the potatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves in the hot oil in the roasting pan. Turn them around to coat them evenly with the oil. Sprinkle with the sea salt and return to the oven.

5. Roast for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes are nicely browned with crispy egdes. Turn the potatoes twice during cooking.