Roast Chicken with Wilted Lettuce, Peas, and Beurre Blanc

Roast chicken is one the easiest things you can make. It always tastes great (as long as you don't overcook it) and lasts the whole week. The chicken for this recipe as super easy and turned out really juicy, even with minimal basting. The beurre blanc was also yummy, but I ended up using arugala instead of butter lettuce because I couldn't fine it (what is butter lettuce anyway?)

FOR THE ROAST CHICKEN
Ingredients:
• 1 whole chicken
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• 1 head of garlic, cut through the equator
• 2-3 fresh bay leaves
• ½ bunch of fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Clean chicken and season cavity well with plenty of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Stuff cavity with lemon, garlic, thyme and bay leaf.
3. Tie bird up with kitchen twine.
4. Rub skin with olive oil and season with plenty of kosher salt and pepper.
5. Roast in a preheated 350 F degree oven for 90 minutes.

FOR THE WILTED BUTTER LETTUCE, PEAS, AND BEURRE BLANC
Ingredients:
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ stick cold unsalted butter, cut up into cubes
• kosher salt
• 1 large head of butter lettuce
• 1 cup frozen garden peas, blanched in salted water

Directions:
1. Add white wine, shallot, bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt to a saucepan and simmer until it is syrupy and just coats the bottom of the pan.
2. Add butter cubes, a little at a time while stirring with a whisk to thicken the sauce and give it a shine.
3. Give it a final season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cut off the root of the butter lettuce and separate the leaves.
5. Place the leaves in a large mixing bowl with blanched peas, then dress with warm beurre blanc and toss so the leaves wilt a little.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars out of 5

Source: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1819754_1819753_1819810,00.html