A Monday Roast

A nice roast doesn't always have to be reserved for the weekend. On most nights, I find that all of my time is taken up in the kitchen - cutting, chopping, preparing and cooking - from the moment I step through the door, until I sit down to eat. On Monday, I decided I wanted to make something comforting and delicious but that could essentially just be shoved into the oven while I tidied my room (which had recently been hit by the London Fashion Week clothing tornado) - So I made Lemon Roast Chicken with Spiced Roast Potatoes, Roasted Garlic Carrots and Steamed Asparagus. It was delicious. Here's how to make your own:

Step 1: Heat oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Step 2: Arrange chicken breasts and legs in an oven dish, drizzle with olive oil and the juice of two lemons. Cut the lemons into quarters and arrange in dish, then season with a pinch of salt, fresh ground pepper and some herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, etc.).

Step 3: Dice two large potatoes. Place in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil then add fresh ground pepper and a mix of chilli peppers, cumin, cinnamon, coriander and turmeric powders. I never measure these out properly - just do it by eye and smell. If you are unsure, put in 1/2 a teaspoon of each and then add more as you see fit. Toss until evenly covered and spread onto a baking tray.

Step 4: Cut carrots and garlic. Arrange both on a baking tray, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, toss lightly and add freshly ground pepper.

Step 5: Shove everything into the oven. Walk away for approx 20 mins. Return to toss and check that nothing is on fire. If okay, leave for another 20 minutes. Please note, that if you prefer a crunchier carrot, put your carrots in half way through cooking the chicken.

Step 6: About 5 minutes before dinner in the oven is done, add a bit of water to a heated pan and add the asparagus. Cover with a lid and leave for 3-5 minutes.

If the juices of the chicken run clear when you cut through and you can easily push a fork through the potatoes - it's ready to go! Serve up with a side salad and enjoy. x