Week 4: Organic Free-Range Hormone & Antibiotic Free Roast Chicken Don't Come Cheap

Mid-week in week 4 I needed a treat, as if the meal at Shiro and my upcoming DineLA meal at Petrossian weren't going to be enough. Wanting to check out the new butcher shop in the 'hood, I headed over to McCall's in Los Feliz.

A beautiful little butchery shop run by a friendly couple right next door to Mexico City. Parking was not a problem mid-afternoon.

All their furnishings are done by Cellar Door Studios in DTLA. Cellar Door takes reclaimed pieces and models them into furniture, frames, shelving, etc. Beautifully.

    

I grabbed a pricey but beautiful Ken Dor chicken from McCall's, pulled out one of my new and as yet unused Le Creuset and my ancient Martha Stewart cookbook and set to roasting a bird on a cold rainy day. I don't really use Martha's recipe, I just use it as a reminder for cooking times. I have been peeking at this exact same recipe a few times a year since college.

Nathan from McCall's had suggested instead of roasting my veg separate I place them under the bird. I just happened to have some new potatoes in the fridge.

And quite a few sprouts left on a branch of Brussels sprouts.

I prepped lemons from my tree for filling the cavity, rosemary and garlic.

And as you can see, I stuffed the rosemary and garlic under the skin.  Please do not remind me that my bird is upside down.

Potatoes, Brussels sprouts, shallot and garlic with some looping drizzles of olive oil and sea salt.

After roasting, the veg came out nicely caramelized around the edges.

And the bird came out beautifully brown and roasted. Really, it was delicious and worth the spendy price.  I am ashamed at myself for roasting the bird upside down. I have cooked exactly this method dozens of times, cooked no less than half a dozen Thanksgiving gobblers, and never ever cooked my bird upside down. Sigh.