Spring has sprung here in Dover!  We even have enough daffodils blooming that I can start having fresh flowers in the house again.

I went out to Farmer Kim to pick up some freshly dug Jerusalem artichokes.  Getting fresh veggies again is making me so happy!

I have been waiting all winter for the Jerusalem artichokes to be ready so I could try Yotam Ottolenghi’s Roasted Chicken with Jerusalem Artichokes and Lemon. Lemon, saffron, herbs, garlic…mmmm! It was worth the wait!

We ate this with a light salad made with some of my home-grown mushrooms.  I love the flavor of my own mushrooms, I just never seem to get enough mushrooms to justify the cost of the mushroom kit. But check out the size of that mushroom, it is almost as big as the chicken thigh!

I do want to point out the other star of this dish – the shallots. Don’t skimp on the shallots, they are a real treat roasted in the lemon and seasonings.

I had to make a couple of adaptations due to my inability to get a few of the ingredients (Sadly, there was no tarragon to be found and I did not have pink peppercorns). I am including his full recipe here. This would work quite nicely for a Passover dinner.

Roasted Chicken with Jerusalem Artichokes and Lemon

from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem Cookbook

1 pound Jerusalem artichokes, peeled, cut into 2/3″ thick wedges (from Farmer Kim)
3 Tbsp lemon juice
8 chicken thighs, on the bone with skin on
12 banana or other large shallots, peeled, halved lengthways
12 large garlic cloves, sliced (from the garden)
1 medium lemon, cut in half lengthways and then into very thin slices
1 tsp saffron threads
3 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup cold water
1 tbsp pink peppercorns, slightly crushed
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbsp tarragon leaves, chopped
2 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

Directions

Put the Jerusalem artichokes in a medium saucepan, cover with plenty of water and add half the lemon juice.

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10–20 minutes, until tender but not soft. Drain and leave to cool.

Place the Jerusalem artichokes and all the remaining ingredients, excluding the remaining lemon juice and half of the tarragon, in a large mixing bowl and use your hands to mix everything together well.

Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight, or for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 475°F.

Arrange the chicken pieces, skin-side up, in the centre of a roasting tin and spread the remaining ingredients around the chicken. (I split mine into 2 roasting pans so as not to overcrowd the chicken)

Roast for 30 minutes.

Cover the tin with foil and cook for a further 15 minutes. At this point, the chicken should be completely cooked.

Remove from the oven and add the reserved tarragon and lemon juice. Stir well, taste and add more salt if needed. Serve at once, enjoy!

Serves 6 – 8.