TOTAL TIME
1 hour 35 mins

Ingredients
4 cups chopped root vegetables and/or winter squash*
White and light green parts of one bunch of scallions (about 8), sliced (reserve the dark green parts for the pesto)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 4-pound chicken
1 tablespoon melted ghee or avocado oil
1½ teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2-3 lemons or limes, halved

Directions

1. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you plan to cook it. Preheat the oven to 450° F.
2. Put the chopped vegetables in a lightly greased 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet and top with the sliced white and light green scallions, reserving the darker green parts for the pesto.
3. Mix the melted ghee, sea salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
4. Remove the giblets from the chicken and save for another use or discard. Pat the chicken dry and rub the seasoned ghee all over it, carefully loosening the skin a bit on the breast and thighs and slipping some ghee under there, too. Stuff the halved lemons inside the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine, place the chicken breast side up on top of the vegetables, and tuck the wings underneath.
5. Roast the chicken at 450° F for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400° and continue to roast for 30-40 more minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°. While the chicken is roasting, prepare the pesto (see recipe below).
6. Carefully transfer the chicken to a cutting board (I put the handle of a wooden spoon inside the cavity to help pick up the chicken and move it) and let it rest for 10 minutes. If desired, drain any excess fat from the pan with the vegetables, season them with a little salt and pepper, and return them to the oven (which should be off) to keep warm.
7. Carve the chicken and serve hot with the vegetables and pesto.

NOTES
*I used 2 turnips, 2 small sweet potatoes, and half a butternut squash. Carrots, rutabagas, butternut squash, and white potatoes would also be great!


You can make this roast chicken even simpler by omitting the vegetables. The roasting time may be slightly less.


Carrot-top Kale Pesto

Ingredients
1.5 cups lightly packed carrot tops (tough stems removed), coarsely chopped*
Dark green parts of 1 bunch scallions (about 8), chopped
2 large (or 4 small) kale leaves (stems removed), torn into pieces
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
⅓ cup toasted pine nuts (or almonds)**
1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Make sure the carrot tops, scallions, and kale have been thoroughly washed and dried (I put them all in my salad spinner, rinse them a couple of times, and then spin them dry.)
2. Put the greens, ½ cup of olive oil, and ½ teaspoon sea salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for a minute or so until well combined.
3. Add the pine nuts and 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and pulse a few more times until the nuts are incorporated. If you'd like a thinner pesto, add more olive oil in a slow, steady stream with the food processor running (I like to add 3-4 tablespoons).
4. Taste the pesto and add salt, lemon juice, and/or freshly ground black pepper if desired.

NOTES

*If you don't have carrot tops, you can substitute basil and/or cilantro.


**To toast pine nuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium-low to medium heat and toss frequently until they're lightly browned (3-5 minutes). Don't turn your back on them, and take them off the heat right away once they're golden.


Extra pesto will keep in the fridge for a few days. Put it in a bowl or jar, smooth out the top, and pour a thin layer of olive oil on to protect it from the air.


I've also frozen this pesto (but only for two weeks because I was so excited to use it in a pesto frittata). I scooped tablespoons of it onto a parchment-lined plate, put the plate in the freezer until the pesto dollops were frozen, and then transferred them into a zip-top bag. I defrosted the pesto in the microwave. The frittata came out great!