French Cooking: Poulet Rôtie

It was Henry the IV who said there should be a chicken in everyone’s pot in France on Sunday. Well, my in-laws took this to heart and it was a tradition to have a roasted chicken every Sunday in their house in Toulouse, France. When we visited, we could smell the garlic, livers, and gizzards sautéing in oil. My mother-in-law (now 98 yrs. old and in a nursing home) got up each Sunday morning and started the preparation for the feast. She insisted on a chicken from the Gers, the best in France. I watched her sauté the liver, heart and gizzards in oil and then add the garlic and finally the olives. What an aroma! Then she stuffed all these goodies into the cavity of the chicken, tied it up and brushed it with a bit of oil. I have repeated this recipe many times and it never fails to be a success! This week’s offering is my mother-in-law’s super recipe for a roasted chicken Southwest France style!    Poulet Rôtie à la ma belle-mèreMy Mother-in-law’s Roasted chickenFor 4 personsCooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes   1 4 lb. chicken, with innards (heart, gizzard, and liver)* 3 tbsp. oil 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced 16 green olives, whole (keep pits for flavour) salt and pepper, to taste *can be bought separately at the store; freeze remaining for another chicken Preheat oven to 350. In a small pan, heat the oil ( 2 tbsp) and sauté the heart, gizzard (cut in three) and the liver for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the green olives; cook over low heat for 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.  Stuff this mixture into the cavity of the whole chicken. Tie the chicken with string to secure for cooking. Place into a roasting pan. Brush the chicken with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 hour and 20 minuyes, basting occasionally.  This is a juicy and savoury chicken……..served with the juices and stuffing (gizzard, olives, garlic, liver, etc.) in a bowl on the side.   Et voilà! April Paute moved to France over 10 years ago with her husband Jean Michel and 2 Siamese cats. Armed with only a dictionary and hand signals, she took on the challenge of requesting the local boucher decapitate a chicken for her. After living in Paris and Antibes, April & co. have settled in Toulouse, where she draws inspiration from her herb garden.