ROAST CHICKEN: cheep, cheep - cheap/ The humble fowl dresses up for

Too bad more cooks don't know how little work it takes to roast a chicken. How delicious that juicy meat is under that oh-so-crisp skin. And how cheap it is to prepare.

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal, comparing the costs of some home-cooked dishes with restaurant versions, concluded that novice cooks often end up spending more money when making their own dishes. A homemade blueberry pie cost more than $30; a Halibut with Maple-Nut Crust, more than $27 per serving.

But the dishes were loaded with out-of-season and "designer" ingredients.

If they'd chosen chicken roasted with in-season vegetables, they could have had an entree and side dish fit for company for about $2.50 per person. Buy the bird on sale, and it can be even less.

"You couldn't get out of McDonald's for what it costs to roast a chicken," says Sally Sampson, author of "The $50 Dinner Party" (Simon & Schuster, $14). "Roast chicken speaks of home and comfort. It's like a simple black dress: You can dress it up or down."

To doll it up, she likes to roast two chickens surrounded with apple wedges and piles of assorted vegetables. As the chickens roast, the fruit and veggies caramelize to a sweet, golden brown in luscious pan juices. A coating of olive oil, dried sage and coarse salt rounds out the flavor profile.

Most recipes suggest a roasting time of about one hour, but the actual "work" time is about 10 minutes. Once the bird is in the oven, the cook is free. No basting or supervision is required. It's so easy, even a beginner cook can produce a work of art.

"There's nothing to screw up," Sampson says. "And, basically I'm lazy. This is a rustic dish, so I serve it right from the roasting pan. Friends and family attack the bottom of the pan with bread, soaking up juices and brown, crunchy bits."

But it's not just practical home cooks who love roasted chicken. Hoity-toity restaurants value them, too. Eric Ripert, chef and partner at Le Bernardin restaurant in New York City and author of "A Return to Cooking" (Artisan, $50), says you don't have to use expensive ingredients to make a great roast chicken.

Although his Roasted Chicken with Poached Egg, Asparagus and Truffle Jus calls for some high-ticket truffle juice to flavor the broth, he says you can leave it out. Use the same basic technique and it will still be delectable.

"I stuff chicken with day-old French bread along with garlic, herbs and butter," says Ripert, whose restaurant has been rated among the top five in Zagat's "Best in New York" category for years. "The bread keeps the chicken moist; it steams from the inside. After it roasts, the bread is delicious, too. It's a country trick."

Not only is roasted chicken terrific straight from the oven, it's great eaten cold as leftovers - another economical aspect of this dish, Sampson says. She suggests putting an extra chicken in the oven when you're roasting one for that day's meal.

"Leftover roast chicken in the refrigerator is great for snacks or lunches," she says.

Ripert says home cooks also can save money by buying produce that's in season. Spring is a great time to find good buys on the asparagus specified in his recipe.

But green beans, snow peas or sugar snap peas also would be scrumptious.

"The poached eggs could be optional, but they are really wonderful," he says. "The yolk enriches the sauce and enhances the chicken."

With or without those runny yolks, roast chicken reigns supreme in cuisine economique. In these penny-pinching times, it's comforting to know that home-style roast chicken may cost less than a boutique coffee concoction.

And we haven't even touched on making soup from the bones.

CONTACT THE WRITER: (800) 722-0070 or cthomas@freedom.com

That's the rub

Before roasting a chicken, some cooks like to use a rub or flavored butter to add zing to it. Some rub it inside the cavity and on the surface of the skin; others like to loosen the skin and rub between the flesh and skin. Here are some formulas:

Tom Douglas, chef-owner of Dahlia Lounge in Seattle, combines 3 tablespoons coarse salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme. He rubs it on a 3 1/2-pound bird, then refrigerates it, uncovered, eight hours before roasting. Source: Fine Cooking magazine, November 2001

Steven Raichlen (author of "Barbecue! Bible Sauces, Rubs and Marinades," Workman, $22.95), combines 1/4 cup each coarse salt (kosher or sea), dark brown sugar (packed) and paprika; 3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon each garlic powder and dried onion flakes; and 1/2 teaspoon each cayenne pepper and celery seeds. Lightly coat skin and cavity. Store extra in airtight container.

James McNair, author of "Chicken" (Chronicle, $10.95), suggests rubbing an herb-lemon-butter mixture under the skin. Combine 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, the minced zest (colored part of peel) of 2 lemons, 5 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons minced rosemary leaves and 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage or 2 teaspoons crumbled dry sage. Makes enough for two 3-pound chickens.

Tips for roasting chicken

A taste-test panel at Sunset magazine sampled a series of roasted chickens and came up with the following set of do's and don'ts:

Truss not. Tying chicken legs together blocks heat from penetrating the thighs' interior, which is the slowest part to cook.

V-shaped rack, please. Elevating the chicken on a V-rack allows heat to circulate for more even browning.

Thermometers are a bird's best friend:

The best way to determine doneness is to use a thermometer. It can be an instant-read thermometer or one that heats with the bird. Position it carefully. A chicken isn't the same temperature all over when it's cooked. For the breast, insert the thermometer through the thickest part of the meat to the bone (but not touching bone); for thighs, insert the thermometer parallel to thighbone through meat to hip joint (but not touching bone). It's done when the breast temperature is 170 degrees or thigh temperature is 180 degrees.

Ignore the juice colors. Conventional wisdom has it that chicken is done when juices at the thigh joint run clear. The color of the juices in any part of the bird is not a good indication of whether it's done. In the body cavity, the juices are usually pink; at the thigh joint, they are not always clear, even at 180 degrees when the meat is cooked.

Thigh panic. The thigh meat is almost always a little pink when you first cut into the joint, even when overcooked. However, if the thigh has reached 180 degrees, the meat will lose its rosy tint very quickly on contact with the air.

The wiggle test. Moving the leg to see how loose it is in the socket isn't a reliable test for doneness. It can indicate overcooking. If skin is nice and crisp, it will hinder movement; judging mobility is too subjective to be trustworthy.

Time out. To increase moistness, allow chicken to rest after roasting, uncovered, for about 15 minutes before carving.

Source: Sunset magazine, February 2001

BASIC ROAST CHICKEN WITH ROSEMARY Yield: 6 servings

This Basic Roast Chicken is fast and easy. If you don't have fresh rosemary, use fresh thyme. No fresh herbs? Use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs inside the bird, such as a mixture of thyme, oregano and ground fennel seeds.

7 branches fresh rosemary, divided 1 (3-pound) whole chicken Salt (preferably kosher), to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 cloves garlic, peeled 1/2 lemon 2 tablespoons olive oil

SAUCE: (optional)

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Chop enough rosemary to make about 1 tablespoon, reserving remaining branches. Position 4 rosemary branches in single layer in shallow roasting pan just big enough to hold the chicken.

2. Wash chicken, including the cavity, with cold water. Dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and pepper in cavity. Place garlic, chopped rosemary and lemon in cavity. Place chicken on top of rosemary branches in the baking pan. Drizzle olive oil over top of chicken. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Roast 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and roast 60 minutes more. To check for doneness, press drumstick - it should feel tender and move easily in the socket. Or test with an instant-read thermometer: Stick thermometer stem into thickest part of thigh, just beneath but not touching the bone, reaching all the way down to the joint. It should read between 170 and 175 degrees.

4. Allow chicken to rest at room temperature 5 minutes before carving into serving pieces.

5. Meanwhile, if desired, make sauce: Combine balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until brown sugar dissolves.

6. Cut chicken into serving pieces. Arrange on platter. If desired, drizzle with balsamic vinegar mixture. Garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Nutrition data per 3 1/2-ounce serving, with sauce: Calories 267 (55 percent from fat); 16.2 g fat (sat 3.9 g, mono 7.9 g, poly 2.9 g); protein 28 g; carbohydrates 1 g; fiber .05 g; cholesterol 87 mg; sodium 434 mg; calcium 16 mg.

Source: Cathy Thomas

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS Yield: 6 servings

Eric Ripert, chef and partner at Le Bernardin in New York City, likes to garnish this dish with warm poached eggs seasoned with gray sea salt. The eggs are optional, as is the pricey truffle juice in his original recipe.

2 (3-pound) chickens, giblets and necks removed Salt (preferably sea salt) and freshly ground white pepper, to taste 8 garlic cloves 4 sprigs fresh oregano 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks 6 (1-inch thick) slices day-old French bread 3 cups chicken broth 18 jumbo asparagus spears, trimmed, lower portion of stems peeled 6 extra-large eggs 1/4 cup sherry vinegar Coarse salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste 1/4 pound Parmesan cheese

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse chickens in cold water and pat dry, inside and out. Season cavities with salt and pepper; stuff with garlic, oregano, butter and bread. Make sure some of the bread covers the opening to prevent juices from running out of chicken during cooking. Season outside of chickens with salt and pepper.

2. Place on rack in roasting pan. Roast 45-60 minutes, basting at least 3 times with collected pan juices. To test for doneness, pierce thigh of one chicken with fork; when juices run clear, remove from oven and allow to rest at least 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in saucepan, bring broth to boil over medium-high heat. Boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.

4. Bring large pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat. Add asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Refresh with cold water and drain.

5. To poach eggs, bring 3 quarts salted water to simmer in deep skillet and add vinegar. Crack an egg into a small bowl. Create a small whirlpool in simmering water by stirring in a circular manner; gently drop egg into whirlpool and allow edges of white to curl around yolk. Repeat with remaining eggs, with each egg coming together before adding next. Cook until whites solidify, but yolks are still soft, about 1 1/2 minutes per egg. Remove each egg with slotted spoon and trim edges. If necessary, cook only 2-3 eggs at a time and transfer first batch to platter; they can be re-warmed in hot water just before serving.

6. To serve, gently reheat reduced broth. Remove bread from chickens and reserve. Carve each chicken into 6 pieces, then remove meat from breasts, legs and thighs and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange 6 asparagus spears in a ring around each of 6 warmed plates. Place chicken meat inside asparagus circles, dividing breast, leg and thigh meat evenly. Spoon broth over chicken meat. Top with reserved bread slice and place a poached egg on bread. Season eggs with salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Using a vegetable peeler, shave slices of Parmesan over each plate. Serve immediately.

Nutrition data per 8-ounce serving of chicken, plus asparagus, bread and poached egg: Calories 775 (44 percent from fat); 38.1 g fat (sat 16.6 g, mono 12.5 g, poly 5 g); protein 85 g; carbohydrates 18 g; fiber 1.84 g; cholesterol 460 mg; sodium 1,300 mg; calcium 308 mg.

Source: "A Return to Cooking," by Eric Ripert

GARLIC-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH PAN-ROASTED VEGETABLES Yield: 8 servings

This rustic chicken is best served right from the pan. You'll need to use a large-size "turkey-roasting" pan. Provide diners with wedges of rustic bread for dipping into the pan juices.

2 (4-pound) whole chickens, giblets and necks removed 6 large garlic cloves, peeled 8-12 shallots, peeled 6-8 peeled carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks 2 unpeeled baking potatoes, washed, dried, quartered 3 unpeeled apples, cored and quartered 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into chunks 1/4 cup olive oil 2 1/ 2 teaspoons dried, crumbled sage 1 tablespoon coarse salt, such as kosher

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse chickens in cold water and pat dry, inside and out. Place on roasting rack in large roasting pan.

2. Combine garlic, shallots, carrots, potatoes, apples and squash in large bowl. Add olive oil and toss to coat.

3. Mix sage and salt in small bowl; toss. Rub half of mixture inside and outside chickens. Add remaining sage mixture to vegetables and toss. Place vegetable mixture in roasting pan.

4. Roast about 60-70 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken breast reaches 165-170 degrees, or juices run clear and leg moves easily.

Nutrition data per 8-ounce serving, plus vegetables: Calories 742 (41 percent from fat); 34 g fat (sat 8.5 g, mono 15.5 g, poly 6.6 g); protein 67 g; carbohydrates 41 g; fiber 7.2 g; cholesterol 199 mg; sodium 1,014 mg; calcium 99 mg.

Source: "The $50 Dinner Party," by Sally Sampson

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