Lemon, rosemary garlic roasted chicken

I love love love this dish, its so simple and real soul food to me. Perfect for a Sunday dinner both in winter and summer. I usually serve this with roasted veggies and or sweet potatoes (parsnip, pumpkin, red paprika/capsicum, carrots, mushrooms, onions. I simple shop the veg into fairly large chunks and let them sit in the oven along with the chicken for about 40-50 mins, in 180 degrees C.

All you need for the chicken is:

1 bio/eco/organic chicken
6-8 garlic cloves
3 bio lemons
5 sticks of fresh (or defrosted) rosemary
salt
pepper
1 dl extra virgin olive oil

You also need a mortar & pestle.

1. Set your oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Wash your lemons, yepp wash (I even use soap)
3. Slice the lemons in thin slices of approx 6mm diameter.
4. Rinse the rosemary sticks in hot water, this releases more of their flavor. Place them in the mortar.
5. Place the garlic in the mortar along with the rosemary. Crush both these with the pestle. This to mash together the rosemary and garlic. it need not become a paste, only a mixing of flavors.
6. Add salt & pepper (don't be shy with this as this is the seasoning for the outer layer of the chicken.
7. Add the olive oil, mash a bit more, so as to mix all the ingredients.

8. Now place the ends of the lemons into the carcass of the chicken. Along with a spoon of the mashed garlic, and 2/3 sticks of rosemary from the mortar mix.
9. Rub the rest of the garlic, rosemary oil mix onto the chicken, including the bottom, legs, wings etc.
10. Slice 2 little openings into the side of the chicken that joins it's leg, place a slice of lemon in each of the openings.

11. Lift off the bread skin of the chicken, stick 2 sticks or rosemary into each breast pocket, then slide in 2 slices of lemon on each side.

12. Tuck another 2 slices of lemon under the wings of the chicken.
13. Stuff the rest of the lemon slices into the chicken carcass as well as any remaining rosemary sticks.

The chicken needs to cook till golden. Allow it to rest for a few minutes before cutting into it. The juices that are left under the chicken is amazing to use a a gravy on top of your roasted veggies or roasted potato wedges, coucous, rice etc.