ThinkProof Cooking^TM
Roast Chicken Meal: Meal Guide

A. Menu

Type	Formal/Informal Meal
Food	Roast Chicken
Booze	Medium-dry white wine
Serves	Four diners; Starting 8.00pm
Sources	None
Note	You need two ovens for this one

B. Ingredients Checklist

Stuff to have or buy:

*Ingredient*	*Already have*	*To buy*
Onion (four; small)
Sweet potatoes (350g/120z)
Potatoes (650g/23oz; medium-sized)
Garlic cloves (ten)
Parsnips (350g/12oz)
Carrots (400g/14oz)
Gravy granules (c.4 heaped teaspoons)
Stuffing (115g/4oz; any type of chicken stuffing e.g. sausagemeat)
Thyme (one teaspoon; dried)
Rosemary (small sprig or 1tsp)
Salt and black pepper
Whole chicken (c.1.8kg/4lb)
Olive oil (120ml/4fl. oz)
Medium-dry white wine

C. Pre-Preparation

When?: Timeline minus c.two hours (e.g. c.4.00pm)

How long?: Pre-preparation takes about 1 minute

Ö
	1	Put wine in fridge

D. Preparation

When?: Timeline minus c.twenty minutes (e.g. c.5.20pm)

How long?: Preparation takes about 15 minutes

Timeline Preparation

Ö
	1	Get cooking implements ready:	One large roasting tin for vegetables; One roasting tin for chicken; One large saucepan for par-boiling potatoes; One steamer for cooking carrots; Large bowl for stuffing; Jug for gravy; Spoon or spatula for turning roast vegetables
	2	Get serving implements ready:	One serving plate for chicken; One large serving bowl for vegetables; Colander for draining vegetables; Two serving spoons
	3	Get eating implements ready:	Large plates; Wine glasses; Cutlery
	4	Make sure ingredients are all to hand:	Vegetables; Chicken; Herbs
	5	Get changed for dinner

E. TimeLine Cooking^TM

Ö	*Abs*	*Rel*	*Your*
	5.45	0		Turn main oven on to 190^oC/375^oF/Gas Mark 5
	5.46	+1		Peel ten garlic cloves
	5.50	+5		Place large sheet of foil into chicken baking tray, shiny side up; Place chicken in baking tray
	5.52	+7		Smear chicken all over with cooking oil; Wash hands
	5.55	+10		Sprinkle chicken with dried thyme; Place five garlic cloves on chicken; One grind of black pepper over chicken
	5.58	+13		Wrap chicken tightly in foil
	6.00	+15		Place chicken and tray in oven
	6.02	+17		Wash the potatoes; cut any larger ones in half or quarters
	6.08	+23		Peel parsnips; Cut off both top and tail of parsnip; Remove some of "wooden" core at top of parsnip; Slice parsnips into quarters (or six/eight pieces for large parsnips)
	6.15	+30		Peel sweet potatoes; Cut into chunks (c. ½" x 1")
	6.20	+35		Scrub carrots; Cut into batons (four for small carrots; eight/ten for large carrots)
	6.27	+42		Remove inedible outer layers from onions
	6.37	+52		Put 3 pints (1½l) fresh water on to boil in saucepan
	6.48	+63		Turn secondary oven on to 190^oC/375^oF/Gas Mark 5
	6.54	+69		Place potatoes into boiling water in saucepan
	7.00	+75		Place roasting tray with oil into oven
	7.08	+83		Drain potatoes in colander; Shake potatoes gently to wear down edges (this will make them crisper)
	7.09	+84		Take roasting tray from oven, and place on top of oven with at least two medium-heat rings under tray to keep oil hot
	7.10	+85		Very carefully add potatoes to hot oil, turning each one to give it a good coating of oil; Watch out for oil spits
	7.12	+87		Add the other vegetables to the hot oil in the roasting tray: parsnips, sweet potatoes, garlic and onion (all are raw at this stage); Again, turn each one to coat it in oil
	7.13	+88		Sprinkle a little rosemary onto vegetables; Sprinkle a little salt and pepper if you wish
	7.14	+89		Put roasting tray back in oven; Turn off rings on top of oven
	7.15	+90		Boil water for stuffing: Pour 115g (4oz) stuffing mix into bowl
	7.18	+93		Pour 225ml (½ pt) boiling water onto stuffing and leave
	7.30	+105		Form stuffing into eight balls
	7.33	+108		Take chicken from oven: Open foil out and fold back; Place stuffing balls alongside chicken; Return to oven
	7.36	+111		Turn main (chicken) oven up to 220^oC/425^oF/Gas Mark 7
	7.39	+114		Carefully turn over vegetables in roasting tray
	7.45	+120		Fill steamer base with a little water; Set to boil
	7.50	+125		Put carrots to cook in steamer
	7.51	+126		Boil water for gravy
	7.52	+127		Put 4 heaped teaspoons of gravy granules in a jug
	7.54	+129		Check chicken is cooked (e.g. pierce centre of chicken meat to ensure juices run clear (if not, keep cooking)); Assuming all is OK, remove from oven and leave to stand
	7.55	+130		Pour 225ml (½ pt) boiling water onto gravy granules and stir
	7.56	+131		Carve turkey onto plates
	7.59	+134		Remove roast vegetables from oven; Place into serving bowl
	8.00	+135		Serve