Marcella Hazan's Chicken and Two Lemons

<p>Preheat oven to 350&deg;F.<br />
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Remove giblets.&nbsp; Wash chicken thoroughly in cold water, both inside and out.&nbsp; Remove all the bits of fat hanging loose.&nbsp; Let the bird sit for about 10 minutes on a slightly tilted plate to let all the water drain out of it.&nbsp; Pat it thoroughly dry all over with cloth or paper towels.<br />
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Sprinkle a generous amount of salt and black pepper on the chicken, rubbing it with your fingers over all its body and into its cavity.<br />
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Wash the lemons in cold water and dry them with a towel.&nbsp; Soften each lemon by placing it on a counter and rolling it back and forth as you put firm downward pressure on it with the palm of your hand.&nbsp; Puncture the lemons in at least 20 places each, using a sturdy round toothpick, a trussing needle, a sharp-pointed fork, or similar implement.<br />
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Place both lemons in the birds cavity.&nbsp; Close up the opening with toothpicks or with trussing needle and string.&nbsp; Close it well, but dont make an absolutely airtight job of it because the chicken may burst.&nbsp; Run kitchen string from one leg to the other, tying it at both knuckle ends. Leave the legs in their natural position without pulling them tight.&nbsp; If the skin is unbroken, the chicken will puff up as it cooks, and the string serves only to keep the thighs from spreading apart and splitting the skin.<br />
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Put the chicken into a roasting pan, breast facing down.&nbsp; Arrange the carrots and potatoes around it. Do not add cooking fat of any kind.&nbsp; This bird is self-basting, so you need not fear it will stick to the pan. Place it in the upper third of the preheated oven.&nbsp; After 30 minutes, stir the carrots and potatoes and turn the chicken over to have the breast face up.&nbsp; When turning it, try not to puncture the skin.&nbsp; If kept intact, the chicken will swell like a balloon, which makes for an arresting presentation at the table later.&nbsp; Do not worry too much about it, however, because even if it fails to swell, the flavor will not be affected.<br />
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Cook for 30 to 35 minutes more, then turn the oven thermostat up to 400&deg;F.&nbsp; Stir the potatoes and carrots again, ensuring they are covered with the chicken juice, and cook for 20 minutes more.&nbsp; Calculate between 20 and 25 minutes total cooking time for each pound.&nbsp; There is no need to turn the chicken again.<br />
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Whether your bird has puffed up or not, bring it to the table whole and leave the lemons inside until it is carved and opened.&nbsp; The juices that run out are perfectly delicious.&nbsp; Be sure to spoon them over the chicken slices.&nbsp; The lemons will have shriveled up, but they still contain some juice; do not squeeze them, they may squirt.</p>
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<p>I have tried this recipe successfully with a 6 pound chicken.</p>