Serves 4

3-4 lb Chicken
2 small lemons
freshly ground black pepper
salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Wash the chicken inside
and out with cold  water and remove any bits of fat hanging loose.
Thoroughly drain the bird, pat it dry all around with either a tea towel or
kitchen roll.

Sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper all over the chicken, inside
and out, rubbing it in with your fingers.

Wash the lemons in cold water and dry them as for the chicken. Soften each
one by rolling it back and forth on a counter top apply firm pressure with
the  palm of your hand. Puncture each lemon at least 20 times with a
cocktail stick,  trussing needle or similar pointed implement. Place both
lemons in the bird's cavity and close it up (both ends) using cocktail
sticks or trussing needle and  string. Close it well but not absolutely
airtight otherwise the chicken may well  explode! As it is the chicken will
puff up during cooking and makes for an  appealing presentation at the
table. Tie the two chicken legs together in their  normal position (do not
pull tight), this is only to prevent the thighs from  spreading and
splitting the skin.

Put the chicken into a roasting pan, breast side down. Do not add cooking
fat of any kind, it is self-basting and will not stick to the pan. Place
the pan in the upper third of the pre-heated oven. After 30 minutes turn
the chicken over so that it is breast up. Try not to puncture the skin as
you do this (don't worry if you do, it still tastes delicious even if it
does not puff up). Cook for a further 30 minutes and then, without touching
the chicken, turn the oven up to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and cook for
an additional 20 minutes or so. The bird should cook for 20-25 minutes per
pound so some slight adjustment may be needed in cooking times, judge it by
eye. Because of the basting effect of the lemons the bird will not dry out
so err on the side of caution and cook a little longer if you are in doubt.

When the bird is ready place it on a platter and bring it to the table
whole before carving there. Leave the lemons inside while carving. The pan
juices and any liquid that runs out as the bird is being carved form a
wonderful sauce. Any leftovers are delicious cold, especially if kept moist
with some of the cooking juices, served at room temperature (not straight
out of the refrigerator).

Comment: It is difficult to believe how a dish so simple, so easy and so
foolproof can taste so exquisite. However once you have tasted it you
*will* believe. This is so simple (and cheap) that you can use it for your
Sunday roast  (but do not try to cook anything else in the same pan as the
chicken). This  recipe will give flavour to almost any old chicken but for
best results try to use a good free-range chicken.