Lunch in town

Dinner
Pot-roast chicken
Lettuce risotto

Recipes:

POT-ROAST CHICKEN
One 4-lb. chicken
1 large onion, sliced
2 large carrots, cut into chunks
1 large potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 a bulb of fennel, sliced
3 or 4 sprigs of thyme, whole
2 small bay leaves
1 Tbs. butter
half a glass of white wine
half a glass of water
1/2 tsp. salt
several grinds of black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the chicken in a deep roasting dish with a lid. Surround it with the vegetables and herbs. Rub it with the butter. Pour wine and water over it, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake 1 hour, covered. Baste well with juices. Continue baking 45 to 90 minutes, uncovered, until juices run clear, chicken is well browned, and vegetables are done.

LETTUCE RISOTTO
Another delicious HFW brainwave. Very useful indeed for all the tough, bolted winter lettuce and arugula we're currently cleaning out of the garden.

5 to 6 c. vegetable or chicken stock
2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped small
1 clove garlic, minced
350 g Arborio rice
several green onions, white and green parts, chopped into one-inch lengths
A large (salad-spinner-sized) bowlful of leaf lettuce, arugula, and mache leaves, shredded
1/4 c. white wine
1 Tbs. butter
1/4 to 1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat the stock on low in a saucepan, or for a few minutes in the microwave. If you do the latter, you'll need to reheat it periodically to make sure it stays hot.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a stockpot or very large deep skillet. Add the onion and cook on medium heat until soft. Add garlic and heat for an additional minute. Add the rice and green onion and stir to coat evenly with oil.
Pour in a ladleful of hot stock and stir constantly until the rice absorbs it. Repeat this process over and over until the rice is almost done but still a little chalky in the middle.
Add the lettuce. It will seem like too much, but stir a while and it'll soften up and blend in. Add the remaining stock and the wine, ladle by ladle, until the lettuce and rice are soft and the stock is absorbed.
Remove from heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan.