Roast chicken with fall vegetables

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Remove giblets from chickens and discard. Place chickens in a shallow roasting pan large enough to hold both chickens and vegetables, or use 2 pans. Wash basil under cold running water to remove any sand. Strip off leaves. To prevent browning, roll leaves in a paper towel and set aside. Place stems and onion quarters inside chickens. Squeeze lemon juice over chickens, and tuck a lemon half inside each.

• Slice off dark green portion of leeks, leaving pale green-and-white portion intact. Slice in half lengthwise. To wash away sand, fan layers under cold running water. Peel squash and seed. Seed peppers. Cut squash, peppers and carrots into 2 inch (5 cm) pieces.

• Scatter squash, carrots and potatoes around chickens. Roast in centre of preheated 375F (190C) oven for 35 minutes. Stir vegetables and baste chickens. Then, scatter leeks and peppers around chickens. Lightly sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper. Continue roasting, basting 2 or 3 times and stirring vegetables until chickens are golden, about 35 more minutes.

• Remove chickens to a large serving platter. Discard onion, lemon and basil stems. Remove basil leaves from paper towel. Shred and stir into vegetables. Pile roasted vegetables around chickens and serve. Chicken will keep well, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.