Chicken With Lemon And Ramps

Ingredients

• 1 chicken
• about 3 pounds
• 1 lemon
• 10 ramps
• 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Dry chicken with paper towels.
2. Cut off and discard wing tips.
3. Cut two wedges into each end of the lemon in a cross shape, deep enough to expose the tiniest bit of the fruit.
4. Wrap ramps around lemon, using the grooves of the cross-cut to secure them.
5. Tie on with kitchen twine.
6. Rub lemon with about 1/2 teaspoon shortening, and season it well with salt.
7. Stuff lemon in the cavity of the chicken.
8. Truss chicken, and rub with remaining vegetable shortening.
9. Season liberally with salt, then press pepper all over skin.
10. Refrigerate overnight or for up to 24 hours.
11. Remove chicken from the refrigerator, and preheat oven to 450 degrees.
12. Roast chicken for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until juices run clear when pricked with a knife.
13. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving.