A Sunday Kind of Love: Roast Chicken, Mashed Parsnips and Southern Collard Greens

A Sunday Kind of Love: Roast Chicken; Mashed Parsnips and Fingerling Potatoes; and Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey. Served with a bottle of Viognier
A Sunday Kind of Love: Roast Chicken; Mashed Parsnips and Fingerling Potatoes; and Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey. Served with a bottle of Viognier

“… I don’t want a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, or Thursday, Friday or Saturday
Oh nothing but Sunday oh yea
I want a Sunday Sunday
I want a Sunday kind of love
Oh yea
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday kind of loooove.”

– The Etta James version, A Sunday Kind of Love

Etta James spoke to me on a Thursday. It’s when the weather report foretold of showers and thunderstorms all of Sunday. Knowing the temperature to be indecisive at this time of year, I opted for a slightly Southern comfort dinner of Roast Herbal Chicken; Creamy Mashed Parsnips and Fingerling Potatoes; and Southern Collard Greens.

The greens. They’re Southern, unlike their healthier cousin, the quick stir-fried Brazilian Greens. These are slowly simmered, giving up the nutrients to yield to a tender sweet and sour taste. Go easy on the vinegar, some people like plenty and some like less of it. Quite a few country purists might say these aren’t Southern Greens, because smoked turkey was used in place of a pig’s foot. Whatever.

The mash parsnips and fingerling potatoes. Yes, use cream instead of milk, and use butter instead of olive oil. Today is a comfortable day to rejoice in butter. The parsnips sweetens the dish.

The wine. A Viognier. Worth the extra dollar than the Viognier and Chardonnay blend that is normally purchased with a comfortable ease. The experimental bottle was brown bagged for the evening’s dinner. Love a risk that turns out well.

The roast chicken. Yea, butter was used instead of olive oil. It’s been a while, but I can digress just this once. It’s my day. So be it. It’s raining a Sunday Kind of Loooove.

Roast Chicken and Root Vegetables with Herbal Butter

Roast Chicken and Vegetables with Herbal Butter
Roast Chicken and Vegetables with Herbal Butter

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cleaned and patted dry, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 lb. of assorted root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and so forth); cleaned and peeled, cut into 1 to 2 inch chunks
3 to 5 celery sticks, ends trimmed, cut into 2 inch pieces
The juice of one lemon
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup of sage, chopped
1 rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 stick butter, room temperature
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. In a bowl, mix lemon juice, garlic, sage, rosemary, butter, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, wine, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper together to make a herbal butter. Divide in thirds.

3. Massage chicken with first third of the herbal butter mixture.

4. In a large roasting pan, mix the vegetables with the second third of the herbal butter mixture. Stuff a few of the vegetables inside the chicken’s cavity. Tie the legs with twine.

5. Place the chicken breast side down over the vegetables. Place in the oven and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the bird.

6. After 20 to 30 minutes, flip the bird over and baste with the last third of the herbal butter mixture. Reduce oven temperature ot 350 degrees F.

7. Continue roasting for 45 minutes to 1 hours, until the chicken is done.

8. Turning the oven off, open the door partially. Let the chicken rest for 20 minutes.

9. Either present a whole chicken to guests or cut into parts to place on a plate.

10. Enjoy.

Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey
Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

Ingredients
2 bunches of collard greens; cleaned 3 times, ribs removed, and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 large smoked turkey wing or leg; meat and skin roughly chopped, discard bones
balsamic vinegar, to taste
1 tbsp. white or brown sugar, to taste
crushed red pepper, to taste
chicken stock, enough to cover the greens

Directions
1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent.

2. Add smoked turkey meat and stir until heated thoroughly.

3. Add collard greens, chicken stock, sugar, crushed red pepper, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover and bring pot to a boil.

4. Reduce temperature to bring pot to a simmer. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

5. Continue simmering for 20 to 30 minutes until desired tenderness.

6. Enjoy.

Creamy Mashed Parsnips and Fingerling Potatoes

Creamy Mash Parsnips and Fingerling Potatoes
Creamy Mash Parsnips and Fingerling Potatoes

Ingredients
1/2 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 to 2 inch chunks
1/2 lb. parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 to 2 inch chunks
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup cream, heated
2 oz. butter, room temperature
Garnish: Italian Parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Add bay leaves, potatoes, and parsnips to a pot and cover with water. Add salt. Cover and bring the pot to a boil. Removing the lid, reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.

2. Drain vegetables and discard bay leaves. Working quickly, add salt, pepper, cooked vegetables and butter to a bowl. Mashed the vegetables until partially creamy. Add cream and continue mashing. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.

3. Garnish with parsley and keep warm until ready to serve.

The Wine: Viognier by Nord Sud

Viognier by Nord Sud
Viognier by Nord Sud

Enjoy chilled with your Sunday dinner.

6 thoughts on “A Sunday Kind of Love: Roast Chicken, Mashed Parsnips and Southern Collard Greens

  • May 5, 2014 at 10:20 pm
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    rechargeable hookah pen A Sunday Kind of Love: Roast Chicken, Mashed Parsnips and Southern Collard Greens | My Life Runs On Food

  • May 19, 2010 at 4:41 pm
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    Love that song and your meal even better! Hand me a plate please.

  • May 13, 2010 at 10:40 pm
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    I LOVE this meal and combination of yummy foods. And Viognier is one of my favorite wines…The parsnips are a great root veggie to use as a healthier choice for traditional mashed potatoes. Thanks much for posting this wonderful meal and recipes.

  • May 13, 2010 at 8:58 am
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    It’s been raining for 3 days straight – I could use a bit of Southern comfort! The roast chicken looks divine but it’s the mashed parsnips and fingerling potatoes that I’m craving. I’ve only just been converted to the wonderful flavor of parsnip and am now looking for ways to use them. Thank you!

  • May 12, 2010 at 10:38 pm
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    Quite, honestly… in all my dishes, the measurement of spices are estimated. Hence, the “to taste” copy added next to the flavors. And, the herbs used in this dish are fresh. Thanks for visiting!

  • May 12, 2010 at 6:30 pm
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    Hey Sanura, this is my kind of meal! I love roasted chicken, and I grew up on collard greens. I actually have a tiny, little organic chicken in the fridge. I’m going to review your spices a bit more closely…

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