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Roasted chicken with herb jus

1 medium organic onion, sliced

1 large organic carrot, slices

4 1/2 pound organic, free-range chicken

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 thyme sprigs

2 rosemary sprigs

1 organic lemon, halved

2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 1 tablespoon softened, 1 tablespoon chilled

1/2 cup chicken stock, homemade

1/2 cup dry red wine

Preheat the oven to 450^o.

In a medium roasting pan, arrange the onion and carrot slices in an even layer. Season the cavity of the chicken with the sea salt and pepper and stuff it with the thyme and rosemary sprigs and the lemon.  Truss the chicken with cotton twine. Rub 1 tablespoon of butter all over the chicken and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Set the chicken on the rack, breast side up and roast for 15 minutes.

Combine the stock and wine in a small bowl.  Base the chicken with the stock and wine mixture and continue roasting for 20 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 350^o and continue basting every 15 minutes.  The chicken is done when the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 165^o.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes.  While the chicken is resting, remove the rack from the roasting pan.  Set the pan over 2 burners on moderate heat.  Pour any remaining basting mixture into the pan and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Strain the pan juices into a small saucepan.  Skim off the fat and bring the jus to a simmer.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the 1 tablespoon of butter until blended.  Taste for seasoning.

Carve the chicken and serve on a warm platter with the herb jus.