simple roast chicken

Sometimes considered the measure of a cook's mastery of the basics, a good roast chicken. This is a simple method adapted from Thomas Keller's Bouchon cookbook. He serves it with French green lentils, pearl onions, button mushrooms, bacon lardons, and sauce Chasseur (hunter-style sauce of mushrooms, shallots, and wine) . . . probably none of which are necessary.

1. Start with a chicken that weighs between 2 and 3 pounds. Rinse it really well under cold water, and dry it thoroughly (inside and out) or it'll end up steaming instead of roasting. Salt the inside and outside with a good amount of coarse sea salt and black pepper.
2. Heat the oven to 450F; meanwhile, truss the bird:

3. Place the chicken into a shallow roasting pan, then into the oven:

4. Close the oven door, and don't open it for 50 minutes.

5. 10 minutes before the chicken is done, chop a bunch of fresh thyme:

6. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, tilt it so the juice collects in one corner, and let the thyme wilt in the juice. Spoon it over the bird continuously for about 10 minutes:

7. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Pull it apart with your fingers. Eat the wings first. Look for the two "oysters" on either side of the backbone as you pull the thighs away. Plate it.