Save the Sunday Supper

Too many of us think of Sunday supper as something out of the past. We can picture Aunt Bea telling Andy and Opie to wash up before they sit down at the table; it’s harder, for some of us, to get as clear a picture of our own family traditions.

It’s easy enough to start a Sunday-supper ritual. You don’t have to spend your day of rest working up a sweat in the kitchen either. This Sunday-supper menu, for instance, is just mashed potatoes and a roast chicken that practically cooks itself. For dessert, there are individual citrus custards that will take only 20 minutes of your time on Sunday morning.

Menu

Garlic-and-Herb-Roasted Chicken

With Turnips and Carrots

Whipped Potatoes

Citrus Baked Custard

*

Beverages

Light red wine such as Pinot Noir or Merlot

Game Plan

* Morning of dinner or night before: Bake custard and put into refrigerator to chill. Make garlic-herb paste for chicken, put into small bowl, cover and refrigerate.

* About 90 minutes before: Remove garlic-herb paste from refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Remove chicken from refrigerator, rinse well, dry and set aside.

* One hour before: Roast chicken with carrots and turnips. Make whipped potatoes, keep warm.

Staples Salt, pepper Olive oil 1 head garlic Dry white wine, at least 1/2 cup Vanilla Sugar 4 eggs Grand Marnier, at least 1 tablespoon

Shopping List 1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken 1 bunch fresh rosemary 1 bunch fresh thyme 2 lemons 2 pounds small turnips 1 pound carrots 4 russet potatoes 1 stick butter 1 pint half and half Fresh orange juice, at least 3/4 cup

GARLIC-AND-HERB ROASTED CHICKEN WITH TURNIPS AND CARROTS 1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken 3 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary 3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme Salt, pepper 6 to 8 large cloves garlic 1 lemon, halved 8 small turnips 6 carrots 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup dry white wine Carefully wash chicken. Dry with paper towels. Set aside. Combine 2 tablespoons rosemary, 2 tablespoons thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 4 cloves garlic in food processor. Process few seconds until thoroughly combined into paste. Rub paste all over outside of chicken. Place chicken in roasting pan. Stuff chicken cavity with remaining 1 tablespoon rosemary, 1 tablespoon thyme, 2 to 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and halved lemon. Peel and quarter turnips and place in roasting pan. Peel carrots and cut into 1-inch slices. Add to roasting pan. Pour olive oil and white wine over vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees, basting chicken and vegetables every 15 minutes, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with knife, about 1 hour. * Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains about: 620 calories; 391 mg sodium; 130 mg cholesterol; 37 grams fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 36 grams protein; 3.77 grams fiber.

WHIPPED POTATOES 4 baking potatoes 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup half and half Salt, pepper Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch slices. Boil in pot of salted water until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and transfer potatoes to mixing bowl. Add butter and half and half. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whip with electric beater until very smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. * Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains about: 229 calories; 210 mg sodium; 42 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.49 gram fiber.

CITRUS BAKED CUSTARD 3/4 cup orange juice 1 1/2 cups half and half 2 eggs 2 egg yolks 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier Combine orange juice, half and half, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and Grand Marnier in blender. Puree just until well mixed. Pour into 4 (6-ounce) custard cups. Place baking pan big enough to hold all custard cups on middle oven rack. Place custard cups inside larger pan, slide rack into oven and fill pan with 1 inch boiling water. Place on middle oven rack and bake at 325 degrees just until set, about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve chilled. * Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains about: 311 calories; 73 mg sodium; 276 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.05 gram fiber. (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Kitchen Tip * Custards are cooked in a water bath--classically referred to as a bain marie --to encourage gradual heating and even cooking. Heated too quickly, custards will be tough on the outside and underdone on the inside. It’s easiest if you place a large pan on the oven rack, place the filled custard cups in the pan, then add boiling water to the pan and cook according to recipe instructions.