Name: Feast for the Hobbits
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 795 min
Ingredients: 1 4-5 pound roasting chicken; 2 tbsp sea salt; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 10 fresh sage leaves (roughly chopped); 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened; 5 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 onion (quartered); salt and pepper (as needed); 2 tbsp all purpose flour; 2 cups chicken stock; 4 medium carrots (large dice); 2 pints crimini mushrooms; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 large red onion (large dice)

Hobbit Day Dinner Feast

It’s been one of my dreams to attend one of the evening banquet tours in the Hobbiton movie set in Matamata, New Zealand. I’m sure it’s every fan’s dream to visit Hobbiton and to actually have dinner in the Green Dragon Inn. Once September came around and my mind started churning ideas for Hobbit Day, I’ve been obsessing over photos and videos from people’s trip to of the tour and banquet. If you’re ever in the area, I feel it’s a must to have dinner there! Find more information here about the banquet feast.

A Hobbit’s diet is quite simple. They eat what they can grow and harvest which means their diet is quite simple. It’s full of roasts, vegetables, and herbs that are cooked to perfection. For this feast, I wanted to keep the menu simple with items that are easily shared and that can cooked in big batches. I’ll be posting recipes throughout the week, which some are actually repeats from posts I made a while ago (including seed cakes and apple tarts). I always have a lot of fun creating recipes from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and I hope you all enjoy it as well.

A Feast Fit For a Hobbit – Hobbit Day

Hobbit Dinner Feast – Roast Chicken Recipe

Feast for the Hobbits

Feast for the Hobbits dinner inspired by recipes from JRR Tolkien's books and Peter Jackson's movies, The Lord of the Rings for Hobbit Day.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 13 15

Servings 5 pople

Ingredients

Roast Chicken and Gravy

1 4-5 pound roasting chicken
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
10 fresh sage leaves roughly chopped
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion quartered
salt and pepper as needed
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock

Roast Vegetables

4 medium carrots large dice
2 pints crimini mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion large dice

Instructions

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Evenly sprinkle the 2 tbsp of salt and pepper over the chicken and inside the cavity. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Mix together the softened butter and sage. Spread the mixture over the chicken and underneath the skin. Place the crushed garlic and quartered onion in the cavity of the chicken.
Toss the diced vegetables with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay the vegetables on a roasting pan and place the chicken on top. Tuck the wings underneath the chicken and tie the legs together to ensure an even cooking.
Roast the chicken for approximately 45 minutes to an hour until golden brown and cooked through. The juices should run clear and the internal temperature reads 160F.
Remove the vegetables and chicken and let it rest on the side. Place the roasting pan on medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of flour and whisk to combine with the drippings. Cook and stir for one minute.
While whisking, stream in the 2 cups of stock. Cook and whisk until it bubbles and thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes

I really enjoy the crispy skin I get with a dry brine but if you're short on time, simply pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
Any herbs will work with this roast chicken, it doesn't have to be sage!