Southwest Roast Chicken

Roast chicken on Sundays is a classic family meal and a great way to close out the weekend.  I wanted to go with Southwestern flavors this time, so I made a dry rub with paprika and ground fennel seed, then trussed my chicken (for even cooking) and roasted it at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.  Keeping true to my Southwest inspiration, I made a sauce with dried California and Arbol chiles reconstituted in hot water and then pureed with roasted garlic clove, toasted cumin seed and red wine vinegar.  I then reduced the sauce and finished it off with agave nectar and fresh lime juice to balance out the heat from the chiles.  The sauce was the highlight of the dish, and I owe it to one of the fundamentals of cooking: taste and adjust as you go.