Heat oven to 400 degrees. Parboil small red potatoes in water or chicken broth for 10 minutes. Set a rack in the roasting pan and line with parboiled potatoes and 6 whole shallots (tips cut off). Make slits in the skin of a roasting chicken, rub slivers of salted butter under the skin. Cut a lemon into wedges and stuff half of them into the cavity of the bird, scatter the remaining half in with the potatoes and shallots. Drizzle olive oil over the whole shebang and season liberally with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. Put the whole thing into the oven and roast for 50 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the breast. Remove the woody parts of a bunch of asparagus and steam for 5 minutes, give or take, depending on the size. Toss with potatoes and shallots, check for seasoning. Eat on the couch, preferably in your pajamas while reading an Adam Dalgleish police procedural as written by the late, great P.D. James.