Instructions: Prepare the vinaigrette: Pull the heads of garlic apart, peel the cloves, and remove any green sprouts. Place the garlic in a small saucepan.

Using a paring knife, remove the peel from the lemons. Carefully remove the pith from the peels and add the peels to the saucepan; discard the pith. Hold each lemon over the saucepan and cut between the membranes into sections allowing sections and any juice to fall into the saucepan. Squeeze juice from the membranes into the saucepan. Discard membranes.

Add enough water to just cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the garlic is very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, then puree the lemons and garlic in a blender and measure out 1/2 cup for the vinaigrette. Reserve remaining lemon-garlic puree for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup of lemon-garlic puree with the vinegar, herbs, salt, and pepper, until the salt is dissolved. Slowly whisk in olive oil in a thin stream, and continue to whisk until fully emulsified; set aside.

Prepare the chickens: In a small bowl, combine the salt, rosemary, thyme, garlic, marjoram, sage, peppercorns, and shallots; mix well. Place chickens in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle herb mixture over, and rub until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours.

Cook the chickens: Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in each of two large ovenproof saute pans over medium-high heat. Add 2 chicken halves to each saute pan, skin-side down, and cook until brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chickens, and cook 3 minutes more. Turn the chickens again, so that they are skin-side down, and weigh each of them down with an ovenproof saute pan. Transfer to oven, and roast until the skin is crisp and the juices run clear, 8 to 12 minutes.

Prepare the vegetables: Slice the spring onions thinly on the diagonal, and rinse well. Snap off ends of the asparagus. Slice on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices up to the tips. Set the tips aside.

Prepare the Mashed Potatoes: Place potatoes and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large stockpot. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the potatoes are tender but not mushy when pierced with the tip of a knife, 15 to 20 minutes.

Drain potatoes, and transfer to an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. If you prefer a lumpier consistency, you can mash them with a potato masher. Add 3/4 cup milk, the butter, garlic, and pepper. Mix on low speed to combine, then increase the speed to medium to mix thoroughly. Add more milk if the potatoes seem too thick. Taste, and season with salt as desired.

Cook the vegetables. Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add spring onions and the asparagus stalks, and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons water, cover, and cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add asparagus tips, tarragon, and butter. Cook until the tips are heated through.

To serve, place the potatoes and vegetables on either side of the plate, the chicken in the center, and drizzle all over with the vinaigrette.

This recipe yields 6 servings.

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