Roast chicken with herb butter and winter vegetables, Pearl

 

Ingredients

1 small free range chicken

For the herb butter
1 bunch parsley
1 clove garlic
1 tsp thyme leaves
2 slices dried white bread (has to be very dry and kept whole)
150g soft unsalted butter

For the broth
50g Brussels sprouts, separated into individual leaves
50g unsalted butter
2 carrots (cut into 1cm cubes)
¼ swede (cut into 1cm cubes)
2 sticks celery (cut into 1cm cubes)
2 streaky bacon (cut into lardons)
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 tin of cannellini beans
500ml chicken stock
1 clove garlic
Sprig thyme
4 fresh chestnuts, peeled but raw

 

Method

  • To prepare the chicken, remove the legs and wish bone and cut the legs in half, leaving the breasts on the bone.

  • Drizzle a little vegetable oil in a roasting tray, season the legs and brown. Place in the pre-heated oven at 200°C and cook for 25 minutes.

  • To make the herb butter, blend all the ingredients in a food processor to obtain green bread crumbs. Place in a bowl and mix in the butter.Put the herb butter in a piping bag and insert under the skin of the chicken. Spread the butter all over the breasts. Season and add to the roasting tray with the legs. Cook for 20 minutes, take out and rest for 5 minutes.

  • For the winter vegetables, pour the olive oil in a saucepan, add the celery, carrot, swede and bacon and sweat for 5min, add the thyme, garlic and chicken stock.

  • Simmer for 5 minutes, add the beans and Brussels sprouts and cook for a further 2 minutes. Finish with the chives.

  • To serve, spoon the broth a bowl, remove the breasts of the chicken and place on top with the legs and finally slice the chestnuts on top using a mandolin.