JULIA BUSUTTIL NISHIMURA’S HERBED ROAST CHICKEN WITH BUTTERY CROUTONS
SERVES 4–6
To me, a roast chicken feels incredibly special and celebratory. It also happens to be one of my very favourite things to make on a Sunday. I go to the butcher the day before and then let the chicken sit in a tray, uncovered, in the fridge overnight – this dries out the skin so it crisps up nicely in the oven. I love rituals, and this one feels especially comforting and joyful. Here I’ve added a herb butter and the bird sits on a bed of leeks and bread, which caramelise beautifully as the chicken cooks.
I usually serve this with a roast carrot salad and some green leaves, dressed with a zippy vinaigrette.
INGREDIENTS
• 1.2 kg whole chicken, left uncovered in the fridge overnight
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper
• 1 lemon, halved
• 4 leeks, white and pale green parts, halved lengthways
• 2 slices of sourdough bread, roughly torn
• 150 ml dry white wine
• lemon zest, to serve
• tarragon leaves, to serve
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Pat any excess moisture from the chicken with paper towel. With your hands, make a space between the skin and the flesh on the breast side of the chicken, being careful not to tear the skin.
Make the herb butter by combining the butter, herbs and lemon zest in a small bowl. Season with some salt, then place the butter in between the skin and flesh of the chicken, pressing and smoothing it down to make it relatively flat. Rub 2 tablespoons of the olive oil onto the skin of the chicken and season it all over and inside with salt. Place the lemon halves inside the cavity of the chicken.
Place the leek in a bowl of cold water and agitate with your hands to remove any dirt. Drain and pat dry with paper towel or a clean tea towel. Lay the leek and torn sourdough in a roasting tin and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper.
HERB BUTTER
• 100 g unsalted butter,
• softened 2 tablespoons each of thyme, tarragon and sage leaves, finely chopped
• zest of 1 lemon
• sea salt
Pour the wine in and around the leek and bread and place the whole chicken, breastside up, onto the little bed you have made. Roast the chicken for about 1 ¼ hours or until it is golden and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is tested with a skewer. The leek should be nicely caramelised and the bread crunchy on the outside and still a little soft inside. Serve the chicken with some lemon zest and tarragon leaves scattered over the top.