SLOW-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH LEEK, ROSEMARY AND CHEDDAR DUMPLINGS

Slowly cooking the chicken ensures it stays succulent, and the dumplings will soak up flavour by steaming beside it in the braising liquid.

Preparation 30 minutes Cooking 2 hours 30 minutes Serves 4 1 TBSP OLIVE OIL

1 MEDIUM FREE-RANGE CHICKEN, ABOUT 1.5KG

200G PACK SMOKED BACON LARDONS 400G LEEKS, THICKLY SLICED

2 STICKS CELERY, SLICED

2 LARGE GARLIC CLOVES, FINELY CHOPPED

2 BAY LEAVES

250ML DRY WHITE WINE

300G CHANTENAY CARROTS, OR REGULAR CARROTS CUT INTO LARGE CHUNKS

300G BABY PARSNIPS, PEELED AND QUARTERED LENGTHWAYS 350ML HOT CHICKEN STOCK

FOR THE DUMPLINGS

125G SELF-RAISING FLOUR

1 TSP ENGLISH MUSTARD POWDER 25G COLD BUTTER, CUBED 1 TSP VERY FINELY CHOPPED ROSEMARY LEAVES

1 TBSP FINELY CHOPPED PARSLEY, PLUS EXTRA TO SERVE

25G MATURE CHEDDAR CHEESE, GRATED 2 TBSP NATURAL YOGURT BUTTERED SEASONAL GREEN VEG, TO SERVE

1 Preheat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan oven) gas mark 1. Heat the oil to high in a large frying pan. When hot, add the chicken, breast-side down, and sear, turning a couple of times, until golden all over. Set aside. Discard any fat in the pan.

2 Add the lardons and fry until crisp and golden. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon, discarding most of the fat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the leeks and fry for 10 minutes until tender and just golden, then remove about a quarter of them and set aside on a plate (roughly chop and reserve these for the dumplings).

3 Increase the heat to high, return the lardons to the pan with the celery, garlic, bay leaves and white wine, bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes. Transfer to a large roasting tin.

4 Sit the chicken in the roasting tin, breast-side up, and arrange the carrots and parsnips around it. Season. Put the roasting tin over the heat on the hob, pour in the hot stock and bring to the boil. Cover tightly with foil and cook in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, make the dumplings: mix the flour, mustard powder and ½ tsp fine salt in a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips, then stir in the reserved cooked leek, rosemary, parsley and grated cheese. Add the yogurt, 2 tbsp cold water and mix well to combine. Divide into 8 dumplings, about 40g each.

6 After 1 hour 15 minutes, dot the dumplings around the chicken, ensuring they are partly submerged. Re-cover with foil and return to the oven for a further 45 minutes, uncovering for the final 15 minutes until cooked through – the juices should run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the leg.

7 Lift the chicken out onto a board and carve – it should be very tender. Serve the casserole in bowls, topped with the sliced chicken, buttered greens and extra parsley, if you like.