Roast chicken with bay salt

2 HOURS + DRYING + SALTING | SERVES 4-6 | EASY

Buy young fresh bay leaves for this. The bay salt keeps for 5-6 months or more in an airtight container.

chicken (1.5-2kg) butter 75g, softened sprigs of bay to garnish roast potatoes to serve BAY SALT young bay leaves 2 handfuls, stalks removed garlic 3 cloves, crushed sea salt flakes 125g STOCK giblets or chicken wings (see cook’s notes) carrot 1, sliced onion 1, sliced celery 1 stick, roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley a few stalks thyme a sprig

• To make the bay salt, put the bay leaves, garlic and half the salt in a food processor and whizz until green, then tip into a bowl. Add the remaining salt and tip into a roasting tin, and leave to dry loosely covered with foil at room temperature for 4-5 days. Once dry, store in a glass jar or jars.

• Remove the wishbone from the neck end of the chicken – this isn’t essential but it does make carving much easier later on. Reserve for stock. Tuck the wing tips underneath the chicken to make a neat shape and put the chicken in a roasting tin.

• Season the cavity of the chicken with 1 tsp of bay salt, slather the breasts and legs with the butter, and sprinkle generously with another tsp of bay salt. Leave to sit for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2 hours.

• To make the stock, put the giblets (minus the liver) or chicken wings, wishbone, carrot, onion, celery and herbs into a pan. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil, skim and simmer gently while the chicken is roasting.

• Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Weigh the chicken and allow around 30 minutes cooking time per kg plus 15 minutes. Baste the chicken a couple of times during cooking with the buttery juices. To test if the chicken is cooked, prick the thickest part at the base of the thigh – the juices should run clear. Cover and leave to rest while you make the gravy.

• Spoon off the surplus fat from the roasting tin. Put the tin over a medium heat and deglaze with 600ml of the chicken stock. Using a whisk, stir to dissolve the caramelised meat juices from the roasting tin. Boil, season and thicken with a little roux, if you like. Serve in a warmed gravy boat.

• Serve the chicken on a carving dish surrounded by roast potatoes and lots of bay sprigs. Carve and serve with the gravy.

PER SERVING 478 KCALS | FAT 29.7G SATURATES 10.6G | CARBS 4G | SUGARS 2.2G FIBRE 0.6G | PROTEIN 48.2G | SALT 2.8G