Roast Chicken with Lemon & Rosemary
SERVES 4 PREPARATION & COOKING 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus
extra for drizzling 1 red onion, finely chopped 40g pancetta, diced ½ small lemon, well washed, finely diced (use both skin and flesh) 2-3 tablespoons rosemary
leaves, finely chopped salt and freshly ground
black pepper 1 cup sourdough bread cubes 1.5kg whole free-range
chicken 25g butter, softened 2 garlic cloves, crushed good splash of balsamic
vinegar
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 2. Pour olive oil into a frying pan and place over a low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just beginning to colour. Add pancetta and cook until it begins to crisp, then add the diced lemon and half of the chopped rosemary. Cook for a further 1 minute, then season with pepper. Remove from the heat, stir through bread cubes and allow to cool.
Using paper towels, pat
the chicken dry inside and out. Mix together the softened butter, garlic and remaining chopped rosemary. Season with salt.
4. Gently slide your hand under the skin of the chicken to loosen it. Rub the butter mixture into the chicken, rubbing it over and under the skin.
5. Stuff the cavity with cooled bread stuffing. Tie the legs together with kitchen string to keep the stuffing in and use skewers or toothpicks to hold the wings to the chicken frame. Place the chicken in a roasting dish and drizzle over a little extra olive oil. Roast for 1 hour, 15 minutes, basting from time to time by spooning the cooking juices over chicken.
6. Remove chicken from oven and splash over a little balsamic vinegar. Carve the chicken and serve drizzled with the roasting juices. Some parsnip mash and a big bowl of steamed vegetables would be perfect to accompany this dish.