S low- roas t e d l e mon a n d gar lic c h icken

Serves: 6 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 2½ hours

ingr e d i ents

1 whole chicken, about 2kg 3 lemons 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, quartered 2 large rosemary sprigs 4 garlic cloves, peeled, plus 2 whole garlic bulbs, fresh or dried, sliced in half 750g starchy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or Charlotte, scrubbed and halved Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas Mark 4. Rub the chicken with salt and pepper.

Squeeze half a lemon into a bowl. Stir in 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and rub this mix all over the bird, inside and out. Stuff the onion into the cavity with the rosemary, squeezed-out lemon half and garlic cloves. Tuck the wing tips under the bird. Tie the legs securely together with butcher’s string. Slice the remaining lemons and arrange to cover the base of a roasting pan. Sit the chicken on top and pack the sliced garlic bulbs in around the edges. Pour 100ml water into the pan. Cover the tray with a sheet of parchment paper, then a sheet of foil. Roast for 1¼ hours.

Uncover the chicken and spoon the pan juices over the bird. Add the potatoes, toss in the juices and then return to the oven, uncovered. Roast for a further hour, until the chicken skin is golden brown, the meat is tender and the legs feel very loose. The potatoes should be tender. Divide the chicken into portions and serve with the potatoes and lemony pan juices.