Tue, 24 July 2018
There is something so special about the smell of a Sunday roast. We often had roast chicken at home and being from a family of 5 children we rarely had leftovers!!
Of all of the various methods of roast chicken i have tried over the years this is my favourite. The lemon gives a delicious flavour to the stuffing and of course the grated courgette gives wonderful moisture to the bird. Why not use this stuffing in pork steaks or even chicken breast wrapped in bacon as a tasty alternative.
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
1 large free range chicken
Seasoning
Approximately 2oz/50g butter
Lemon & Courgette Stuffing:
3oz/75g butter
1 large courgette grated
1 medium sized red onion-diced roughly
Grated zest of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon pine nuts
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
8oz/225g soft white breadcrumbs
Method:
Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan and add to that the diced onion and courgette and cook over a very low heat for 5-6 minutes until all of these ingredients are softened completely. Mix in the lemon zest, pine nuts, freshly chopped parsley and also the soft white breadcrumbs. Season this mixture lightly. Allow to cool down completely.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
Line the cavity of the chicken with some parchment paper and then stuff the cavity with the cold stuffing and secure the flap with a cocktail stick. Place the chicken onto a roasting tray. Loosen the skin of the chicken and, taking the butter; gently rub the butter into the breasts of the chicken. Sprinkle a little bit of salt and cracked black pepper over the skin. If you wish you can cut the lemons into large wedges and roast them with the chicken.
Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes. At this stage reduce the temperature of the oven (170C/325F/Gas Mark 3) and cook for a further hour or until the juices run clear out of the chicken. The flesh (particularly on the leg and thigh) should feel tender indicating the bird to be cooked.
Watch how it's made below:
