Roast chicken

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 20g (1 tbs) unsalted butter
• 20ml (1 tbs) olive oil
• 4 large chicken pieces on the bone (preferably Maryland)
• 2 large desiree or pontiac potatoes, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 6 eschallots (shallots)
• 1 lemon, halved
• 3 tbs chopped fresh tarragon
• 250ml (1 cup) dry white wine
• 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
• 2 tbs Dijon mustard
• 
  
• Method
• 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
  2. Place butter and oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken and brown for 2 minutes each side until golden. Transfer to a medium baking dish (it is important that the pan is big enough so that there is plenty of room).
  3. Add potatoes to the frying pan and cook until light golden. (They don't need to be cooked through yet.) Arrange them around the chicken with the garlic and eschallots. Squeeze lemon over the chicken and season. Sprinkle over half the tarragon and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a serving platter.
  4. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the wine, stock and mustard and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until reduced. Pour over the chicken and garnish with remaining tarragon. Serve with a green salad.

Basic roast chicken

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1.6kg whole chicken
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Lightly grease a roasting pan. Place a wire rack into roasting pan. Trim excess fat from chicken. Discard neck. Rinse chicken (including cavity) under cold running water. Pat-dry with paper towels. Season cavity with salt and pepper.
2. Gently squeeze the juice from half the lemon over chicken, rubbing juice into skin. Place both lemon halves into chicken cavity. Tie legs together with kitchen string.
3. Brush both sides of chicken with oil. Season chicken all over with salt and pepper. Place, breast-side up, onto rack in roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour or until juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer. Stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Serve with roast vegetables, if desired.