An easy yet delicious gravy with a simple roast chicken. Add some seasonal greens and a dish of baked sourdough crumbs to scatter over the chicken to round it all off.
And if you are feeling very keen, use the remains of the chicken including the giblets to make a simple chicken stock.
For 4
6 tbsp olive oil or goose fat
1 organic free-range chicken including giblets if possible– about 1.5kg
A small bunch of thyme
Sea salt flakes
For the garlic gravy:
The puree from 2 whole bulbs of baked garlic (see link to Sherbhert recipe below)
250ml of cold water or dry white wine or a mixture of both
The zest and juice of half a lemon
More sea salt flakes and some black pepper if needed for seasoning
To roast the chicken.
Preheat the oven to200c
Put half the olive oil or goose fat in a roasting tin large enough to fit the chicken but not too large or the cooking juices will burn.
Put the chicken in the roasting tin.
Put the thyme inside the cavity of the chicken along with the giblets if you have them.
Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining olive oil if using or if using goose fat spread the remains of that over the skin.
Sprinkle the sea salt flakes evenly over the top.
Roast the chicken in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes before testing it by inserting a sharp knife into the gap between the thickest part of the leg and the body; if the juice that runs out is clear, it is cooked; if the juice is pink or bloody, it needs more time so return it to the oven and check again after 15 minutes.
Once it is cooked, tilt it slightly to let any juices in the cavity run into the roasting pan and then transfer the chicken to a warm plate and cover it with foil while you make the garlic gravy.
To make the garlic gravy.
Squeeze the softened garlic cloves from the baked heads of garlic into the roasting tin and stir it into the roasting juices.
Set the pan over medium heat on the hob and when it is hot, splash in the cold wine or water and stir the whole lot together – it will bubble, and spit and you should be able to scrape up all the bits which were stuck to the bottom of the pan which will add lots of flavour along with the roasting juices. Let the gravy bubble for a few minutes to reduce the liquid and intensify the flavour.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest.
Taste and add a little a pinch of sea salt flakes and some black pepper, if necessary.
Keep the gravy warm while you carve the chicken and serve it perhaps with some crisp sourdough crumbs and some seasonal greens.
Links to Sherbhert recipes
