April 2024 - Pan Roast Spring Chicken with Cheshire New Potatoes, Turnips, New Season Carrots and Primo Cabbage

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 x Small Free Range Chickens

1kg Cheshire New Potatoes, cleaned

8 x Turnips, peeled

1 Bunch New Season Carrots, peeled, tops reserved

1 Small Primo Cabbage

250g Unsalted Butter

2 Sticks Celery, chopped

1 Onion, chopped

1 small Leek, chopped

1 Bay Leaf

20g Thyme

20g Parsley

Salt & Pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C

2. Portion the chicken by removing the breasts and legs, then separating the drumstick and the thigh. Keep the skin on and French trim the knuckle bones. (A good butcher will be able to do this for you) Put the portions onto a clean tray, cover and refrigerate.

3. Put the carcasses of the chickens into a large stock pan, then add the celery, onion, leek, bay leaf, thyme, parsley and one of the carrots, chopped. Cover the contents of the stock pan with water and bring to a gentle simmer, for at least an hour.

4. Meanwhile, remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and cut into eight equal segments, allowing the core/stalk to hold each segment together. Reserve for a little later.

5. Trim the tops off the carrots and cut in half down the length, leaving about 1cm of the stalk intact, before reserving the nicest sprigs for garnishing the finished dish. These can be stored in iced water to keep them sprightly.

6. Trim the peeled turnips to ensure they have a flat side on the top and on the bottom, then place them in a roasting tray at least as deep as the turnips, packed in as tightly as possible.

7. Strain the chicken stock and return the liquid to a clean pan over a medium heat, leave to simmer and reduce by half.

8. Meanwhile, carefully ladle enough stock into the turnip tray so as to immerse the lower half of each turnip, then place a thin slice of butter on top of each turnip, arranged to cover the entire top. Place in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour.

9. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, large enough to cook the new potatoes.

10. Heat a large, heavy based sauté pan over a medium heat with a quarter of the remaining butter, then season the chicken portions on all sides and sear each portion until the skin starts to brown. Transfer to a baking tray and place in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Keep the sauté pan on a low heat, then sear each segment of cabbage in the butter and fat remaining in the pan. Remove the cabbage and place on a baking tray and season with salt and pepper, but keep the sauté pan for later.

11. Meanwhile, ladle 50ml stock into a lidded saucepan wide enough to fit the carrots. Add one third of the remaining butter and the carrots, then place the lid on the pan.

12. Add the new potatoes to the now boiling water and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, depending upon size.

13. Check the chicken to ensure it is cooked. If the breasts are ready, remove from the oven and wrap in foil, then rest in a warm place next to the oven. Turn the oven down to 140°C and return the thighs and drumsticks to the oven for a few more minutes, along with the tray of cabbage until ready to serve.

14. Put the carrot pan on a high heat and bring to a boil for 4 to 5 minutes until most of the stock has evaporated and the carrots are cooked.

15. Strain the water from the potatoes, return the potatoes to the pan with half the remaining butter, cover and keep warm.

16. Heat the sauté pan reserved from earlier over a high heat and deglaze the caramelised sauté residue with the stock. When the pan juices, sauté caramelisation and stock are nicely mixed and have reached a rolling boil, turn off the heat and immediately whisk in the remaining butter, which will thicken the sauce slightly, then strain into a clean pan or gravy boat.

17. Arrange all parts of the dish on a board or on plates. Garnish with the sprigs of carrot tops, then serve with the sauce.

18. Enjoy!