Dirty Kitchen Secrets

I’ve been at my in-laws for the past few days and this is one of a few dishes  I have soooo enjoyed making for them. It wouldn’t have been the same without my commis chef Jim and Joyce. They are probably happy that I’m gone now because they won’t have to eat cold food, as I photograph another dish! 

Prep: 20 mn

Cook: 2 hrs (slow cook)

Serves: 4

• 1.4 kg washed whole chicken
• 3 tablespoon allspice/ 7-spice
• 3-4 fresh sprigs of sage
• generous handful of thyme
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2-3 bay leafs
• 1 large onion, medium dice
• 3 med sized carrots, medium dice
• 5 sticks of celery, medium dice
• 2 leeks, medium dice
• 1 bottle of beer
• 7 cloves of garlic- crushed
• 125ml melted butter
• 1 lemon, sliced

In the morning or the evening before, wash chicken and then rub all over with the allspice, don’t forget to share with the cavity. Let sit a few hours or overnight in fridge. Pre-heat oven. slice up lemon into medium sized slices and stuff under skin allover chicken. Mix garlic with butter. Brush garlic butter all over the chicken and its cavity. The reason you want to keep the vegetables fairly medium sized so that they can take a longer time to cook. If you dice them too small you will get soggy veggies…ew! Now stuff cavity with half of herbs, throw in a few garlic cloves and as much carrots, celery, leeks and onions as you can. pour beer into cavity and all over the chicken. Add remaining veggies and herbs to the casserole and pour the rest of the beer all over it. Foil very well and roast in oven for 2 hours at 180 c.

You can serve this with brown rice and a truffle mushroom sauce. The mushroom sauce recipe is posted here separately.

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