Roast chicken with Gordal olives and roast hasselbacks potatoes

oast chicken with Gordal olives and roast hasselback potatoes brings crisp skin, rich gravy and bright lemon into one elegant roast dinner. The confit garlic, herby glaze and creamy potatoes give it a deep, savoury finish, while the dressed salad keeps every plate fresh and balanced.

By Paul Ainsworth
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes

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This roast chicken with Gordal olives and roast hasselback potatoes is a balanced roast with protein from chicken, olive oil-based fats, potatoes and a fresh salad. The gravy, crème fraîche and potatoes add richness, but the salad and herbs keep it from feeling too heavy, so Nutri-Score C is a sensible rating.

 

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Method

1. Make the brine: Put 1 litre of water, the salt, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and garlic into a saucepan. Bring it to the boil and stir until the salt dissolves, then take it off the heat and leave it to cool completely.
2. Brine the chicken: Prepare the chicken by removing the legs and thighs, then split the remaining chicken through the breastbone. Put all the pieces into the cold brine, cover and refrigerate for 6 hours so the meat seasons properly and stays juicy.
3. Dry the chicken: Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it very dry with kitchen paper. Discard the brine, since the chicken has already taken on the flavour it needs.
4. Poach gently: Put the stock, lemon peel, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, garlic and peppercorns into a large saucepan. Bring it to a gentle simmer, add the chicken, then lower the heat and poach for 30 to 40 minutes until the juices run clear and the thickest part shows no trace of pink when pierced with a skewer.
5. Save the stock: Lift the chicken out of the pan and strain the poaching liquid. Reserve 1 litre of it for the gravy, because it gives the sauce real depth and a proper chicken flavour.
6. Roast the wing base: Heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Put the chicken wings into a large roasting tin, add 25ml of the olive oil, season lightly with salt and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until dark golden-brown.
7. Build the gravy: While the wings roast, heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots, thyme, garlic, peppercorns and star anise, cooking and stirring until deeply golden. Add 75ml of the sherry vinegar and scrape up the browned bits, then add the mushrooms and dried ceps and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
8. Reduce and finish: Add the roasted wings and white wine, then boil until the liquid evaporates and the mixture turns sticky. Pour in the reserved poaching liquid and simmer until reduced, skimming away any fat or foam. Strain the gravy through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, reduce it by one-third, then whisk in the butter and the remaining 25ml sherry vinegar. Keep it warm.
9. Prepare the potatoes: Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and parboil them until partly tender, then drain. Make closely spaced cuts across each potato, taking care not to cut all the way through, so they fan out nicely in the oven.
10. Roast the hasselbacks: Put the potatoes into a roasting tin with the olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary and sea salt. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes until golden and crisp, then remove and drain briefly on kitchen paper.
11. Mix the crème fraîche: Whisk the cream cheese, crème fraîche, chives, lemon zest and lemon juice together in a bowl. Season with salt, cover and chill until needed so the flavour stays fresh and bright.
12. Finish the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the poached chicken skin-side down and cook until the skin starts to colour, then transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 15 minutes until piping hot throughout and crisp and golden.
13. Glaze and serve: Carefully pour away any excess fat, return the pan to a low heat and add enough gravy to coat the chicken, keeping the rest for serving. Add the olives, chervil, chives and tarragon, then spoon the gravy over the chicken until evenly glazed. Whisk the salad dressing ingredients together, toss with the salad leaves just before serving, and put the chicken on a platter with the confit garlic and sliced lemon peel. Spread the crème fraîche over a serving plate, arrange the hasselback potatoes on top and serve with the chicken, dressed salad and remaining gravy.

Tip: Make the gravy and crème fraîche ahead, then rewarm and assemble at the end for a calmer roast dinner service.