Next Sunday - a day that’s circled in our calendars as Mother’s Day, but it’s also just another Sunday. A day for gathering, grazing and good food, whether you’re cooking for your mum, your mates, a full table, or just your lovely self. However the day looks for you, today’s recipe works for all.
A roast chicken is a bit of a golden ticket - feeds a crowd, but just as happily leaves leftovers for tossing into salads with creamy dressings, bobbing in broths with odds ‘n’ ends of veg..or, sneaking straight from the fridge.
We all have our preferred rituals for roasting - on a bed of veg, drenched in butter, stuffed with lemons, or seasoned just so. This one I'm sharing today is pretty simple, pretty solid, and so very satisfying. And while the hearty root veggies and fountains of rich gravy never miss the mark, we’re going a little lighter, a little springier with the sides today - in the form of creamy leeks and butter beans - dare I say better than the traditional trimmings! But when it comes to beans, absolutely opt for the ones in a jar, you will seriously notice the difference. Buttery, creamy, melt in the mouth deliciousness. Recipes like this make hosting fun, easy and effortless, letting chatting flow and the "mmms" and "ahhhs" ripple around the table.
And for the veggies - don't feel like you need to turn off now! The beany base alone is a buttery, luscious, lovely dish in its own right. You could even throw in some cauliflower florets, tip it into a baking dish and you've got a beany, leeky cauli-cheese. Nice!!
The Recipe
A Juicy Roast Chicken with Creamy Leeks & Beans
Feeds 4-6 | Takes 1 hour 20 mins
Ingredients
For the roast chicken
1 whole chicken (approx. 1.5–1.8kg)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, halved
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled and lightly crushed
A small handful of fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs
For the creamy leeks & beans
A knob of butter or 2 tbsp olive oil
2 large leeks, trimmed & thinly sliced
2 x 570g jars of good quality butter beans - with their bean stock
150ml crème fraîche
1 heaped tsp dijon mustard, plus extra to serve
Zest of ½ a lemon
A small handful of fresh dill, (about 10g), roughly chopped
A small handful of fresh chives (about 10g), finely chopped
To serve
A fresh green salad - rocket or lambs lettuce dressed in olive oil and a squeeze of lemon is perfect
Extra lemon wedges, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C fan. Stuff the chicken with the 2 lemon halves, garlic, thyme and rosemary sprigs. Sit the chicken in a large roasting tin and smother it all over with olive oil then season generously with salt and pepper. Add a small cup of water to the roasting tin - this will help keep the chicken moist. Roast for about 1 hour 20 mins, or until the juices run clear and the skin is golden and crispy.
Remove from the oven, put onto a large plate, loosely cover with foil, and let it rest for at least 20 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute to give you the moistest, juiciest chicken.
When the chicken has about 20 mins left, get started on the beans. Gently heat a knob of butter or 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over a low-medium heat. Add the leeks with a pinch of salt, and cook gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and sweet. Pour in the butter beans with their liquid and stir to combine. Then add the crème fraîche, mustard and lemon zest. Let everything warm through on a low heat for about 4-5 minutes. Add a generous crack of black pepper and salt to taste - if you're using tinned beans, it'll need a good extra pinch of salt. So season to your liking. Just before serving, stir in chopped dill and chives for freshness.
Carve the chicken to your liking. I find it works best with the beans by slicing the breasts nice and chunky, pulling away the legs then shredding these parts. But do what works best/easiest for you and the crowd you're feeding! If you're serving with a side salad, lightly dress the leaves with lemon juice and olive oil and add to a serving bowl for a nice bit of freshness. Serve the creamy leeks into a large serving dish or platter and place in the centre of the table alongside the chicken and salad leaves. Pop a jar of mustard and a few lemon wedges on the side too - i love an extra dollop of mustard with this! And let everyone tuck in.
Extra Nibbles
If you’re planning more of a buffet-style lunch, this butter bean, leek & goats cheese frittata is very delicious and also veggie
For the theatre folk, tickets to see a musical is very lovely gift for Mum. I’ve heard great things about this musical
Lovely letterbox plants - for when Mum isn’t as nearby as we’d like
As always, the biggest thank you for being here. I’m hoping you’re enjoying Table Read! And if you are, I’d be so grateful if you wanted to share the newsletter with anyone else who you think may enjoy it too (they sound pretty great).
And if you’ve liked what you’ve tasted and don’t already…
Looking forward to catching up in two weeks time.
Han xx