Sunday Roast French Style

Plank Cooked Chicken (10mins prep, 45mins cooking) Roasting planks are an American thing, it works because the porous wood surface absorbs moisture at room temperature and then releases the moisture and a smoky aroma to flavour foods as they’re slowly cooked in a hot oven or on a BBQ grill.

1. Soak the wood in water, infused liquid or alcohol such as cider for at least a few hours.
2. Pat the plank dry
3. Place a few garlic cloves on the plank
4. Place the spatchcocked chicken on top, rub the chicken with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
5. Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the chicken.

Mushroom Sauce with roasted garlic and Rosemary (10mins prep, 10 mins cooking)

• 1 Shallot
• Knob of butter (20g)
• 1/2 Pack Mushrooms, finely sliced
• 1 Clove garlic (from the oven) mashed
• 100ml Single Cream
• Pinch freshly grated Nutmeg
• Black pepper

1. Finely chop the shallot and fry on low heat with butter until translucent.
2. Add the Mushrooms and stir together.
3. Take the Chicken out the oven and tease a garlic clove from underneath, mash to a pulp with a fork and add to the pan. Continue frying for a couple more minutes, always on a low heat.
4. Add the cream and turn up the heat a little to get it bubbling.
5. Turn down the heat and allow it to tick away and reduce slightly to a nice thick sauce, grate the nutmeg in and season to taste.

Greens Beans (30 seconds prep, 3 mins cooking)

• 1 pack of green beans, trimmed.
• Boiling water

1. Boil the beans for 3-4 minutes.
2. Once cooked (al-dente). Place into very cold water to stop cooking and keep the green colour.
3. Drain and set aside.