I am a HUGE fan of conventional , or, as they say in the TV business “dump and stir” cooking shows.  Sadly, they barely exist anymore.  It seems competition shows are the only type of food show that gets any sizeable viewership. For years  Gordon Ramsay has been yelling and screaming all over primetime with “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Master Chef”, to name just a couple.  But it’s his daytime cooking show that I love most.  

“Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Home Cooking” is a chance to see the softer side of Gordon as he cooks dishes with his kids and his mom at home.  Besides the thrill of being a voyeur in his private life and kitchen, the recipes he makes are to die for.  One of my favourites is his Roast Chicken with Chickpea Stuffing.  You should try it.

A couple of suggestions:  I get the butcher to make a couple of slits and loosen the skin from the flesh and I replace butter with coconut oil because it’s healthier and has the same consistency as butter.  I throw in some potatoes, parsnip, sweet potatoes at the bottom of the roasting pan.

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400F. Season the inside of the chicken. Place the tarragon and butter in a bowl and beat until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Loosen the skin over both chicken breasts by gently pushing your fingers underneath it. Now push the tarragon butter under the loosened skin so that it covers the whole crown.

1. To make the stuffing, put the chickpeas into a bowl, season and add the chillies, lemon zest, thyme leaves and a dash of olive oil. Mix well. Spoon the chickpea mixture inside the chicken cavity and place the whole lemon at the entrance.

1. Place the garlic heads, cut side down, in a roasting tin. Put the chicken on top and drizzle with olive oil. Season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper and roast for 10–15 minutes, until turning golden and beginning to crisp up. Reduce the heat to 180ºC/350F and continue roasting for 1¼–1½ hours, until cooked through and golden all over.
2. Extract the lemon from the cavity of the bird and spoon the stuffing into a large bowl. Place the chicken on a warm platter, cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 10–15 minutes.
3. Spoon the garlic out of the pan and squeeze the pulp into a sieve placed over the bowl of stuffing. Slice the roasted lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the garlic. Push the garlic and juice through the sieve with the back of a spoon. Mash the entire contents of the bowl with a potato masher. Mix well, then transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with a little extra olive oil.

For related posts click on the following tags.