Roast chicken, carrots and mustard crème fraîche
Tom’s credentials
‘We rear a number of slow-growing breeds of chicken for meat at the farm. They spend their lives outside, roaming a mix of rich perennial pasture, partial woodland and fruit trees. The land they inhabit could be described as agro- forestry. It is an area where we have deliberately integrated trees and shrubs into the pastured farming system to aid biodiversity, capture carbon, and create more resilience for animals and crops alike. It is very early days, but if the chickens and proliferation of bees and other insects are anything to go by, it is a path well worth treading.’
Tom’s tip for sustainable sourcing
‘A chicken that is allowed to grow slowly and living a life where it can display all of its natural attributes of foraging, scratching, grazing and roosting will be a joy to cook and to eat. A good butcher can help with jointing.’
Why have you chosen this recipe?
‘We farm a variety of animals, but chicken is my favourite to cook. The difference between a well-reared free-range bird and a fast-grown commodity supermarket one is immense. A good chicken can give you a number of nutritious meals, such is their versatility. We’ve amassed lots of recipes while cooking at Coombeshead. Most are only relevant to the restaurant, but this one works well at home.’
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the mustard crème fraîche
For the chicken
To serve
Step 1
Heat the oven to 160°C/fan oven 140°C/mark 3. Whisk together the Dijon mustard and crème fraîche in a small bowl and then set aside.
Step 2
Season the chicken joints with a generous amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place a heavy-bottomed pan on a medium heat, add a little oil and brown the chicken all over so the skin is deeply caramelised. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
Step 3
Add the carrots, the garlic and the rest of the oil to the pan with whatever chicken fat remains. Cook for 15 minutes, until soft and caramelised. Add the chicken stock, wine and herbs, then bring to a simmer, skimming off any scum that comes to the surface.
Step 4
Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, then return the chicken to the pan. There should be just enough liquor to come roughly halfway up the joints. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 45 minutes.
Step 5
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes above the oven, somewhere warm, or with some foil to cover it if the room is a touch chilly. Serve with a dollop of mustard crème fraîche, accompanied by a vegetable such as green beans and slices of crusty bread.
