Ingredients

• 50g/1¾oz salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 x 1kg/2lb 4oz spring chicken
• knob of butter
• oil
• for basting
• 100ml/3½fl oz brown chicken stock
• 2 banana shallots
• peeled and finely chopped
• 1 sprig thyme
• stalk only (leaves picked and reserved for the risotto)
• 50ml/2fl oz double cream
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• 2 tbsp vin jaune (or 1 tbsp brandy and 1 tbsp white wine)
• 30g/1oz fresh morels
• 70g/2½oz butter
• 2 banana shallots
• peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp peeled and chopped celery
• 1 garlic clove
• grated
• 100g/3½oz carnaroli risotto rice
• 3 tbsp white wine
• 200ml/7fl oz brown chicken stock
• 50g/1¾oz parmesan
• grated
• salt and pepper
• 1 lemon
• juice only
• 2g celery leaves
• washed
• 20g/¾oz buffalo mozzarella
• chopped

Directions

• For the brine
• add 500ml/18fl oz water to a pan. Add the salt
• bay leaves and thyme and bring to the boil
• then leave to cool.
• For the roasted spring chicken and morel sauce
• French trim the wings and leg knuckles then truss the chicken for roasting. Place all the chicken in the cooled brine and set aside in the fridge for eight hours.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and soak in cold water for five minutes.
• Brush with a little butter and oil and roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Pierce the flesh of the thigh bone to make sure the juices are running clear and the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes.
• For the sauce
• heat the chicken stock
• shallots and the stalk from the thyme in a pan. Cook until the volume of liquid has reduce to a syrup
• then add the double cream and bring back to the boil.
• Add the lemon juice and vin jaune to the sauce and pass through a fine sieve.
• Once the sauce has been strained
• poach the morels in the sauce. Set aside until ready to serve.
• For the parmesan risotto
• heat a heavy-based pan and melt 20g/¾oz of the butter. Add the shallots
• thyme and celery and cook for three minutes
• then add the garlic cook for a further minute.
• Add in the risotto rice and coat the rice in the shallot and garlic butter. Cook until the risotto is dry then add the white wine and cook until absorbed. A bit at a time add the chicken stock
• letting it absorb between each addition.
• Once the risotto is cooked and a nice consistency - it should not be clumping together
• it should be a loose texture - add the parmesan. Taste and season with salt and pepper as required.
• To serve
• place the remaining 50g/1¾oz butter in a frying pan and heat until nut-bown to make a beurre noisette. Finish with a little lemon juice.
• Fold the beurre noisette
• celery leaves
• mozzarella and the remaining lemon juice through the risotto at the last minute.
• To serve
• carve the chicken and divide between serving bowls. Spoon over the sauce and add the risotto on the side.