Ingredients

• 1 onion
• roughly chopped
• 2 carrots
• roughly chopped
• 1.5kg/3lb 5oz whole chicken
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 75g/2¾oz butter
• 150g/5oz asparagus
• cut into 3cm/1¼in pieces
• 100g/3½oz fresh peas
• 1 shallot
• finely sliced into rings
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Place the onions and carrots in a deep-sided roasting tin
• then sit the chicken on top. Season the chicken all over with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• then drizzle over the rapeseed oil. Pour 75ml/2½fl oz water into the tray.
• Roast for 1-1¼ hours
• or until the chicken is cooked through. (The chicken is cooked if the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh meat. If the chicken is not cooked through
• return to the oven for a further 10 minutes and check again.)
• Remove the chicken from the oven and set aside
• covered
• to rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile
• for the fricassée
• bring half of the butter and 200ml/7fl oz water to the boil in a saucepan. Reduce the heat until the water is simmering
• then add the asparagus
• peas
• shallot and marjoram. Simmer for 3-4 minutes
• or until the vegetables are all tender.
• Drain the vegetables
• if necessary
• and return to the pan. Stir in the remaining butter and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• carve the meat and place it on serving plates. Spoon the fricassée alongside.