Ingredients

• 110g/4oz cream cheese
• 75g/3oz fresh basil leaves
• roughly chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large chicken
• preferably organic
• 40g/1½oz butter
• softened
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 150ml/5fl oz white wine
• 300ml/10fl oz chicken stock
• 115g/4oz sage and onion stuffing mixture
• 50g/2oz butter
• 1 large onion
• peeled
• 6 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 black peppercorns
• 450ml/1 pint full-fat milk
• 110g/4oz fresh white breadcrumbs
• 40g/1½oz butter
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 slices streaky bacon
• roughly chopped
• 50g/2oz butter
• 300g/11oz spring greens
• thinly sliced
• vegetable oil
• for deep-frying
• 1 large baking potato
• sliced very thinly on a mandoline
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the chicken
• preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Mix the cream cheese and basil together in a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag.
• Place the chicken into a roasting tin then carefully ease your hand under the skin of the chicken. Carefully pipe half of the cream cheese mixture under the skin
• then gently spread it out over the whole breast. Pipe the remaining mixture onto the legs
• then smear it out until the legs are covered.
• Rub the butter and olive oil over the chicken and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Roast the chicken for 20 minutes per 450g/1lb
• basting regularly. To check whether the chicken is cooked
• push a skewer into the thigh at the thickest point. If the juices run clear the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken from the roasting tin and set aside to rest.
• To make the gravy
• place the roasting tin onto the hob and heat gently
• stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until the volume of the wine has reduced by half. Add the stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• then pass the gravy through a sieve into a jug and keep warm until ready to serve.
• Make the stuffing according to the packet instructions
• then place into a roasting tray
• dot with butter and bake in the oven to roast for 20-25 minutes until crispy.
• For the bread sauce
• stud the onion all over with the cloves
• then place into a saucepan along with the bay leaf
• peppercorns and milk. Bring the mixture to the boil
• remove the pan from the heat and set to cool for 15 minutes. Remove the onion
• bay leaf and peppercorns
• then stir in the breadcrumbs. Return the pan to the heat and cook very gently for 5-10 minutes
• stirring occasionally until the breadcrumbs have absorbed all the liquid. Stir in the butter and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the spring greens
• heat a frying pan until hot
• add the bacon and cook for 1-2 minutes
• or until just crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Add the butter
• spring greens and 75ml/3fl oz water and fry for 2-3 minutes
• or until the greens have wilted. Stir in the bacon.
• For the game chips
• heat the vegetable oil in a deep
• heavy-bottomed saucepan until a small cube of bread sizzles and turns golden when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Deep-fry the potato slices for 1-2 minutes
• or until golden-brown. Remove the game chips from the oil with a slotted spoon
• set aside to drain on kitchen paper and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• carve the chicken into slices
• and place onto serving plates along with the bread sauce
• spring greens
• game chips
• stuffing and gravy.