PHOTOGRAPH ELENA HEATHERWICK
There are recipes I love because they’re interesting, there are those I love for their simplicity, and there are those I find myself making again and again. This is the latter: a great roast chicken, one of life’s great pleasures. I relish the rituals: my family’s fight over the wings, eating the oysters – the chef’s secret treats, the leftover sandwiches and bubbling stocks. There’s no meal that makes me feel more at home.
In my mind, there are three keys to a good roast chicken: juicy meat, brown salty skin and, importantly, a ton of sauce. And it’s the sauce of this chicken recipe that sets it apart: handfuls of tarragon, lashings of cream and a proper dollop of mustard. When combined with the cooking juices, garlic and wine, it creates a truly epic mouthful.
The recipe