Roast chicken with boulangère potatoes

serves 5

for the roast chicken
2kg free-range chicken
5 sprigs of thyme
25g butter

for the boulangère potatoes
7 potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
5 small onions, peeled and sliced thinly
Maldon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
500ml chick stock

for the salad
half a shallot, peeled and finely sliced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp good olive oil
Maldon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 little gem lettuces

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Rub the butter and thyme into the chicken skin. Mix the potato and onion together in a bowl and season to taste; transfer to a butter oven dish and pour over the stock.

Put the potato dish below the chicken in the oven (so any juices drip into the potatoes). The chicken should be put directly onto the rack:- you can put a sheet of aluminium foil (with holes in it!) beneath the chicken, if you like. Roast for 1.5 - 2 hours until the chicken is cooked. Leave it to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

For the salad; whisk the shallot, mustard, vinegar and olive oil together in a bowl until well combined.Season to taste. Rinse and spin the lettuce before dressing.