Pot-roast chicken with potato ragù

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 1.75kg/3lb 14oz chicken, preferably corn-fed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 500ml/18floz stout
• 200ml/7floz chicken stock

For the potato ragù

• 50g/2oz butter
• 400g/14oz baby new potatoes, scrubbed, thinly sliced
• 2 banana shallots, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 300g/11oz hispi cabbage, finely sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

Method

1. For the chicken, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Heat a large casserole dish until hot, and the oil and brown the chicken on both sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

4. Add the onion and fry for a minute, return the chicken to the pan then pour over the stout and stock.

5. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 1½ hours; basting every 30 minutes or so with the juices.

6. Remove from the oven, cover and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.

7. For the potato ragù, heat a large frying pan until hot, add the butter and potatoes and fry gently for 4-5 minutes, or until just softened.

8. Add the shallots, garlic, cabbage and thyme and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the potatoes and cabbage are just coloured.

9. Add a couple of ladles of the cooking liquor from the chicken then bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

10. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper then stir in the parsley.

11. To serve, carve the chicken. Ladle the potato mixture into serving bowls then top with the chicken.