Roast Tarragon Chicken with Mushroom Risotto

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole chicken

3 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped

1 dessertspoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

100g butter, softened

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Mushroom Risotto

100g butter

2 shallots, very finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

300g risotto rice

250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

100ml dry white wine

700ml hot chicken or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of mascarpone

80g fresh parmesan cheese

sea salt and freshly ground black peppe

METHOD:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.

2. Start by prepping the chicken. In a bowl mix together the butter, garlic, tarragon, mustard and season with salt and pepper. Using clean hands, smear this mixture over the entire chicken and underneath the skin. Place the chicken on to a roasting tray and into the preheated over for 1.5hrs.

3. Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add 50g of butter, shallots and garlic, cover and lower the heat to allow the shallots to soften (but not brown), this will take about 2 minutes. Then stir in the rice and coat it with the butter and stir for a couple of minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Add the white wine, stir and allow the alcohol to evaporate, this should take around 2 minutes.

5. Slowly pour in the hot stock, ladle by ladle until all the stock is absorbed stirring all the time. It should take between 15 to 20 minutes for the rice to cook. But taste as you go.

6. While the rice is cooking, place a frying pan over a high heat and add the remaining butter and the sliced chestnut mushrooms. Cook for 3 minutes, tossing as you cook the mushrooms.

7. About 5 minutes before the rice is cooked stir in the mushrooms and fresh thyme and about 1 minute before you serve the risotto add in the mascarpone and parmesan.

8. Once the chicken is cooked, place on a large serving platter and spoon the risotto all around it. Garnish with fresh thyme.