The ramblings of a Foodie: A Mother’s Love

Food is more precious than gold, more valuable than oil and more beautiful than any diamond.

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I have always been fascinated by Food, ever since I was a child it was the only thing that held my interest for so long. Some kids play baseball or soccer, but I make luscious chocolate mousse and creamy blueberry cheesecakes and decadent caramel flan, I can make basically anything that doesn’t require the use of an oven.(My mother does not want me to burn the house down) 

But as I grew older (and more adept at handling kitchen utensils) my mother had graciously given me free reign over the kitchen, and in time she also shared with me some of her beloved recipes. And perhaps one of her most succulent masterpiece is her Roast Chicken stuffed with Chorizo and Thyme. And even though the holiday season has already passed, I would like to share this recipe with all of you:

Roast chicken with chorizo and thyme stuffing

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg whole chicken
• small knob soft butter

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For the stuffing

• 25 g butter 1 onion, finely chopped 
• 75 g chorizo, chopped into 1cm dice 
• 75 g soft white breadcrumbs 
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley 
• 2 generous tsp chopped thyme

For the gravy

• 350 ml chicken stock
•  1 tsp thyme

To serve

• mash or roast potatoes 
• seasonal vegetables

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

2. For the stuffing: melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the chopped onion and chorizo, cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for about 8-10 minutes until the onions are soft.

3. Take off the heat, then stir in the chopped herbs and breadcrumbs. Season to taste and leave until cold. Spoon the stuffing into the carcass of the chicken, making sure it is not packed in too tightly (there should be enough room for the heat to cook the stuffing thoroughly). Place the chicken in a roasting tray. Smear the knob of soft butter over the chicken’s skin and sprinkle with some sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper.

4. Roast for 1.5 to 2 hours until cooked. The legs should feel quite loose in the bird and when a skewer is stuck into the thigh with a spoon placed underneath to catch the juices: the juices should run clear. If the chicken is getting too brown during cooking, cover it with a butter wrapper or a piece of foil or parchment paper. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a serving plate and leave to rest in a warm place.

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5. For the gravy: place the roasting tray on the hob on a medium heat, add half of the stock and bring to the boil whisking to get the sweet juicy bits which have stuck to the tray (this is called deglazing). When it comes to the boil, pour it into a small bowl or pyrex jug. Add 1 or 2 ice cubes, this will draw the fat up to the top, then you can spoon the fat off and discard.

6. Pour the degreased juices into a small saucepan, add the remainder of the stock and the thyme, bring to the boil, and season to taste; if it is a little watery, boil it for another couple of minutes.

7. Carve the chicken and serve with the gravy, stuffing, potatoes and vegetables.