Winter a drag? This is a chill-killer. How could anyone feel cold with roast chicken and hazelnuts in the tum?

Ingredients

2 red onions, thickly sliced 1 tablespoon sea salt, or to taste 4 cloves garlic, sliced ½ teaspoon black peppercorns 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped 50g hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped 100g butter, softened 1.6kg free-range chicken sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 lemon, sliced

Method

Placing herbs and nuts under the chicken’s skin gives this dish its wonderful flavour and crispy texture. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan-forced). Line a baking dish or cast-iron dish with onion slices (the dish should be just large enough to hold the chicken). Gently pound the salt, garlic, peppercorns and olive oil in a mortar and pestle. Gradually add the parsley and hazelnuts and pound to a rough paste. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and stir in the butter. Dry the chicken inside and out with paper towel and season well. Make small pockets under the breast and leg skin using your fingers, then gently spread the stuffing over the breast and legs between the skin and meat (take care not to tear the skin). Stuff lemon slices into the cavity and place the chicken on the onions in the baking dish. Roast for about 1¼ hours, basting with the pan juices halfway through the cooking time. The chicken should be golden and cooked through. Check by inserting a skewer in the thickest part of the thigh – if the juices are still a bit pink, roast for another 10 minutes or so. Rest for 10 minutes before serving. Dry the chicken inside and out with paper towel and season well. Make small pockets under the breast and leg skin using your fingers, then gently spread the stuffing over the breast and legs between the skin and meat (take care not to tear the skin). Stuff lemon slices into the cavity and place the chicken on the onions in the baking dish. Roast for about 1¼ hours, basting with the pan juices halfway through the cooking time. The chicken should be golden and cooked through. Check by inserting a skewer in the thickest part of the thigh – if the juices are still a bit pink, roast for another 10 minutes or so. Rest for 10 minutes before serving. Recipe provided by: