Roast Spring Chicken

Roast spring chicken is an ideal menu when entertaining because it is one of those dishes that always impresses. Always serve with one chicken per person. To attempt to serve pieces will lead to disaster.
Submitted by David McCarthy, Australia

Ingredients

1 chicken for each guest
minced onion
minced celery
frozen peas
pinch of sea salt per chicken
pinch of Paprika per chicken
cream
sprigs of fresh Rosemary and Thyme (Optional)

Method

Split the chickens down the back as for broiling, lay them breast down in a baking pan, filling the depression inside the ribs with equal quantities of finely minced onion, carrot, celery and peas.

Season with salt and a dash of paprika, Rosemary and Thyme (optional) adding a generous lump of butter for each bird.

Pour into the baking pan half a cup of hot water, and cook in a hot oven for half an hour or until the vegetables are tender, baste frequently.

Remove the vegetables and turn the chickens to brown the breasts slightly.

Serve them covered with a sauce made from the same vegetables moistened with a very little warm cream.

Serve with sweet potato croquettes, and/or small potatoes, with skin left on. Part boil the potatoes, then flattened slightly using the flat of a large knife and bake without any fat or oil until skin is crispy. (These do well on the barbecue.)

If you are cooking a tray of chicken it will be enhanced if you lay sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme over the chickens as they cook.

A glass of chilled dry white wine served with this dish will make the meal more enjoyable.