Spring Roast Dinner

I absolutely love a roast dinner. It's always been one of my favourite meals since being a child and it's only grown as I started cooking my own at 17/18.

The summer doesn't sit as roast season and last year during the cravings but under the lovely sunshine, I decided to get creative. This spring roast dinner takes a fresh twist on its warm, comfort winter sibling. The pea puree lifts the dish and the chicken stock is a flavour bomb! Also, if you aren't usually a sprout person, you NEED to try these. They are the indulgent part on the dish but I promise you, you need to try them. If you're watching your calories then make sure you weigh out your mayo.

Ingredients:

Whole Chicken

Lemon

Herbs - I use rosemary & thyme

Garlic

Peas (measured out at 500ml in a measuring jug).

Miso

Sweet potato

Green Beans

Brussel Sprouts - the more the merrier

Tablespoon of Mustard Mayo - I use this.

Method:

1. Prep your chicken - Stuff with half a lemon, your herbs and crushed garlic cloves. Coat the skin in a light coating of olive oil - I use a brush to spread it. Then salt and pepper to taste. I cook a large chicken for 1h10/15 minutes at 180 degrees celsius and ensure the juices run clear.

2. Peel and cube your sweet potatoes and season in a light olive oil, salt, pepper and throw some of your herbs over them and more garlic.

To cook:

Airfryer: If you can pop them in the airfryer then do so for 30-35 minutes at 200, shaking every 10 minutes to cook evenly

Oven: Cook for 40-45 minutes, tossing them halfway through.

3. Take your peas - probably frozen, and put them in a measuring jug to the 500ml mark, cover the peas in boiling water and let sit for 5-10 minutes - only cover them, don't take the water higher otherwise you'll end up with a soup. Add in a generous heaped teaspoon of miso paste and the juice from the other half of the lemon (make sure no seeds go in). Add salt and using a hand blender, puree your peas. You can also do the blending process in a blender or in the saucepan.

4. Half then par-boil your brussel sprouts for 4 minutes. In a metal sieve, pop your green beans on top of the pan to par-boil/ steam and cook both for an additional 4 minutes. Remove your beans after this and pop them in a tray and leave to the side. Drain your sprouts and pop them in a frying pan.

5. When your chicken is finished cooking, remove from the oven and cover in foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes minimum.

6. Whilst the chicken rests:

1. Pop your tray with your beans into the oven with a bit of lemon squeezed on for 10 minutes.

2. Turn on your pea puree and stir occasionally until cooked through and no excess water (there shouldn't be much anyway). 

3. Turn on your pan with your sprouts in and add in your mustard mayo and cook until sauteed.

^ This seems like a lot in one go if you aren't a confident cook, but I promise it's low maintenance and you won't/ shouldn't panic.

7. Everything gets plated up - start with the pea puree then your sweet potato, sprouts, chicken then the beans - pop a little sprig of thyme around them if you're feeling fancy - or pop them under the chicken too. Use the chicken juice and put a serving spoon amount on top. This is liquid gold and is delicious. 

Enjoy! x