roast chicken & giblets

Roast dinners are a huge favorite, especially when we have organic chicken. As my mother often says, 'We didn't have organic in our day,' to which the standard reply is, 'You did, except it was just called chicken!'"

Following the tradition my mother taught me, I simmer the chicken (giblets removed) for 30 minutes in a saucepan of water with chopped onions and two whole cloves of garlic. Once finished, I remove the chicken and keep the stock for making gravy and cooking the celery.

Next, add your chicken to your roasting tin, along with more garlic. Pour in some of the stock and let it cook.

Parboil the potatoes and toss them in semolina before placing them in the oven. This ensures crispy on the outside and soft on the inside roasties. Roast your carrots and potatoes in the oven, and steam the broccoli and cauliflower. Don't forget to make your gravy. Enjoy!

PS: You can also simmer the giblets in water with onions and garlic for about an hour. Strain and let it cool. I then place it in ice cube trays for freezing. It can be a great addition to rice, vegetables, pasta, and more for added flavor. You can also freeze it in batches of 1/2 and 1 pint for casseroles, and other dishes.

Geraldine