Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
Anchovy cream
5 anchovies
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Juice of ½ lemon (about 50ml)
40ml olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chook and beans
1 whole chook (chicken), butterflied, spine removed
2 × 400g cans butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 red onion, cut into ½cm slices
2 sprigs of rosemary
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
½ lemon, cut into wedges
125ml white wine or chicken stock
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To Serve
Handful of radicchio or rocket (arugula) leaves, chopped, to finish
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Season it front and back, generously, with salt and pepper.
To make the anchovy cream, combine all the ingredients in a small food processor or blender. Blitz for about 1 minute, until the mixture is creamy and thick. Taste, then season with salt and plenty of pepper.
Put the beans, onion, rosemary, chilli, lemon wedges and wine or stock in a large baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, then season. Toss everything well, then lay the chicken on top. Rub the anchovy cream all over the chicken, making sure it gets into every nook and cranny.
Bake for 45–50 minutes until golden and cooked through. Turn the tray halfway through to avoid hot spots on the chook. To test the chicken, pierce the thigh with a skewer – the liquid should run clear. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the chicken to a plate.
To finish the beans, toss them to help emulsify the juices, then toss through some radicchio or rocket. The juices will act as a dressing. Pour the bean mixture into a dish, then top with the chicken. Serve in the middle of the table.
