Roast chicken, spatzle and Madeira sauce

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Combine the herbs, butter, breadcrumbs and salt and pepper.

2. Push this stuffing between the meat and the skin of the whole chicken. Place in a roasting tin and roast for 1 hour - until the skin is golden and the meat is tender.

3. For the spatzle, combine the flour, eggs, yolks, olive oil and water until they come together as a firm paste.

4. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and push the spatzle through the holes of a colander into the water. Cook for one minute before draining in a colander.

5. Heat the butter in a frying pan over a moderate heat, and fry the spatzle, stirring frequently, until golden.

6. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan and gently fry the shallots until soft but not coloured - about 5 minutes.

7. Add the thyme, bay leaf and Madeira to the shallots, and cook down until reduced by two-thirds.

8. Pour in the chicken stock and reduce by a further two-thirds. Stir in the cream and cook-down for another 5 minutes. Season to taste and pass through a fine sieve.

9. Carve the chicken into eight joints, drizzle over the sauce, and serve with the spatzle.

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Ingredients

For the stuffing

1 bunch mixed herbs, such as chervil, chives, tarragon, parsley and sage
250g Butter
150g dried breadcrumbs
1.5kg chicken

For the spatzle

500g plain strong flour
2 Eggs, beaten
2 egg yolks
35ml Olive oil
50-100ml water
1-2 tbsp Butter, for frying the spatzle

For the sauce

3 tbsp Olive oil
2 Shallots, finely chopped
1 sprig Thyme
1 bay leaf
100ml Madeira
150ml chicken stock
150ml double cream

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