French-style Slow-Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Garlic

Preheat oven to 200ºC (400ºF).

Put chicken in a tin in which it will fit quite snugly (if you happen to have an old-fashioned enamel chicken roaster, that would be perfect). Rub chicken all over with olive oil (you probably won’t need the whole tablespoon, just use enough to make the skin receptive to the salt, pepper and herbs).

Put 3 cloves of garlic and a sprig of each of the herbs into the chicken cavity. (Make sure you wash your hands after touching the raw chicken.)

Add chunks of vegetables, bay leaves, lemon pieces and the remaining herb sprigs to the tin, tucking them around the chicken. Season chicken liberally all over with salt and pepper, then finely grate or mince the rest of the garlic and scatter it over the top. Finally, sprinkle with dried oregano or tarragon, if using.

Cover tightly with the lid if you are using a chicken roaster, or with a double layer of greased foil if you are using an ordinary roasting tin. It is extremely important that the tin is tightly sealed and that there are no holes in the foil that will let the juices evaporate.

Put chicken into the oven and immediately reduce temperature to 180ºC (350ºF). Leave untouched (don’t be tempted to peep, you will never get it sealed again) for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Remove chicken to a warmed plate and cover with foil or the lid of the roaster while you make the jus. Add wine (or vermouth or sherry) to the tin and, using a spatula, scape down all the lovely sticky bits from the sides of the tin and give everything a good stir to make sure you extract all the flavour from the chunks of roasted vegetables and lemons. Once you are satisfied you’ve done a good job, strain the juices into a small saucepan (discard the veggies and lemon pieces). Skim any fat off the top using a spoon, then bring to the boil. Simmer until you have the consistency you want.

Carve the chicken into pieces and serve with the jus.