Roast chicken with samphire and toum dressing

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

For the toum, blitz the garlic in a blender with half the lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt until combined. With the motor still running, add the sunflower oil, a little at a time, until it’s the consistency of mayonnaise. Taste, and add more lemon juice if needed. Transfer the dressing to a bowl, cover with cling film, and store in the fridge (It will keep for 5 days) until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F/Gas 6. Line an oven tray with foil. Place the chicken, skin-side up, on the tray and season well. Pour over half the olive oil, dot with half the butter and scatter over the ground chilli flakes. Roast for 25 minutes, until the skin is crisp. Turn off the oven, open the door and leave the chicken to rest for 10 minutes. Drain the juices from the oven tray into a bowl and whisk in the rest of the olive oil to make a dressing.

Place the samphire and the rest of the butter in a steamer set over a pan of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes until just tender. Tip into a bowl and toss with any remaining butter.

Slice the chicken and serve with the samphire and a small bowl of toum dressing for each person. Spoon over the chicken juice and oil mixture and dust over the extra ground chilli flakes.