RotisserieMeat

Rotisserie Chicken with Wild Mushroom Gravy

Name: Rotisserie Chicken with Wild Mushroom Gravy
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 4–6
Ingredients: Pipers Farm properly pastured chicken; 50g grass-fed butter; 1 large brown onion; 2 celery sticks; 2 carrots; 2 garlic bulbs; A handful of bay leaves; A few sprigs of rosemary; A few sprigs of thyme; 1 litre chicken stock; 3–4 tbsp flour; A generous glug of Somerset Cider Brandy; 2 shallots; 200g chanterelles; 200g wild mushrooms; 200ml double cream; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

by Abby Allen, Pipers Farm

Cook time 1 hr 25 min

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

Pipers Farm properly pastured chicken
50g grass-fed butter
1 large brown onion
2 celery sticks
2 carrots
2 garlic bulbs
A handful of bay leaves
A few sprigs of rosemary
A few sprigs of thyme
1 litre chicken stock
3–4 tbsp flour
A generous glug of Somerset Cider Brandy
2 shallots
200g chanterelles
200g wild mushrooms
200ml double cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

There is something magical about a rotisserie chicken. As it turns it bastes itself, and you get succulence and tenderness you cannot reach any other way. In this recipe Abby takes full advantage of the juices the bird releases, catching every drop in a pan below and turning them into a rich wild mushroom gravy.

This is cooking at its most satisfying. Perfect for a crisp autumn weekend when you want the comfort of a classic roast and the pleasure of cooking outside.

Whole chicken turning on the rotisserie above a tray of vegetables

Method

1. Light the fire

Light the Somerset Grill and let the wood burn down to coals, then rake them into the centre.

2. Set the bird turning

Slide the chicken onto the rotisserie and seal it tightly in the two baskets. Set it going.

3. Build the tray beneath

Fill the base of a large roasting tin with the giblets, onion, garlic, celery, carrots and herbs. Season with sea salt, drizzle with oil, and place it on the grill directly under the chicken so the juices drip into it. Shake the tray and move the veg around now and then. The bird takes 1 hour 25 minutes. Rest it while you make the gravy.

4. Make the gravy base

Sprinkle the flour over the veg and scrape up all the pan juices with a wooden spoon. After a couple of minutes of scraping and toasting the flour, pour in the warmed stock. Let it bubble for six or seven minutes. Pour the lot through a sieve into a bowl, pushing down on the veg to extract every bit of flavour. Discard the veg and giblets and keep the gravy warm at the back of the grill.

5. The mushrooms

Set a large cast iron pan over a medium heat. Add a little butter with the shallot and a pinch of salt, and sweat until soft. Move to a warmer part of the grill, add the rest of the butter and the wild mushrooms, and fry for a couple of minutes without moving them too much. Pour in the cider brandy and let it bubble and reduce by two thirds. Pour in the gravy, stir, and finish with a splash of cream. Check the seasoning.