Roast chicken & salsa verde

1. Fill the chimney starter with briquettes. Place two lighter cubes on the charcoal grate, and put the chimney on top.
2. Light the lighter cubes and heat the briquettes for 20 minutes, or until they’re grey and a bit ashened.
3. Place two D-shaped char-baskets on opposite sides of the grill, positioning them as close to the sides of the barbecue as they’ll go, leaving a space in the middle, and divide the hot briquettes between the two baskets.
4. Add the cooking grate to the barbecue, remove the central ring and close the lid to heat up, making sure the air vents are open.
5. Place the wood chips in a bowl of water (if using), and pick in the leaves from 1 sprig of the mixed herbs, then leave to soak.
6. While the briquettes are heating up, bash the fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar then mix with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Finely grate in a little lemon zest, pick in the leaves from 1 sprig of the mixed herbs and pound together, then muddle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and rub it all over the chicken.
7. Fill the cup in the centre of the poultry roaster with most of the remaining mixed herbs. Quarter the lemon, squeezing in the juice, then stuff with 3 of the wedges, and fill with 200ml of water or the wine (if using).
8. Sit the chicken over the cup of the poultry roaster so it’s upright, then stuff the remaining herbs and reserved lemon quarter into the top of the bird (this will help to keep the flavours inside the chicken).
9. Scrub the potatoes then, one at a time, place on a board between the handles of two wooden spoons, so that when you slice down into the potato the spoons stop the blade from going all the way through. Carefully slice at just under ½ cm intervals all the way along. Repeat with all the potatoes.
10. Rub the potatoes lightly with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place in the basket of the poultry roaster.
11. Scrub the carrots, then toss with a little oil, salt and pepper; and add to the poultry basket.
12. Scrub the squash, then quarter lengthways and scoop out the seeds, then brush both with a little oil, salt and pepper.
13. Place the onions in a small roasting tray (there’s no need to peel them), then scrub, trim and add the beetroot. Carefully place the tray on the charcoal grate in between the two baskets of briquettes and pour in a splash of water to create a little humidity.
14. Add the cooking grate to the barbecue, place the chicken roaster in the middle, and place the butternut and beetroot close to the coals but not directly over them.
15. If you’re using wood chips, close the barbecue lid and wait for the temperature to reach 200ºC, making sure the air vents are completely open. Then, add the soaked chips over the coals.
16. Put the lid down and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the chicken is golden, cooked through, and a meat thermometer or probe reaches 75ºC; and the vegetables are tender and lightly charred, turning occasionally and brushing with oil occasionally.
17. Meanwhile, make the salsa verde. Pick and roughly chop the mint and parsley, then place in the centre of a large chopping board. Peel and add the garlic, followed by the capers, cornichons, anchovies and walnuts, and continue chopping and mixing together until fine.
18. Scrape into a large bowl and add the mustard, 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, then taste and season to perfection.
19. Once the chicken is cooked, remove the poultry roaster from the barbecue. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the onions out of their skins and slice up the beetroot. Carefully remove the chicken from the poultry roaster onto a board, then slice and serve in the middle of the table with the hasselback potatoes, vegetables and salsa verde and let everyone get stuck in.

Recipe tested on a Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Kettle Barbecue