There’s nothing like a luxurious roast chicken and tender little tarts to get you into the festive spirit
A frosty morning just before Christmas, a chicken is roasting in the oven and dewdrops of condensation sparkle on the kitchen windows. The chicken has been basted with a paste of goose fat, juniper and thyme, around it a ring of sweet potatoes, their soft flesh melting, their outer edges crisping in the heat.
Just the smell of goose fat, or indeed that of the duck, will always bring a festive note. Spread it over the breasts and legs of a chicken and you will end up with a supremely juicy bird. This is one of those meals that feels and smells like The Feast itself, but is simpler, and can be brought out throughout the season for the many other “lesser” Christmas meals.