Roast Chicken with Bread Sauce

• 1 medium Whole chicken, whole
• 60 g Unsalted butter
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt
• 1 tsp Black peppercorns
• 1 medium Lemon
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 6 sprigs Fresh thyme
• 600 ml Whole milk
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 6 Whole cloves
• 2 Bay leaves
• 120 g Breadcrumbs, fresh
• 1 pinch Ground nutmeg

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Pat the chicken dry, then mash the butter with the salt and lightly crushed peppercorns. Zest the lemon, then mix the zest into the butter and set the lemon aside.
2. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and thighs, then rub most of the butter underneath and the rest over the skin. Halve the lemon and put it in the cavity with the garlic cloves and thyme. Roast in a roasting pan for 70 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 75°C (170°F).
3. While the chicken roasts, make the bread sauce: peel the onion and stud it with the cloves. Put the milk in a saucepan with the onion, bay leaves and a few thyme sprigs, then warm gently until steaming but not boiling. Take off the heat, cover, and leave to infuse for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the onion, bay leaves and thyme from the milk. Whisk in the breadcrumbs and cook over a low heat for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy. Stir in the nutmeg and a small knob of the remaining butter if you want it extra rich, then keep warm on the lowest heat.
5. Lift the chicken onto a board and rest for 10 minutes before carving. Spoon any buttery juices from the roasting pan over the carved chicken. Serve with the warm bread sauce alongside.

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