Roast Chicken with Bread Sauce and Roast Potatoes

• 1 medium Whole chicken
• 60 g Unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp Sunflower oil
• 1 kg Yukon Gold potato
• 1 large Yellow onion
• 8 Whole cloves
• 2 Bay leaves
• 12 Black peppercorns
• 600 ml Whole milk
• 120 g White bread, slightly stale
• 2 tbsp Plain flour
• 300 ml Chicken stock
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt

1. Heat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Pat the chicken dry, then rub all over with 30 g of the butter and 1 tsp of the fine sea salt. Put the chicken in a roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes to start crisping the skin.
2. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut into large chunks. Boil in a large pot of salted water for 8 minutes, then drain well in a colander and shake to roughen the edges. Leave to steam-dry for 2 minutes.
3. Tip the potatoes into a roasting tray, drizzle with the sunflower oil, and season with 0.5 tsp of the fine sea salt. Turn to coat, then add the tray to the oven under the chicken. Roast, turning once, until deeply golden and crisp.
4. Reduce the oven to 190°C (375°F). Continue roasting the chicken until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74°C (165°F) and the juices run clear, about 45 to 55 minutes more. If the skin is browning too quickly, spoon a little pan fat over the breast.
5. While the chicken roasts, make the bread sauce: peel the onion and stud it with the whole cloves. Put the onion in a saucepan with the whole milk, bay leaves and black peppercorns, then bring just to a gentle simmer. Take off the heat, cover, and leave to infuse for 15 minutes.
6. Remove the onion, bay leaves and peppercorns from the milk. Tear the white bread into small pieces and stir into the warm milk, then return to a low heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until thick and spoonable. Stir in the remaining 30 g butter and season with the remaining 0.5 tsp fine sea salt.
7. When the chicken is done, lift it onto a board and rest for 15 minutes. Pour off most of the fat from the roasting pan, leaving the browned juices behind. Keep the potatoes in the oven to stay hot.
8. Set the roasting pan over a medium heat on the hob. Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute, scraping up the sticky bits, then gradually whisk in the chicken stock. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until glossy and lightly thickened, then strain if you like for a smoother gravy.
9. Carve the chicken and serve with the roast potatoes, bread sauce and gravy. Spoon a little gravy over the chicken and pass the rest at the table. Serve everything piping hot.

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