1950s roast chicken

Ingredients

• 1.6kg whole chicken
• 100g lard, melted
• 1 tbsp fine salt
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1kg potatoes, chopped
• 1 bunch baby carrots, trimmed
• 400ml chicken stock
• 3 tbsp Gravox
• 2 cups frozen peas

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C fan forced (200C conventional).
2. Place chicken on a large oven tray and drizzle with half the lard.
3. Rub the lard all over the chicken.
4. Season well with some of the salt, rubbing top and bottom of chicken and inside the cavity.
5. Place lemon inside the chicken cavity.
6. Toss potatoes in a large bowl with remaining lard and some salt.
7. Place potatoes around the chicken.
8. Roast chicken for 40 mins, then add carrots to the tray.
9. Continue roasting for a further 30-40 mins, until chicken skin is golden and crisp and internal temperature reaches 65C.
10. Transfer chicken to a rack to rest and keep vegetables warm.
11. Pour roasting pan juices into a medium saucepan.
12. Whisk in Gravox and chicken stock over medium heat.
13. Cook gravy, whisking, until it starts to thicken.
14. Cook peas in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 mins until just tender.
15. Carve chicken and serve on a platter with potatoes and carrot, gravy and peas on the side.