Roasted Miso Ginger Chicken

Roast chicken is such a comforting dish.  It reminds me of being ten years old, and when I came home from Sunday school, Mum would have a fabulous roast chicken lunch put together.  The wonderful smell as the chicken finished roasting made me impatient for lunch to be served, so I would try and quell my impatience by watching Barbara Woodhouse train dogs and their owners on TV.  Hey, it worked for a would-be vet! 

One of the most delicious roast chicken dinners that I have made in recent times comes from the New Zealand version of Cuisine magazine.  It is a Roasted Miso and Ginger Chicken.  A miso, garlic and ginger butter is sld under the skin of the chicken before roasting, and the chicken is served with roasted spring onions and broccolini.  It is really good, especially if you are a fan of Asian flavours.

If this sounds like a recipe that would tickle your tastebuds, you will need:

1 tablespoon white miso
50g softened butter
2 minced cloves garlic
5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 chicken
250ml chicken stock
1 bunch spring onions cut into 5cm lengths
1 bunch broccolini, trimmed
2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds   

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Combine the miso, butter, garlic, ginger and 1 tablespoon of rice wine in a bowl.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towel, loosen the skin from the flesh on the breast, and smear half of the miso butter under the skin of the breast of the chicken.  Smear the rest of the miso butter into the chicken's cavity and over the outside of the chicken.

Put the chicken breast side down into a roasting tray.  Season the chicken with salt.

Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, then turn it breast side up in the roasting tray.  Add the chicken stock and the remaining tablespoon of rice wine, and cook for a further 20 minutes.

Add the spring onions and broccoli to the roasting dish, return the chicken to the oven, and roast for a further 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken   from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before scattering it with the sesame seeds and carving to serve.