Mother’s Day/ A Really Good Roast Chicken Dinner

I think great home cooking begins and ends with a good roast chicken on a Sunday afternoon with family. The tradition of sitting down to a Sunday roast is one that almost feels slightly dated nowadays in a world full of instagram food trends and viral dishes. I guess it’s our human nature to seek out the next culinary thrill and to discover new ingredients and cuisines. Despite our need for all things shiny and new, I still believe we are creatures of comfort at heart and simple traditions always ring true. Even the most lost of home cooks can find their way home with a really good roast chicken dinner.

When I was growing up, the Sunday roast was an important part of the weekly routine- it was the ceremonious ending to a weekend well spent, and made way for the week ahead. By Sunday mid-morning, my mum would bang away in the kitchen, shushing us so she could listen to The Archers omnibus or some RTE documentary that had her captivated while peeling potatoes. No matter the madness of the working week, she always pulled it out of the bag on a Sunday come rain or shine and as new parents barely finding our feet in family life, I now understand that this was no small feat. She continued this repeated labour of love for my brother and I long after the days where she could bribe us to stay at the table were through and even in our teens when we decided we had far more important things to do, there would always be a plate with the best bits of the meal sitting on the kitchen counter in cling film awaiting our late arrival. The unspoken love in families is so often seen through these small but memorable actions that stay with us.

Now after four years living away from home in Los Angeles, this family meal is what I look forward to most. It’s now a symbol of the importance of homecoming and kick starts the sharing of stories that didn’t quite make the cut on dodgy facetime calls while plates are passed and gravy is poured. I’d go as far to hazard a guess that some of the worst cases of jetlag we’ve experienced can be cured by a plate of my mum’s tender chicken, rich gravy, roast spuds and carrots. I know Sofie and our son Noah with a face full of spuds would most definitely agree.

By no way a means to downgrade it, the beauty of the Sunday roast lies in its simplicity, most components can be easily prepared and are slowly cooked to glory. An ideal place to begin as a newbie in the kitchen or as a seasoned home cook. So for Mother’s day this year in an ode to my mum’s roast Sunday dinners past and present, I share the recipes that I first learned to cook at her apron strings and the recipes that always find a place at our kitchen table. Happy mother’s day to the mammies making memories.

Garlic & Thyme Butter Roast Chicken with Pan Sauce

To get a crispy skin, ensure you pat the chicken dry before putting the butter under and on the skin. To put the butter under the skin, first push your fingers under the skin to loosen and then stuff with butter. You want to get the butter all the way under the skin, into all the nooks and crannies and secret hidden places. 

My Mum’s Really Good Roast Spud Recipe

Tracking this recipe down from my mum was like cracking the KGB, unanswered emails and phone calls that got promptly hung up. Persistence was key and ultimately she folded so I present to you my mum’s really good roast spud recipe. There’s no hot duck or goose fat to contend with instead it’s all pretty simple. Par boiling and chuffing the warm potatoes in the pot once the water is drained results in crispy crunchy exteriors and velvety interiors.

Carrots Vichy

Our close family friend Nacha introduced this classic French method of cooking carrots on the stovetop in one pan. The carrots cook in water and butter until the liquid has all but evaporated and results in perfectly tender carrots with a glossy buttery coating. Parsley brings bright fresh aromatics and a twist of black pepper and sea salt finishes this simple and splendid side dish.

Follow these links for the recipes in the photos:

Garlic & Thyme Butter Roast Chicken with Pan Sauce

My Mum’s Really Good Roast Spud Recipe

Carrots Vichy

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