Roast chicken with comté mushroom sauce

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper, then rub all over the skin with the knob of butter. Slice the top off the garlic bulb, exposing the cloves, then drizzle with oil and stuff inside the cavity.
2. Pour the white wine into a deep, hob-safe roasting tin, then put a grill rack over it with the chicken on top. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes – check the chicken is cooked through by pushing a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. If the juices run clear, it’s ready – if they’re still pink, return the chicken to the oven for another 10 minutes, then check again.
3. Remove the roasting tin from the oven and set the chicken aside to rest, removing the garlic bulb from inside the cavity and covering the bird loosely with foil. Put the tin with the wine in it over a medium heat and bring to a simmer, then squeeze the softened cloves out of their skins into it and mash with a fork or wooden spoon to incorporate them into the liquid. Leave to bubble away and reduce for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add a knob of butter to a frying pan over a medium heat and add the mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Fry for 8-10 minutes until the mushrooms have released all their liquid and are beginning to turn golden.
5. Stir the double cream into the reduced wine and juices, then add the cheese. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cheese has melted and you have a thick sauce. Season to taste, then tip in the mushrooms.
6. To serve, carve the chicken into pieces and arrange on a platter. Pour the sauce over the top with extra on the side, along with plenty of bread or potatoes to make sure none of the sauce goes to waste