Roast chicken with vermouth, beans and grapes

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. Put the oil in a hob-safe roasting tray or wide casserole over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shallots and garlic with a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes until softened, then add the sage and vermouth and bring to the boil. Drain the beans, pouring the liquid from one of the tins into the tray (discard the liquid from the other tin), then sit the chicken on top. Brush the skin with oil to help crisp it up, then season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the dried thyme. Roast the chicken for 40 minutes.
2. After 40 minutes, baste the chicken with the liquid in the tray and stir in the drained beans, then cook for 20 minutes more. After this time, snip the grapes into small bunches, then add them to the tray around the chicken and baste both the grapes and the chicken once more. Cook for 10 minutes more, then carefully transfer the chicken and the grapes to a plate. Cover and leave to rest.
3. Put the tray on the hob over a medium heat and stir in the cream. Reduce until you have a thicker sauce consistency (about 10-15 minutes), then taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped parsley and any juices from the rested chicken. For visual effect you could bring it all to the table with the whole chicken on top but it’s easier to carve the chicken first, then put the meat on top of the beans and finish with the grapes.