vincotto roast chicken
with herb and sherry stuffing
- 1 x 1.8kg chicken
- ¼ cup (60ml) vincotto
- 2 bunches (600g) sweet black seedless grapes, cut into small bunches
tarragon butter
- ¼ cup finely chopped tarragon leaves
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- sea salt and cracked black pepper
herb and sherry stuffing
- 50g unsalted butter
- 2 eschalots (French shallots), finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
- ½ cup (125ml) dry sherry
- 3 cups (210g) fresh sourdough breadcrumbs
- To make the tarragon butter, place the tarragon, butter, salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Set aside.
- To make the herb and sherry stuffing, melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the eschalot, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes, or until soft. Add the sherry and cook for 1–2 minutes or until syrupy. Remove from the heat, add the breadcrumbs and mix to combine.
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly grease a large heavy-based baking dish. Using your hands, carefully loosen the skin from the flesh of the chicken breasts and push the tarragon butter underneath. Fill the cavity of the chicken with the stuffing and tie the legs with kitchen string to secure. Place the chicken in the dish. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the vincotto and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes. Add the grapes to the dish and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of vincotto. Roast for a further 30 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the grapes are soft.
- Sprinkle the chicken with pepper to serve. Serves 6–8
TIP:
You can stuff and butter the chicken up to 2 days in advance. Keep refrigerated and brush with the vincotto just before roasting.
Photography: Anson Smart
© DONNA HAY GROUP
