Annie Bell's Garlicky Roast Chicken with Oven Saffron Risotto

Packed with flavour, this makes a nice change for a Sunday roast.

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   1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Slice the top and bottom off the heads of garlic, separate the cloves and tuck the smaller, unpeeled cloves inside the chicken cavity with half the butter. Peel the remaining, larger garlic cloves and set aside. Place the chicken in a roasting dish, smear the remaining butter over the skin and season with salt and pepper.
   2. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, then scatter the peeled garlic cloves around the bird, basting them and the chicken with the juices. Continue roasting for 25 minutes more or until tender and cooked through. Transfer the chicken and garlic cloves to a warm plate, tipping any juices inside the bird back into the roasting dish. Loosely cover the chicken with foil and leave to rest for 20-25 minutes.
   3. Skim any excess fat from the roasting dish, add the wine and simmer until rich and syrupy, scraping up all the sticky bits on the bottom. Add the stock and simmer to reduce for several minutes until rich and thickened slightly. Carve the chicken and serve with the roasted garlic, the gravy and if wished the saffron risotto.
   
   For the saffron ristotto
   
   Use a 2-3 litre flameproof heavy pot with a well-fitting lid. Grind a good pinch of saffron threads (about 25) and combine with 1 tbsp boiling water. Peel and finely chop 1 onion. Melt 25g butter in the pot over a medium heat and fry the onion for 2 minutes or until translucent. Stir in 300g risotto rice and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 150ml white wine and continue cooking for 2 minutes or until absorbed. Add the saffron liquid, 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock and plenty of seasoning. Bring to the boil, put the lid on firmly and cook in a preheated oven at 190C/170C fan/gas 5 for 25 minutes. To finish, stir in an extra knob of butter and 100g grated parmesan. Serve with extra parmesan shavings.