Whole roast chicken kale caesar

Heat the oven to 200C. Pat your chicken down with a paper towel, drizzle with olive oil and season well with salt. Push the 1/2 lemon and garlic cloves (in their skins) into the cavity and roast in the oven for 45mins - 1hr depending on the size of your bird. Alternatively, you could spatchcock your chicken if you’re short on time.

Once the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, transfer it to a plate to rest. Remove the garlic and lemon and set aside for the dressing. Try not to drip too much of the juice from the cavity into the chicken fat at the base of the tray as this will add too much moisture to the croutons, making it harder to crisp them up later.

While your chicken rests, tear the bread into small pieces and tip into the roasting tray with the rosemary, coating in all the chicken fat. Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, turning half way through until golden and crispy. Season and set aside.

To make the dressing, use a fork to smoosh the anchovies into a paste on a chopping board. Do the same with the roasted garlic cloves, which should easily pop out of their skins. Add the egg yolk, mustard, anchovies and garlic to a large bowl (ideally your mixing bowl for your salad!) and use a whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to thicken the dressing, switching to veg oil half way through. Once you’re happy with the consistency, add the roasted lemon juice, parmesan, black pepper and taste for seasoning, adjusting accordingly. I also like to add any remaining chicken juices to the dressing.

Carve the meat from your chicken and chop into bite-sized pieces. Strip the cavolo nero from its stalks, roughly chop and wash well. Add the kale to the salad bowl and use clean hands to massage the dressing into it to break down the texture of the corse leaves. Tip in the chicken and croutons and give everything a good mix. Pile onto plates and finish with a grating of parmesan.