Perfectly Roasted Chicken

Finding it difficult to come up with an alternative to the usual Turkey dinner this festive season? Look no further. I have the perfectly roasted chicken recipe for you that will put a smile on your guests faces. I served this a couple of Christmases ago and the kids loved it; it has been my go to roast for weekends or whenever we have friends or family over for a big feast. And the best part, it's a no oil, fuss free kind of recipe! Feel free to substitute the lemon for oranges to capture that more familiar festive feeling.

For a small-medium whole bird, you will need:

• 1 Whole chicken with skin and bones, halved lengthwise
• 3 Cloves of garlic, freshly minced
• 2 Whole lemons, one juiced for drizzling and one sliced for serving
• 1 Teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 Teaspoon of fine salt
• A pinch of sea salt flakes for serving

Final Touches: Reserve one lemon for slicing and wedging into the chicken before sprinkling with sea salt and serving.

How To:

1. Prepare a roasting tray large enough for your bird to lay flat in the oven.

2. Clean any excess fat and feathering from your bird and cut it down the middle, lengthways. Lay flat, skin side up, into your roasting tray.

3. Pierce the entire chicken to the bone with a knife.

4. Sprinkle the fine salt and black pepper all over the chicken - try to do this evenly - and then rub in the minced garlic by massaging all of the seasoning into the cuts you have made.

5. Cover gently with some foil and bake in the middle of the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. Check your progress at this point, uncover and cook for a further 10-15 minutes.

6. Once cooked, removed from the oven and pour the freshly squeezed lemon juice over the chicken. Wedge your lemon slices into the creases of the chicken and lightly sprinkle with some sea salt flakes.

Serve with boiled baby new potatoes, steamed veggies and a green leafy salad. A quick and simple, wholesome family meal. Enjoy!

Wishing all a bright and joyous Yule.

- The Storms

A Christmas to Remember.

I am not at all religious. Not even in the slightest. And yet, as a child, I grew up celebrating Christmas day each year. I mean we would go all out in our silly, over-the-top decoration of the living room (thankfully for my dad, not the entire house), the preparation and indulgence of the massive turkey dinner, with all of the trimmings that nobody really wanted and to top it off; the unnecessary expenditure on gifts. Still, we would all force the festivities down a right treat, in the end. I remember the event being somewhat fantastical as a kid, but as I have grown older, some of that charm and novel shine has simply lost its razzle-dazzle for me.

Tis the Season: For the sheer delight of our children.

The season often gets me thinking of the sheer lengths we will go to, for a simple smile... just so we can see the elation on our children’s faces; it really is magnificent. I remember my poor, wonderful mother would pre-cook the turkey the night before - a task that would go well into the early hours of the morning; it was no easy feat. On Christmas day, at eight o'clock in the morning she’d make her way through the freezing cold house just to spend the next two hours peeling and trimming potatoes along with the dreaded sprouts for a brood of four excitable children and an annually grouchy husband. The rest of the morning was spent prepping the sauce and veggie, cleaning and warming the house, washing-up, tending to an obligatory cut or burn and ultimately, conjuring up a spectacular, but humble little feast. She does this pretty much solo every year with some of the kids eventually chipping in as we got older. This is my nostalgic attachment to the Christmas Yuletide – my mother’s remarkable efforts.

Now that I am a mother myself, with three beautiful children, I too, find myself dancing to the all too familiar beat of the Christmas ritual; and a great performance it must be if I can create a few ecstatic smiles and wonderful memories with my own loved ones.

So, in dedicating this year’s annual cooking marathon to my amazing mother’s lifelong efforts; have a warm, merry Christmas and a wonderful new year.

Happy Holidays.