Calvados & cream pot-roast chicken

Heat a large casserole dish over a medium heat, add the bacon lardons and fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Scoop out onto a plate, leaving the fat behind; set aside. If there is not much fat in the dish, add the olive oil.

Turn up the heat slightly, season the chicken and add to the dish, breast-side down so it’s leaning to one side. Fry for 10 minutes until the skin is deep golden, then turn and cook on the other breast for another 10 minutes. Turn over and brown the underside for 5-10 minutes, then lift the chicken from the dish and set aside on a plate. Preheat the oven to 160ºC, gas mark 3.

Add the shallots and apples to the casserole dish and fry for a couple of minutes until taking on a little colour. Add 2 tarragon sprigs and the stock, then simmer for 1 minute, scraping up any bits from the base of the dish. Sit the chicken on top, breast-side up, cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour until the juices run clear and no pink meat remains.

Remove the dish from the oven, lift out the chicken and rest on a plate under a loose sheet of foil for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, discard the tarragon from the dish, return to the hob and add the vinegar and Calvados. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes to cook off some of the alcohol. Strip the leaves off the remaining tarragon sprigs and roughly chop. Stir in the cream, lardons and most of the tarragon leaves (reserving some) and warm until heated through; season. If liked, return the chicken to the dish, then scatter over the remaining tarragon leaves.

Return any resting juices from the chicken to the casserole dish or pan and bring the bird to the table in the casserole dish or on a serving platter. Carve, then serve with steamed greens plus crusty bread, rice or mashed potato, if liked.