Emergency roast chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients

1.1kg whole chicken
Butter
1 lemon
Salt and pepper
For the muhammara
100g walnuts
3 roasted red peppers (ready roasted in a jar)
100g fresh breadcrumbs
1 small red chilli, deseeded
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7

2. Smear the chicken with butter, not neglecting its wings and legs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a roasting tin. Cut the lemon in half. Put one half inside the chicken and the other underneath it. Roast in the oven for 40 min.

3. To make the muhammara, toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan until they are lightly browned. It should only take 5 min, but be careful not to let them catch. Put them in a food processor (or a bowl if you are using a hand-held mixer) along with the remaining ingredients. Whizz until smooth. Pour in the olive oil.