2019-07-01_Reader_s_Digest_UK

100 • JULY 2019

Rachel Walker is

a food writer for

numerous national

publications. Visit

rachel-walker.co.uk

for more information

Summer “Roast”

FOOD

Serves 4-6
2tsp chilli flakes
2tsp dried oregano
4tbsp red wine
vinegar
4tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized
chicken
4 courgettes
2tbsp olive oil
500g radishes
100g bunch of
parsley
50g bunch of mint
1tbsp Nigella seeds

Optional serve:
bowl of buttery
new potatoes

This summer roast takes the form of a gloriously big

salad—but not chicken salad as you know it. There’s

no mayonnaise to form the base or pasta to bulk it out.

Instead summer herbs keep the flavours light and

fresh. It can be served as a seasonal alternative to a

roast lunch, particularly when accompanied with a

bowl of buttery potatoes and a good bottle of wine

1. Start by making the marinade—which will also
   double-up as a dressing. Mix together the chilli flakes,
   oregano, red wine vinegar and olive oil in a small jug.
   Season with salt and pepper.


2. Pour half the dressing in a resealable bag, add the
   chicken and refrigerate for 2-12 hours to allow it to
   marinade. Set aside the remaining half to serve with
   the salad.


3. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the chicken in a
   roasting tin, pour over the marinade and roast for 45
   minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked through by
   stabbing the thickest part with a knife, and ensuring that
   the juices run clear.


4. Meanwhile, cut the courgette at a diagonal angle at
   1cm intervals. Put in a mixing bowl, toss with the olive oil
   and season with salt. Heat a griddle pan and cook in
   batches so that each slice develops delicious black char.
   This will take a little time but is worth the effort and will
   give the chicken a chance to rest.


5. Wash and halve the radishes, then wash and pick the
   parsley and mint leaves and slice roughly. Put in a mixing
   bowl along with the sliced courgette and Nigella seeds.
   Shred the chicken off the bone while still in the roasting
   tin, so that the meat soaks in the juices. Add it to the
   salad and toss through the remaining dressing.


6. Serve with a side dish of buttery roast potatoes. Turn
   leftovers into a chicken salad by mixing with a little
   mayonnaise and thinly-sliced spring onions.