Roast chicken with sage, celeriac and black pudding

1. Preheat the oven to 210˚C, gas mark 6. Put the chicken in a roasting tin. If it is trussed, cut the strings. Open out the legs, pulling them away from the body a little. Chop ½ the sage and combine it with the butter. Smear the butter over the chicken and season.

2. Put the cubed celeriac in a bowl with the bay leaves and remaining sage leaves. Trickle over the olive oil, season and tumble together. Scatter around the chicken, then place the bird in the centre of the hot oven and cook for 25-30 minutes. Baste the bird and celeriac, turning the celeriac as you go, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C, gas mark 4. Roast the bird for a further 40-50 minutes, then check that it’s cooked by piercing the thickest part of the meat with a skewer. The juices should run clear. If they don’t, return the bird to the oven for 5-10 minutes before testing again.

3. Remove the bird from the oven, up-end it and allow all the lovely roasting juices to run out from the cavity back into the roasting tin. Place the chicken on a board and set aside to rest in a warm place. Slice the black pudding into large chunks and toss through the celeriac with the sliced garlic. Return the roasting tin to the oven for 10 minutes.

4. To serve, either put the chicken back in the tin, on top of the celeriac mixture, and let everyone help themselves, or carve the bird and divide the meat between warmed plates, spooning over the celeriac and black pudding before bringing to the table.