Roast chicken with fennel, shallot & white bean stew

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Heat 1 tbsp oil with the butter in a shallow, flameproof cast-iron casserole over a medium heat. When melted and lightly bubbling, add the shallots, fennel and garlic. Gently fry, stirring occasionally until well softened and they have taken on a little colour, about 10 minutes.

Mix in the beans and chicken stock, then bring to a simmer. Gently place the chicken on top of the simmering stew. Drizzle with the remaining oil, season with salt and slide the pan into the oven. Roast (without the lid) for about 1 hour 40 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked, the juices run clear and there is no pink meat. Carefully lift the chicken from the pan onto a chopping board and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Tip any of the liquid gathered in the carcass back into the bean stew.

Stir the lemon juice, cheese and most of the chives into the cooked beans. Stir quite vigorously to crush some of the beans into the sauce. Add and stir in the spinach, allowing it to wilt in the residual heat of the stew. Sit the chicken back in the pan to bring to the table, or cut it into chunky portions and serve over the beans, scattered with the remaining chives and reserved fennel fronds.