SPICED ROAST CHICKEN & HARISSA GRAVY

Serves 4-6 Difficulty: Medium

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole chicken
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 jar Artcaffé Market shawarma spice dry rub
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 litres water
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• 2 medium onions, halved
• 3 oranges
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 2 tbsp Artcaffé Market preserved lemon harissa
• 1/4 cup salt for brine
• Cracked pepper and salt

DIRECTIONS

For Chicken Brine (make 24 hours before)

1. Place chicken in a deep bowl, add water, orange juice, bay leaves, 1/4 cup salt, and whole peppercorns. Chicken should be fully immersed.
2. Cover and place in the fridge for 24 hours. Remove 3 hours prior to roasting.

For Roast 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. In a small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, 2 tbsp shawarma rub, minced garlic, orange zest and 1 tsp cracked pepper.
3. With a brush rub this mixture onto the chicken skin evenly. Sprinkle salt cracked pepper over chicken and inside cavity.
4. Place 2 oranges inside the cavity. Tuck wings under chicken; tie drumsticks together.
5. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Arrange halved onions and oranges around chicken.
6. Roast for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours basting occasionally with drippings (use a thermometer and insert into the thickest part of thigh. It should read 75-80°C). Cover loosely with foil if chicken browns too quickly.
7. Once ready cover and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

For Harissa Gravy 

1. Pour drippings and loosened browned bits from roasting pan into a measuring cup.
2. Skim off the fat. Add enough water to the drippings to measure 1 cup.