Roast Chicken With Celeriac Mash

Sometimes it is the simple things in life that are most effective and this roasted chicken with a creamy celeriac mash is just the sort of thing that winter and spring cooking is all about. Comforting and delicious just make sure you cook plenty of this highly popular mash!

1 Rangitikei free range whole chicken
2 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise
1/2 lemon lemon
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
1kg celeriac, peeled and chopped
1 large floury potato, peeled and chopped
garlic, roughly chopped
100ml cream
25g butter

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Remove the chicken from the fridge at the same time as the oven is turned on.
Rub the chicken with a little olive oil, sit in a roasting dish with the breast side up, pop the lemon and garlic into the cavity, sprinkle liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper and scatter over thyme leaves.
Roast for 90 minutes in the lower part of the oven.
Remove from the oven, cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes prior to carving.

Place the celeriac, potato and garlic in a saucepan and cover with cold water, season with salt.
Bring the water to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Drain well.
Heat the cream until almost boiling and pour into the saucepan along with the butter. Press through a potato ricer or blend with a stick blender until smooth.
Serve celeriac mash with roasted chicken and steamed greens.