Serves: 4

Recipe By: Louise Smail on Tyler Florence's Food TV show 3/28/03

STOCK FOR GRAVY:
Chicken neck and giblets
1 bay leaf
1 small onion
1 carrot -- cut in pieces
8 black peppercorns
Water to cover

STUFFING:
1 ounce butter
1 small onion -- finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves -- finely chopped
1 small bunch fresh parsley -- finely chopped
2 ounces fresh bread cubes
1 egg -- beaten
1/2 lemon -- juiced
Lemon rind -- grated
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

CHICKEN:
1 5-6 pound free-range chicken, with giblets and neck)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 lemon -- sliced
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
6 slices streaky smoked bacon
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 medium onion -- peeled

ROAST POTATOES:
12 medium red or white potatoes -- peeled
All-purpose flour for coating
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons sunflower oil

GRAVY:
Strained stock from giblets and neck
Roasting pan juices -- defatted
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Splash white wine -- optional
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

STOCK: (Can be made ahead.) Combine the giblets with a bay leaf and an onion in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Add carrot and peppercorns; reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour. Strain out vegetables, bay leaf and peppercorns and set aside.

STUFFING: In a medium saucepan melt the butter and sweat the onions until translucent. Combine the chopped herbs, breadcrumbs, beaten egg, lemon juice and zest in a medium-mixing bowl. Add onions and mix thoroughly.

CHICKEN: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. To prepare the chicken, lift the skin gently with a knife and insert some small pieces of butter and slices of lemon under the breast. Make a ball of the stuffing and place in the cavity. Tie the chicken together with a string. Lay 6 pieces of streaky smoked bacon over the chicken. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Rub salt and butter into the skin. Heat oil in roasting pan and put the chicken and the onion into it. Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Baste the chicken thoroughly every 20 minutes. After 1 hour and 10 minutes remove the crispy bacon slices and place them on a dish for serving. Return the chicken to the oven for another 20 minutes.

GRAVY: When the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a plate and keep warm. Put the roasting tin on heat and drain off fat with a spoon. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the juice. Keep stirring. When the juice is brown add the stock. Sieve the gravy to remove any lumps. Add a splash of white wine if desired.