Roast chicken with chestnut and apple stuffing balls

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. For the stuffing, melt the 20g unsalted butter in a small frying pan. Add the bacon and fry for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden. Add the onion and fry gently for another 8-10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Tip into a mixing bowl and leave to go completely cold. Add the sausage meat, chestnuts, breadcrumbs, apple, chopped sage, thyme and parsley leaves, grated nutmeg and some salt and pepper to the onions, then mix it all together well with your hands. Shape into about 12 walnut-size balls.
2. Season the chicken cavity with a little salt and pepper, then push in the herb sprigs and 25g unsalted butter. Tie the bird’s legs together with string, season all over, put in a lightly oiled roasting tin, then roast for 1 hour.
3. Put the stuffing balls in another small, oiled roasting tin. Remove the chicken from the oven and brush the skin with some of the maple syrup. Return to the oven with the tray of stuffing balls and roast for another 20 minutes, brushing the skin of the chicken every 5 minutes with more of the maple syrup until it is nicely coloured.
4. Remove the cooked chicken from the oven, flip it over and put breast-down on a carving board (see Know-how). Wrap loosely in foil and leave for 15 minutes. Continue to roast the stuffing balls for another 5-10 minutes until nicely browned.
5. For the gravy, pour away the excess fat from the chicken roasting tin, put it on the hob over a medium heat and add a splash of the stock. Rub the base with a wooden spoon to release all the caramelised juices. Stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute, then gradually add the remaining stock and the cider. Simmer vigorously until well flavoured and reduced to a good gravy consistency. Strain into a clean pan, season to taste, then keep hot.
6. Unwrap the chicken and carve for serving. Serve with the cider gravy, chestnut and apple stuffing balls and vegetables.