Roast chicken with creamy sauerkraut

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Put the chicken in a medium roasting tin, rub the 50g butter all over and season well with salt, pepper and thyme leaves. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and roast for a further 50-60 minutes, basting twice, until the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a sharp knife and the skin is crisp. Rest the chicken, uncovered on a board, for about 20 minutes.
2. While the chicken is cooking, melt the 30g butter in a large frying pan and fry the bacon, onions and carrots with the juniper berries and bay leaves over a medium-high heat until the onions are very soft and the bacon begins to colour.
3. Add the grated apple and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes or so until the onions are golden. Pour in the gin and allow it to evaporate completely. Add the sauerkraut, then cook, stirring regularly, for 15 minutes or until the sauerkraut begins to turn golden. Pour in the cream, stir, then bring up to a gentle simmer. Taste and season. Serve the chicken and creamy sauerkraut with potatoes and dijon mustard (plus a shot of gin, chilled for an hour in the freezer) on the side.