Picnic On The Pier

In the NutriGuide test kitchen, Chief Culinary Specialist Stewart Lucas refined this classic Picnic On The Pier to celebrate vibrant, wholesome ingredients. By prioritizing aromatic layering and precise thermal control, this recipe achieves remarkable culinary depth while preserving natural micronutrients and wholesome texture.

At NutriGuide, our mission is to ensure that home cooking is both accessible and culinary-grade. When executing Picnic On The Pier, focus on fresh aromatics, dry surface contact for proper searing, and allowing the food to rest before serving.

• (recipes copied from BBC ceefax)
• FANTASTIC ROASTED CHICKEN
• For 6 people
• Ingredients
• 900g/2lb chicken, preferably organic
• 1 large lemon
• 8 slices prosciutto or Parma ham, thinly sliced
• 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 good handfuls of fresh thyme, leaves picked and
• finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 115g/4oz or ½ pack softened butter
• 1kg/2lb 3oz potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large celeriac, peeled

Chef's Sourcing & Quality Tips:

• Produce & Aromatics: Always use fresh whole aromatics and seasonal herbs rather than dehydrated powders when possible.
• Cooking Oils: Utilize cold-pressed oils with appropriate smoke points such as extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
• Salt & Seasoning: Season from a modest height above the pan to ensure an even, uniform crystalline dispersion.

Follow these sequential steps with careful attention to sensory cues and cooking temperatures:

Step 1: Technique & Execution

Method Preheat oven and an appropriately sized roasting tray to 220c/425f/Gas 7 1 Wash your chicken inside and out, and pay dry with kitchen paper

Step 2: Technique & Execution

Using your fingers, part the breast skin from the breast meat. 2 It's important to try to push your hand gently down the breast, being careful not to rip the skin. 3 With a peeler, remove and chop the fragrant yellow skin of the lemon, keeping the peeled lemon to one side. 4 Tear up your prosciutto and add to a bowl with the lemon skin, garlic and thyme. 5 Season and scrunch it all into the butter

Step 3: Technique & Execution

Push this into the space you have made between the meat and skin - rub and massage any that's leftover in and around the bird. 6 Slash the thigh meat to allow the heat to penetrate a little more, which makes it taste better

Step 4: Technique & Execution

Halve the peeled lemon and push it into the cavity

Step 5: Technique & Execution

Put your chicken in the hot tray and roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. 7 While the chicken is cooking, parboil the potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes and drain

Step 6: Technique & Execution

Cut the celeriac into irregular chunks around the same size as the potatoes.