Beer glazed roast chicken
Using locally brewed beer (Moodley’s Real Ale) gives a delicious rich flavour

Prep 5 minutes with 1 hour marinading

• 1 large free-range chicken, (about 1.5kg)
• 2 tbsp cold pressed rapeseed oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp local honey
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tbsp cider apple vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
• 300ml locally produced beer or ale

Place the chicken in a shallow dish. Mix together the oil, garlic, honey, paprika, vinegar and seasoning with 3 tbsp of the beer. Pour over the chicken and rub into the skin. Cover and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C Gas Mark 4. Transfer the chicken to a roasting tin, pour the beer around it and cook for 1 hour, basting regularly until the chicken juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a skewer. Leave to rest for 5 minutes then carve and serve with the pan juices.

Recipe by Mary Gwynn who is a local author, food writer and Chair of Penshurst Farmers Market. She is also the editor of BBC Vegetarian Good Food and M&S Magazine and now writes a seasonal eating column for the Waitrose weekend newspaper. She has published several cookery books, including The WI Cookbook: The First 100 Years and The Busy Mum’s Cookbook.