The flavour of fresh tarragon matches chicken and asparagus so well that I have combined them with kumara for a wonderful warm salad.

Ingredients

• 2 large potatoes, peeled
• 2 kumara, peeled
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon
• 4 rashers bacon, trimmed and diced
• 1 large chicken, well washed and dried
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 250 grams asparagus
• 100 grams mangetout
• 70 gram packet walnuts, toasted (optional)

Vinaigrette dressing

• ¼ cup each olive oil, white wine vinegar, cream and chopped fresh tarragon
• ½ teaspoon tarragon mustard

Method

1. Cut the potatoes and kumara into small dice. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the chopped vegetables and cook over a very high heat until they are well browned. Add the garlic, tarragon and diced bacon and toss well.
2. Fill the cavity of the chicken with up to a third of the mixture and secure the opening with a toothpick. Brush the chicken with the melted butter and sift the flour over the top.
3. Place the chicken on a baking dish and cook at 190ºC for 50-60 minutes until it is cooked and golden with crispy skin.
4. Trim the asparagus and mangetout, blanch in boiling salted water and then refresh until cold water.
5. Heat the remaining potato and garlic mixture and toss with the asparagus and mangetout. Arrange on a serving platter.
6. Cut the chicken into serving-size pieces and arrange it with the potatoes and kumara from the stuffing on top of the vegetables. Pour the dressing and sprinkle the toasted walnuts, if using over the top. Serve warm.

Vinaigrette dressing

1. Place all ingredients in a small jar and shake well until blended.

Cooks Tips

Fresh asparagus is one of those wonderful seasonal vegetables that we get to enjoy for such a short time. To ensure even cooking buy spears that are the same thickness. Buy fresh firm stalks not limp stalks with tightly closed heads. Keep them fresh in the fridge in a crisper or wrapped in a bag with the bases wrapped in a damp paper towel. Alternatively, refrigerate and stand bases in 1cm of water or on a wet foam pad. Walnuts and all nuts should be kept in the freezer to prevent them going rancid especially over the warm summer months.