- 75ml/2½fl oz rapeseed oil
- 1 large chicken, jointed into eight pieces
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 200g/7oz pancetta, diced
- 200g/7oz shallots, peeled and cut in half
- 1 bulb of garlic, cut in half
- 500g/1lb 2oz wild mushrooms (chanterelles, girolles, ceps, button mushrooms morelles), cleaned
- 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
- 50ml/2fl oz Madeira
- 500ml/18fl oz dark chicken stock
- 300ml/10½fl oz double cream
- 1 bunch fresh tarragon
- 1kg/2lb 4oz Maris piper potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 300ml/10½fl oz full-fat milk
- 300ml/10½fl oz double cream
- 150g/5½oz unsalted butter, plus extra for dressing the green beans
- 150g/5½oz fine green beans, trimmed
- For the chicken with a creamy mushroom sauce, heat a large pan and add half of the oil. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot, cook the chicken until golden-brown all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the pancetta to the pan the chicken was cooked in, and fry until crisp, then add the shallots, garlic and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the pan and cook for two minutes.
- Add the butter, Madeira, stock, cream and tarragon and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove the head of garlic before serving.
- For the mashed potato, place the potatoes in a large pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until soft when tested with the point of a knife.
- Drain the potatoes and place back into the pan to let the steam off. Mash and add the milk, cream and butter and mix until smooth.
- Heat a pan of boiling water and blanch the beans, refresh in ice-cold water.
- Heat a small frying pan and add a few knobs of butter, once melted add the beans and cook for a couple of minutes until the beans are coated in butter and tender.
- To serve, place the mash into serving bowls with the chicken, sauce and green beans.