COME FOR SUPPER WITH... ESTHER CLARK
The newsletter where I visit someone else's kitchen to find out how they like to entertain. This week, food writer Esther Clark shares the recipe for roast chicken with figs and sherry vinegar.
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Esther Clark is a freelance recipe writer, food stylist and editor, based in London. She was Food Editor at BBC Good Food for three years and her work has featured in the likes of Guardian Feast, Sainsbury’s magazine, Delicious Magazine, Waitrose Food Magazine,The Telegraph, The Sunday Times and many more.
I have followed Esther’s work for years, always admiring her ability to turn even the most humble of ingredients into something beautiful. We have been friends in the virtual world for some time but somehow only met in person a few weeks ago.
There was a storm the day Esther kindly invited me into her kitchen. The sort of weather where even with the sturdiest of umbrellas one simply has to admit defeat and surrender to soggy socks. I remember that the chicken had just come out of the oven as I arrived. The kitchen smelt of roast garlic and herbs and the chicken sat on the counter still steaming, fogging up the windows as Esther chopped hazelnuts and crumbled cheese into a bowl of shredded radicchio.
By the time I left the street lamps were lit and somehow four hours had slipped by. Esther is the kind of host that makes you feel instantly at home. Her recipes are wholesome and comforting but have a level of flair that means you remember them for weeks after. It’s the kind of cooking I love and she is the kind of cook I aspire to be. I am thrilled she has launched her own newsletter, The Good Home Cook which you can subscribe to here.
What are you cooking?
Roast chicken with figs and sherry vinegar
Tell me about the space?
At home in south London. The back doors are open ajar and the warm October light is flooding through. Lunch felt very inspired by the change of temperature, lots of comforting textures, golden colours and punchy autumnal leaves.
How would you describe your style of entertaining?
Very relaxed. Comforting, cosy vibes are what I’m know for!
I honestly don’t love cooking when people are talking to me – I’m a terrible multi taster! So I like to get everything prepped the day before then I feel like I can enjoy a drink with my guests without flapping that I’m burning the tart in the oven! When I have more than 4 people around, I tend to go for a slow cooked dish or something in a pot that can simmer away gently, it creates less frantic panic from me!
On setting the table?
I kind of love this bit and again I try and get it done earlier in the day when I’m not covered in flour whilst laying down a table cloth!
Do you have any hosting rituals?
Guests to bring the wine – wine isn’t my forte so I like to leave it in my guests’ hands and most of them are very capable of choosing a good wine.
Your favourite cookbooks?
Simon Hopkins – Roast chicken and other stories
Diana Henry – Simple
Elizbeth David – French Provincial cooking
Your go-to playlist
I love Cerys Mathews Sunday slot on BBC radio 6 – so I often catch up on that!
A song to cook to?
Kate and Anna McGarrigle – Swimming song
A song to eat to?
Nina Simone – Sinnerman
What to drink?
I usually add a splash on homemade cordial to some fizz – its so easy and changes according to the season – just made sure you’ve got a good cordial.
Do you have a recipe?
At the moment I’m using Quince cordial which I made from the poaching liquid leftover from poaching quince.
You just need A single measure of cordial (or half a measure if it’s a sweeter shop-brought version) topped up in a flute with a good Cremant. You can use a spiced cordial at Christmas – I really love the cordials by the Gimlet Bar, especially the strawberry and fig leaf. https://gimlet-bar.com/product-category/cordial-flavours/
If this dinner party was a movie and you were the star, who would you like to play you?
Dawn French
Esther very kindly shared the recipe for her roast chicken with figs and sherry vinegar and radicchio hazelnut salad below but it is well worth subscribing to her newsletter The Good Home Cook.
Roast Chicken With Figs & Sherry Vinegar & Radicchio Hazelnut Salad
SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 1 hour
2 large free-range chicken legs
1 tbsp olive oil
3 banana shallots, peeled and halved lengthways
3 whole garlic cloves
4 figs, halved
3 sprigs fresh oregano
50ml sherry vinegar
120ml chicken stock
For the salad
1 radicchio, shredded
40g roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 lemon, juiced
70ml extra virgin olive oil
100g Cashel blue or stilton, crumbled
Season the chicken with a scrunch of sea salt – you can do this a few hours before to get the skin even crispier. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the chicken skin side down. Fry over a medium-high heat for 5-7 mins or until the skin is a deep golden brown. Remove from the pan and place in a roasting dish. Add the shallots and garlic cloves to the pan, raise the heat and cook for 5 mins or until the outsides of the shallots have caught and turned golden. Nestle around the chicken, add the figs, oregano and season everything well. Combine the vinegar and chicken stock together and pour around the chicken. Cover the chicken with a disc of paper. Roast in the pre-heated oven for 35-40 mins.
Toss the radicchio in a bowl with hazelnuts, lemon juice, olive oil, seasoning and the cheese. Serve the chicken with the cooking juices and radicchio salad.