FIONA Johnson’s story begins with fun, family cooking time with her three-year-old Lyndsay, who has declared herself the Master Chef taster champion, along with her husband, Hayden, who thinks he’s (Gordon) Ramsay in disguise.
“We live in the picturesque suburb of Winston Park where the community is closely knit and a fantastic place to raise a family. My busy role as the marketing manager for Curro HCA, Curro Hillcrest and Curro Castle affords me the opportunity of meeting and interacting with amazing people in the Upper Highway area and welcoming them to an inspirational school where their children are nurtured and educated to be the leaders of tomorrow. It’s definitely a calling, not a job.
“When Hayden and I cook together, the house is filled with music, laughing and bad dancing around the kitchen – much to delight of our daughter,” said Fiona.
A firm favourite in the Johnson house is the trusty Johnson roasted chicken, served with roasted veggies, rice, gravy and stuffing.
“It works for gatherings as well, just add chickens,” laughed Fiona.
Ingredients:
± 1.5kg chicken (feeds four)
Variety of root veggies
Salted butter, herbs
Bread (about four slices) to make bread crumbs
4 pork sausages (remove the skin, just the innards are needed)
1 egg
Ina Paarmens chicken stock pot
Rice
Packet rosemary and garlic gravy or Bisto to add to chicken juices to make gravy
Method:
Turn on oven to 180°C
Select a fresh 1.5 kg chicken and choose a selection of root veggies such as sweet potato, butternut and carrots.
For the veggies, par cook, baste in olive oil and place in a deep set oven pan with herbs and spices of your choice.
For the chicken, bring some salted butter to room temperature, add herbs and spices of your choice and gently lift skin of the chicken and feed in the butter mixture between, to cover all the meat beneath the skin. This will keep it tender.
Now add the stuffing by mixing the bread crumbs, fresh herbs, pork sausage (cut up as small as possible), and an egg.
Insert this into the chicken cavity (and giblets if you wish). Put a long sprig of Rosemary into the cavity,
Finally, mix an Ina Paarmans chicken stock pot and baste the entire chicken with it, then place the basted/stuffed chicken on top of the veggies (this way the veggies won’t burn and will absorb some delicious chicken juice) and roast for approximately 90 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare your rice in boiling water with a sprinkle of salt. Once the chicken is cooked, serve with a homemade rosemary and garlic gravy.
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