ROAST CHICKEN AND GRAPES .

Preheat your oven to 180deg C . Wash your 2 kg chicken inside and out , pat dry with paper towel . Place the chicken on its breast and use kitchen scissors to cut along each side of the backbone and remove it . Turn the chicken over so the breast is facing up and gently face down on it with the palm of your hand and crack the breastbone . Starting near the neck , gently insert your fingers under the skin and slowly push your fingers through to separate the skin from the breast and thigh , keep the skin attached but loosened . This is what I love about this recipe , it is about the pleasure of rubbing the fresh herbs and lemon under the skin and all over the skin of the bird , knowing all the time how delicious the dish will be when cooked . Now rub the zest of 1 finely grated lemon , a mix of 1 tsp mix of salt and cracked black pepper beneath the skin of the chicken and over the top too. In a small bowl mix together the juice of 1 lemon , 1 small bunch of finely chopped sage leaves , chopped thyme leaves and 3 tbs of minced garlic and 100gm of softened butter / marg. Rub this mixture all over the chicken skin . Place the chicken , breast side up in a roasting tray / pan , generously sprayed with cooking oil . Pour in 500ml of dry white wine , place 500 gms of red grapes in stems around the pan along with 500gm of cherry tomatoes on the vine and fresh rosemary stems . Now bake in the prehated oven for 1 hour and the chicken is golden brown . Remove the chicken to a serving tray along with the tomatoes and grapes . Add a little white wine to the pan and deglaze the pan and pour over the chicken and serve .