Ingredients:

 

1 whole organic chicken (ready for stuffing and legs tied with butcher’s string)

3-4 tbsp suma3-4 tbsp Zha’tar

½ stick of butter (if dairy intolerant, try a lactose free version or use the same in

quantity in solid coconut oil)

2 cups chicken stock

sea salt and pepper

2 lemons

 

Stuffing:

3 cups quinoa (black and red are most colourful and nutritious)

1 cup pine nuts

1 cup pistachios

1 cinnamon stick

2 tbsp cumin seeds

5 cups of chicken broth

2 bunches of coriander, chopped with stems

1 bunch chopped thyme

2 bay leaves

2 cups chopped dates or apricots

1 large yellow onion, diced

5 cloves crushed garlic

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

3 tbsp coconut oil

4 tbsp olive oil

 

Yoghurt Sauce:

3 cups Sheep’s yoghurt  (this yoghurt is found to have extremely low amounts of lactose so can be tolerated by dairy free people, however coconut yoghurt or soy yoghurt is a fine alternative)

1 cup Harrisa

 

1 squeeze of lemon and zest

2 cloves crushed garlic

4 tablespoon olive oil

sea salt/pepper

 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Rub your chicken well with your butter or coconut oil, making sure to put small squares of it under parts of it’s skin. Tuck a few squares in between the chicken legs in the space where the leg meets the main body cavity. Coat very generously with lemon, then salt and pepper, both inside and outside the chicken. Then rub with the sumac and zha’tar all over. Place in a roasting tin and set aside.

 

Pour boiling water over your dried fruit and set aside. Sauté your onions until translucent. Add your pine nuts, cumin seeds and garlic and sauté another few minutes. Add your cinnamon, thyme, and bay leaves, mix well and then add your quinoa. Toast quinoa for about five minutes. Then add your dried fruit, sherry vinegar, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add your coriander, stems, and pistachios. Season to taste. Run the olive oil through it set aside to cool.

 

Add all of your yoghurt ingredients in a large bowl, except for harissa. Mix well then slowly and artfully add the harrissa to make red shapes through the yoghurt.

 

Now stuff the chicken with the quinoa. Place chicken back into roasting tin and pour the stock into the pan. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Then lower temperature to 180 and cook for 40 minutes. If the bird is smaller then reduce by five minutes, or if larger then increase by five minutes. Let rest for at least 20 minutes at room temperature. Serve with yoghurt and extra stuffing.  A simple salad of butter lettuce with a Dijon dressing is a perfect accompaniment.