Roast chicken with tarragon and mushroom sauce

4 large chicken legs
50 g butter
1 tsp dried tarragon
Ground black pepper
Salt
2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
250 g button mushrooms
1 clove garlic, crushed
Flour
250 ml chicken stock
4 tbsp cream

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Remove any bits of back bone from the legs (or get your butcher to do it for you), then work your fingers under the skin to loosen it. Mix the butter and tarragon together and season with black pepper, then spread the butter under the skin of the chicken and put the legs into a roasting tin.

Sprinkle with a little salt and roast in the oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the juices run clear when the chicken is prodded with a sharp knife and the skin is brown and crisp. Transfer to a serving dish, cover and keep warm.

Skim off most of the fat, then put the tin over the heat, add the shallots and fry gently until softened. Add the mushrooms and garlic and fry for two minutes more, then stir in just enough flour to absorb the fat and cook for another two minutes. Blend in the stock, bring to the boil and stir in the cream.

Taste and season as necessary, then add a little more dried tarragon if you like. Lower the heat and simmer gently for five minutes and pour the sauce around the chicken. This is nice served with sauté potatoes and green beans. (Serves four)