Loving the weather right now! Here in London it has been around 20C for a while now, and the sun is shining every day, although battling the clouds from time to time. And this weather just calls for lighter food, don’t you think? On Sunday I did a different take on the Sunday roast with a whole roast chicken, flavoured with za’atar, sumac and lemon served with a classic French potato salad and a side salad. Easy peasy and sooo good! Try this at home, folks.

Roast chicken with lemon and za’atar with potato salad, serves 2

1 medium chicken

30 g softened butter

1 tbsp za’atar

1 tsp sumac

1/2 citron

salt, black pepper

400 g new potatoes

150 ml creme fraiche

2 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tsp dijon mustard

salt, white pepper

chives

Heat the oven to 200C. Rinse the chicken and place in a roasting tray. Mix butter with spices and the zest from the lemon. Make a cut i the skin on each breast, and place most of the butter there. Smooth it out underneath the skin so it covers most of the breasts. Brush the bird with the remaining butter. Add some more salt and pepper. Place the lemon in the cavity. Place in oven for about an hour. It is done when the meat juices are clear from the thigh joint. Leave to rest a little before serving.

Boil the potatoes, leave to cool. Dice. Mix creme fraiche, mayonnaise, mustard and seasoning. Add the potatoes. Cut the chives with scissors and add to the salad before serving. Stir to combine.