I’m worried that we might not always be able to access Nigella’s Praised Chicken recipe online. Here is our slightly simplified version.

Ingredients

• 1 large chicken
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 100 ml white wine
• 2 leeks (cleaned, trimmed & cut into 5cm logs)
• 3 carrots (peeled & cut into 5cm batons)
• 1 stick of celery (sliced into 5cm lengths)
• approx. 2 litres boiling water
• 1 bouquet garni (or 1 teaspoon dried herbs)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons crushed black peppercorns

1. Get out a large, cooking pot (with a lid) in which the chicken can fit snugly.
2. On a washable board, un-truss the chicken, put it breast-side down and press down until you hear the breastbone crack. Then press down again, so that the chicken is flattened slightly. Now cut off the ankle joints below the drumstick.
3. Put the oil in the pan to heat, add the garlic, roughly crushed, then brown the chicken for a few minutes breast-side down, and turn up the heat and turn over the chicken, then use the wine to deglaze the pan and let it bubble down a little before adding the leeks, carrots and celery.
4. Pour in enough boiling water to cover the chicken, though the very top of it may poke out, then pop in the bouquet garni or dried herbs.
5. The chicken should be almost completely submerged by now and if not, add some more boiling water. You want it just about covered.
6. Bring to a simmer, put on the lid, turn the heat to very low and leave to cook for 1½–2 hours.
7. Carefully lift the chicken out of the pan, and take some of the cooking liquid, skimmed, to make gravy. “Pull” the chicken and serve.