Ingredients

• 1 large whole chicken
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 whole cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 2 cups full cream milk
• Salt flakes, to season
• 1 bunch parsley leaves, washed, to garnish

Baharat

• 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Method

• Step 1 Preheat conventional oven to 220C or 200C (fan-forced).
• Step 2 To butterfly chicken, pat down with paper towel, flip chicken breast side down onto a chopping board and using kitchen scissors remove the back bone by cutting up one side of the backbone and then the other. Place chicken onto lined baking tray with breasts and thighs facing up.
• Step 3 To make the baharat spice blend, mix together sweet paprika, ground paprika, cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon and black pepper into a small bowl
• Step 4 Place softened butter into a mixing bowl, add spice blend, honey and salt and using a fork whip the butter together until well combined and mixture is light and fluffy. It is important the butter is soft or else it will be difficult to whip the butter.
• Step 5 Pour 3/4 of the butter mixture over the chicken and rub in well to the skin to coat. Reserve the remaining butter for basting.
• Step 6 Place chicken in the oven and cook for 75 minutes basting with butter every 15 minutes, at 220C or 200C (fan-forced) for the first 20 minutes, then reduce to 200C or 180C (fan-forced) for the remaining of the cooking time. To check if the chicken is cooked insert meat thermometer into the thigh and it should read minimum 75 degrees celsius, alternatively juice should run clear when skewer is inserted to thickest part of the chicken. Remove from oven, cover in foil and allow chicken to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
• Step 7 To make the cauliflower puree, using a large saucepan add milk and cauliflower and bring milk up to simmering point with the lid on. Cook for about 15 minutes until cauliflower has softened and cooked through, tossing cauliflower occasionally to ensure even cooking. Pour cauliflower and milk into blender or food processor and blend until a fine puree forms, season with salt. Allow puree to cool slightly as this will thicken the puree, if its too runny, return back to saucepan and simmer on low until puree reduces.
• Step 8 To serve, carve chicken, place a generous amount of puree on serving plate, top with chicken, garnish with parsley.