ROAST CHICKEN WITH ORZO PUMPKIN AND FENNEL SALAD

Preheat oven to 180C

Peel the pumpkin and cut into large even chunks

Peel the garlic cloves but do not chop

Place the chicken in a roasting tray and drizzle over the cooking oil, salt and pepper

Place the pumpkin and the whole cloves in the roasting tray around the chicken and place in oven. Roast for 30 minutes

Add chicken stock to the roasting tray and continue to cook for a further 25-30 minutes or until the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thigh of the chicken

Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the orzo for 8 minutes or until cooked. Drain well and set aside

Chop the fennel bulb and tops finely along with the Italian parsley. Zest and juice the lemons and set aside, discarding the lemons

Remove from the oven and take the chicken from the roasting tray and allow to rest on a warm plate

Drain off the stock and heat in a saucepan on high to reduce by half

Meanwhile, using a fork crush the pumpkin roughly and the garlic cloves and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked orzo, fennel, Italian parsley, lemon juice and zest and silverbeet leaves

Mix well and pour over the hot reduced chicken stock. Mix through and place on a large high sided platter

Cut the chicken into portions and place on top and serve