Chicken with Olives & Lemons

Serves 6

1 large chicken
salt and pepper
3 lemons, quartered
24 green and purple giant olives
1kg new potatoes
60ml olive oil

Preheat the oven to 170, gas mark 3.  Season the chicken inside and out and fill the cavity with most of the lemons and olives.  Give it a good shake.
Put the potatoes in the bottom of a large cast-iron pot.  Mix the oil, remaining lemons and olives and squash them a bit.
Put the chicken on top of the potatoes and pour the oil and lemon mixture over it, letting the bits roll off on to the spuds.  Season well, then put the pot in the oven and cook for at least 1.5 hours.
Check the chicken is cooked by sticking a skewer between the legs and breast: if the juice that runs out is clear, it is cooked.  Otherwise, put it back in until it's done.
When done, lift the chicken from the pot and pour all the bits from inside the cavity over the potatoes.  Place the pot over a very high heat and bring to the boil while you cut the chicken into big hunks.  Add the chicken pieces back to the pot, along with any juices, turn off the heat and take the whole lot to the table.