Georgian chicken with walnut sauce and hot grated beetroot recipe

• 400 g (14.1oz) beetroots
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch salt and pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 0.5 tsp ground coriander
• 15 g (0.5oz) flat-leaf parsley, stalks removed, leaves roughly chopped
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 0.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1.8 kg (4lbs) chicken
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, very finely chopped
• 75 g (2.6oz) walnut pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp ground coriander
• 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
• 0.25 tsp paprika
• 1 good pinch of ground fenugreek
• 0.5 tsp dried marigold flowers, plus more to serve
• 0.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 235 ml (8.3fl oz) chicken stock
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.
2. Trim the beetroots and put them on a double-thickness square of foil.
3. Drizzle with the regular olive oil, season and pull the foil up round them, sealing to make a tent.
4. Place in a small roasting tin and bake for one hour, or until tender to the tip of a sharp knife.
5. Season the chicken inside and out and sprinkle the cayenne over it.
6. Put into a roasting tin.
7. Drizzle on the regular olive oil then squeeze the lemon halves over the bird.
8. Put the lemon halves in the cavity and roast the chicken in the oven with the beetroot for 11/4 hours.
9. Meanwhile, grind the garlic, ground coriander and parsley for the beetroot together until you have a paste.
10. Make the walnut sauce while the chicken is in the oven.
11. Heat the regular olive oil in a frying pan and saute the onion until soft and pale gold, about 10 minutes.
12. Add the walnut pieces, garlic, spices and marigolds and saute for another four minutes or so, stirring frequently.
13. Put this into a large mortar and pound to a coarse paste (traditionally this is pounded until smooth, but I prefer it to keep a bit of texture).
14. Return this to the pan and add the vinegar.
15. Leave it over a medium-low heat and gradually add the chicken stock, a little at a time, stirring and allowing the mixture to thicken.
16. Taste for seasoning and stir in the chopped coriander.
17. Check to see whether the chicken is cooked by piercing the flesh between one of the legs and the breast of the bird: the juices should run clear, with no trace of pinkness.
18. When the beetroots are cool enough to handle, peel, grate into a bowl, add the ground garlic and herb paste, the vinegar and extra virgin oil.
19. You can serve this at room temperature.
20. Serve the chicken, sprinkled with a few dried marigold flowers, with the warm walnut sauce and beetroot.

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Taken from www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/26982/georgian-chicken-with-walnut-sauce-and-hot-grated-beetroot-recipe (may not work)