Italian Roast Chicken with Pearl Barley Risotto

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1 whole corn fed chicken
• Mixed herbs- 1/2 tbsp.
• Olive oil 150ml
• Nduja - 150g
• Pearl barley - 200g uncooked
• Onion -  1 whole onion peeled and finely chopped
• Garlic - 3 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
• Carrot - 3pc peeled and roughly chopped into cubes
• Datterini Tomatoes - 400ml
• Basil - 20g
• Pumpkin seeds - 1tbsp
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese - 10g
• Salt/Pepper - to taste

Directions:

1. Mix 1 tbsp. olive oil and the mixed herbs seasoning into a bowl and massage into the flesh of the chicken and leave to stand for 10-15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 220c then place the chicken on a roasting rack with a tray underneath and cook for 20 minutes. Turn down to 170c and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
3. Rinse the pearl barley twice in a colander or until the water runs clear.
4. Place the pearl barley into a saucepan and top with 800ml water and a pinch of salt
5. Bring the pearl barley to a boil and cook for 20-25 minutes or until cooked (Treat it like cooking rice) drain the excess water
6. In a frying pan, add 2tbsp olive oil and fry the onion, garlic and carrots until soft but not brown, then add the pearl barley and mix well
7. Add the datterini tomatoes to the pan and top up with 150ml of water and reduce to a simmer. Slowly cook for 10-15 minutes or until it has a risotto like texture.
8. Crumble the Njuda into the risotto and cook for a further 5 minutes or until all the pieces have melted, adjust the salt and pepper to taste
9. Remove from the heat, add 1g freshly torn basil and set aside 
10. To make the pesto, in a blender add 15g basil, 100ml olive oil, pumpkin seeds and grated Parmigiano cheese and blend till smooth, add salt and pepper as per taste.
11. Remove the chicken from the oven and rest for 10 minutes.
12. Plate the risotto, and top with the homemade pesto. 
13. Garnish with the rest of the basil.
14. Serve and enjoy! :)

Recipe by Chef Max Strait - https://www.instagram.com/thebeardedbritchef