Spatchcock mustard chicken & maple caramelized carrots
The Thanksgiving Menu
Welcome back to The Thanksgiving Menu. However, if you’re not celebrating Thanksgiving this year, these recipes are just as suitable for a dinner party or even Sunday lunch.
If you're new here - hello! Today’s post is free - but for access to more recipes and stories, consider upgrading. Here’s a roundup of the Thanksgiving recipes I’ve shared so far:
Today, I’m bringing you a totally outrageous side dish — caramelized maple carrots with whipped hot honey goat cheese, bacon lardons and a pecan-cranberry topping. Plus, a generous, forgiving and endlessly adaptable recipe for mustard and tarragon spatchcock chicken.
Now, at this point, I think we could all benefit from a collective deep intake of breath. How are the festive preparations coming along? Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Ready to throw in the towel already? Please don’t. Thanksgiving might feel like the cook’s Super Bowl, but putting together a beautiful feast shouldn’t come at the expense of your sanity. Wherever you can ease the load, do it.
Words of wisdom out the way, here’s a bit of a controversial take: You don’t have to serve turkey at Thanksgiving. There, I said it. While turkey has become the traditional symbol of the Thanksgiving holiday, there’s no rule that says it has to take center stage. If you're looking to mix things up, there are plenty of alternatives that are just as festive, and satisfying.
Take my mustard and tarragon spatchcock chicken, for instance. It’s an excellent choice for a smaller gathering of 2– 4 people or a buffet where it can stand proudly alongside a honey-glazed ham or a beautiful joint of roast beef. Serve it straight from the tin for a rustic touch, or arrange it on a platter for a more polished presentation.
As for the caramelized carrots, they’re a delight for any occasion but feel especially fitting for Thanksgiving.
I have a soft spot for carrots, but let's be honest, they can sometimes be a little dull. Roasting them brings out their natural sweetness, and that’s when the magic happens. Enter harissa and maple syrup: the perfect power duo. The smoky heat of harissa pairs so well with the rich, complex sweetness of maple syrup, creating a combo that’s far better than the sum of its parts. Here’s a fair warning: once you make this dish for family or friends, it will quickly become a non-negotiable at every festive gathering.
And as if that weren’t enough, there’s bacon - because, truly, when does bacon not belong? Tossed with toasted pecans and dried cranberries (walnuts and dates could be good here also), it transforms into a sweet-salty-crunchy topping that adds even more texture and flavor.
To balance all this richness, a little tang is essential. Whipped goat’s cheese, softened with honey and a hint of Tabasco, steps in as the perfect counterpoint, cutting through the intensity with just the right amount of astringency.
Maple caramelized carrots with whipped hot goat’s cheese
This recipe is essentially four-in-one: caramelized carrots, a bacon-pecan-cranberry topping, whipped goat’s cheese dip, and an extra sauce for drizzling. You can make them all, or just choose one. I added the extra sauce because, as the glaze on the carrots caramelizes, it thickens and becomes deliciously unctuous and sticky. When you serve the carrots atop the goat’s cheese, a little extra drizzle takes it to the next level.
The carrots
Serves 6 as a side dish
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
50 ml olive oil
50-60 ml pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon harissa paste
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
825g rainbow or small/medium carrots, scrubbed, skin peeled and tops trimmed to about ½ inch
Juice ½ small lemon
Topping
50g pecans, roughly chopped
100g bacon lardons
50g dried cranberries
Extra drizzling sauce
80 ml maple syrup
2 tsp olive oil
Juice ½ small lemon
Pinch of cayenne
Salt
Whipped goat’s cheese
250g plain goat’s cheese
60-70 g plain Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp hot honey (a few drops of Tabasco and honey combined)
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/425°F (180°C fan).
Line a medium-large roasting tin with baking parchment or foil. (Note: the maple syrup sauce can char, but don’t worry, it only adds to the flavor.)
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, olive oil, maple syrup, harissa paste, lemon and spices. Season the mixture with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the carrots in the roasting pan then drizzle with the garlic maple syrup mixture. Toss everything with your hands to coat well, then season again with a little salt.
Roast in the oven, tossing 2-3 times during cooking. Cook for a total of 30-45 mins depending on the size of your carrots.
The topping
Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crispy then remove and place on a paper towel. In the same pan, fry the pecans for a few mins until toasted. During the last minute of frying, add dried cranberries, a drizzle of maple syrup and salt.
Remove the nuts and cranberry mixture and place in a small heatproof bowl.
Extra sauce
In this same pan, on low-medium, make the extra drizzling sauce by adding the ingredients to the pan and gently stirring whilst warming through. Store in a warm place until ready to use, or cool and store in the refrigerator and when ready, warm in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
The whipped goat’s cheese
Place all ingredients into a food processor until fully combined. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Assembly
When ready, spread the goat’s cheese on a large plate or platter, then remove the carrots from the oven and arrange them, however you prefer, on the whipped goat’s cheese. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans and crumbled bacon, then serve warm.
Mustard and tarragon spatchcock chicken
Inspired by Julius Roberts' book The Farm Table, this spatchcock chicken recipe is all about simplicity. It’s super adaptable and leans on a good salting technique for that perfectly crispy, deeply flavorsome skin.
Ingredients
1 large organic chicken (save the chicken carcass/bones, giblets etc for stock!)
3-4 tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic bulb
1 tub mascarpone
2-3 tbsp of buttermilk (optional)
100ml heavy cream (optional)
1 Lemon, juice and zest
A bunch of fresh tarragon, leaves picked and roughly chopped (or 2 heaped tbsp of dried tarragon)
1-2 tbsp Dijon mustard
100-150ml of dry white wine or cider
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper (don’t be shy!)
Optional flavor additions or substitutions if you're feeling creative
Cayenne
Paprika
Thyme
Rosemary
Soy sauce
Miso
Apple cider vinegar
Optional additions
Potatoes
Apples (highly recommend)
Fennel
Carrots
Lemons, halved
Shallots, halved
Method
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Prepare the bird
Spatchcock the chicken by removing its backbone with a sturdy pair of kitchen shears. Start at the tail end, cutting along one side of the spine, then the other. Once you have removed the backbone, press firmly on the breastbone to flatten the bird — it should lie evenly, perfect for roasting.
Rub salt generously all over the chicken and let it rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour. You’ll notice the skin becomes slightly moist during this time—be sure to pat it dry before cooking. Alternatively, if you’re feeling organized, you can salt the chicken and leave it uncovered, on a baking sheet or large plate in the fridge overnight. This allows the skin to dry out further, ensuring an even crisper result when roasted.
Health & Safety Tip: Store the chicken on the bottom shelf of the fridge to prevent any juices from dripping onto other foods, and always wash your hands and any surfaces the raw chicken touches to avoid cross-contamination.
Prepare the sauce
In a medium bowl combine the mascarpone, buttermilk, cream, lemon, zest, tarragon (dried or fresh) and mustard then season with a little salt and pepper.
Now, let’s get cooking
Place the prepared chicken in a baking tray. Drizzle the skin with a little olive oil, ensuring the chicken is well coated. Break open the garlic bulb and scatter the cloves around the chicken then cook for 15-20 minutes at 425F/220 or until the skin begins to turn golden brown.
Then, reduce the oven temperature to 400°F/200°C. Carefully remove the chicken (the oil may spit a little) from the oven before pouring the mascarpone lemon sauce over the bird and gently pouring white wine/cider into the bottom of the tray.
Extra: at this point, you have the option to surround the chicken with vegetables such as: potatoes, fennel or carrots. Return the chicken to the oven for 30-45 minutes until cooked through and the chicken juices run clear. (The USDA recommends that chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer.) Once cooked, allow the chicken to rest for 10-15 minutes, then serve!
That’s it for today friends. More thanksgiving recipes on the way!
Wow. I must get my wife to create all those dishes!🤣