Preheat your oven to 200 degrees and begin preparing your squash and 3 of the 4 shallots. To do this, stand the squash upright, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds using a spoon, and cut the squash into half-moon chunks. For the shallots, cut their tops and tails, making sure the layers remain attached at the core, then quarter lengthwise.

Place the squash, shallots, thyme on a baking sheet-lined roasting tray. Add 2tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper and toss together to coat.

If using a whole chicken, it’s now time to spatchcock. Grab kitchen shears or a large sharp knife, stand your chicken upright with its tail-end pointing upwards. Begin cutting or slicing down either side of the chicken’s backbone from tail to head. Yes, you will be cutting through small bones, if they are breaking you are doing this right. Continue until the backbone separates and set it aside. Turn the chicken around so that it’s breast is facing up and it sits flat on the cutting board. Using the pillowy part of both your hands, press down on in the middle of the breast bone until you hear a crack and the chicken sits even flatter. To season, sprinkle with the paprika and some salt, cover in 2tbsp olive oil and massage into every crevice.

If using an already prepared bird make sure to cover it in 2tbsp olive oil and massage into every crevice, or now that that you’ve spatchcocked your own chicken it’s time for the oven. For crispier veg, place the chicken in the centre of the roasting tray with the veg around it, for a softer steamed veg effect, place the chicken right on top of the veg.

Place on the middle rack in the oven and roast, undisturbed, for 45-50min.

In the meantime, prepare your umami gravy. If you’ve spatchcocked your own chicken, cut the reserved backbone into chunks and place them in a cold pan over medium heat to render its fat. If you have opted for the pre-seasoned and spatchcocked chicken, add the chicken/goose fat to a cold pan and turn on to medium heat. Once the fat is hot, add your reserved roughly chopped shallot and 3 peeled and smashed garlic cloves. Cook this for 5min, then deglaze using the brandy and cook the alcohol off for 2min. Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, and dried porcini mushroom. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat possible, cover and cook for 10min then cut the heat and strain.

When the chicken is done cooking, grab it out of the oven and leave on the counter to rest for 10-15min. In the meantime, prepare your cornflour slushy by combining 2tsp cornflour with 2-3tbsp water and whisk until homogeneous. Add the cornflour mix to the strained gravy, then bring it back up to heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy.

Carve the chicken and serve alongside the veg and lots of the gravy.