Preheat the oven to 180°C. Pat excess moisture from the chicken with paper towel. Using your hands, gently slide your fingers under the skin on the breast-side of the chicken to separate it from the meat, being careful not to tear the skin.

Make the herb butter by combining the butter, herbs and lemon zest in a small bowl. Season with some salt, then spoon the butter in between the skin and flesh of the chicken, pressing and smoothing it down to cover the breast meat evenly. Drizzle two tablespoons of the olive oil over the skin of the chicken and season it all over and inside with salt. Place the lemon halves inside the cavity of the chicken.

Wash the leek by submerging it in a bowl of cold water and agitate with your hands to remove any dirt. Drain and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Lay the leek and torn sourdough in the base of a roasting tin and drizzle with the remaining two tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the wine in and around the leek and bread and place the whole chicken, breast-side up, onto the 'bed' of leek and bread you have made.

Roast the chicken for about 1 1⁄4 hours, or until it is golden and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is tested with a skewer. The leek should be nicely caramelised and the bread crunchy on the outside and still a little soft inside.

Scatter some lemon zest and tarragon leaves over the top of the chicken and transfer to a serving platter. Serve with roast leek and croutons, dressed green leaves, and a glass of chardonnay. (You could also roast some carrots in the oven at the same time as the chicken, quartered lengthways and cooked until tender and caramelised on the edges, and toss with a drizzle of honey, red wine vinegar and fresh chopped parsley while still hot in the pan as a lovely accompaniment.)

Adapted from a recipe by Julia Busuttil Nishimura in her excellent cookbook 'Around the Table'