Chicken mayo and bacon clubs

1.For brined chicken, bring salt, spices and 5 litres water to the boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve salt. Transfer to a container large enough to fit chicken, cool, then refrigerate until chilled (4 hours). Add chicken to brine, weight with a plate to submerge, then refrigerate overnight. Drain chicken and pat dry with paper towels.

2.Preheat oven to 150C. Brush chicken with oil and season to taste. Scatter onion in a roasting pan, place chicken on top and roast, basting occasionally, until chicken is golden and juices run clear (1½-2 hours). Set aside to rest and cool (1 hour), then remove meat (discard bones and onion, and skin if you like), finely chop and combine in a bowl with mayonnaise, shallot and herbs. Season to taste.

3.Preheat grill to high. Place bacon on a non-stick oven tray and grill, turning once, until crisp (4-5 minutes). Coarsely chop.

4.To assemble, top 8 toast slices with bacon, tomato and another slice of toast. Top with chicken and mustard cress, then sandwich with remaining toast, secure with toothpicks, cut in half and serve.