Poultry
CHAPTER 6
FOR 6 AS A MAIN COURSE
◁ Roast chicken, kumquats, black garlic, kale and avocado
WARM OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
Black garlic is a delicious fermented garlic that adds a lovely treacle–caramel flavour and depth to dishes without a strong raw-garlic after-taste. It is becoming easier to find, but if you have no luck, you can use regular garlic. Kumquats are great here, too, adding a slight bitterness because you use them unpeeled; if unavailable, substitute thinly sliced lemon, mandarins or oranges. Avocado oil works well in any dish that contains avocado. It has a high burning point, which means it is terrific for roasting and pan-frying. Olive oil or sunflower oil are fine to use instead if you can’t get hold of it.
INGREDIENTS
8 boneless chicken thighs
8 black garlic cloves, sliced
8 kumquats, unpeeled, thinly sliced
2 tsp fresh rosemary (or fresh thyme or oregano or a mixture)
4 tbsp sunflower seeds
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
200g (7oz.) kale, thick stem removed and discarded
2 avocados
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cucumber, ends discarded, thinly sliced
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas mark 4).
Place the chicken thighs, garlic, kumquats, rosemary and sunflower seeds in a roasting dish. Pour on the avocado oil and 2 tablespoons of water and season with salt and pepper. Toss everything together. Roast, turning the chicken several times while cooking, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is golden and crispy, about 30–40 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave until cool enough to handle, then cut each thigh into four or five slices.
While the chicken is cooking, soak the onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.
Meanwhile, blanch or steam the kale for 3 minutes. Tip it into a colander and, when it is cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as you can, then coarsely shred it.
Remove the flesh from the avocados and cut into chunks. Mix with the lemon juice to prevent it going brown.
To serve, toss the kale, onion, cucumber and avocado together and lay it on the bottom of a serving dish. Lay the chicken on top then spoon over the contents of the roasting dish.
FOR 4 AS A MAIN COURSE
◁ Coconut-poached chicken, prosciutto, melon, croutons and spinach
WARM OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
Because this salad is very simple, you need to make sure every ingredient is perfect. Use a tasty free-range or organic chicken breast (fillet), and if you can find one that’s been on an organic corn-fed diet, even better. Melons are truly good only when they’re ripe and sweet. I used both galia and cantaloupe melon, but even watermelon would be good here. Either Italian prosciutto or Spanish jamón will work well. For the croutons, I bought some olive focaccia from the local deli. Baby spinach was looking particularly good the day we photographed this, but mâche (corn salad), baby gem or wild rocket (arugula) would also be delicious. Really, apart from assembling the ingredients, all you need do is poach the chicken in a coconut broth and this can be done from 3 hours to a day ahead. The poaching stock that’s left over makes a delicious Thai-style chicken soup, but it’s also great used as the stock for a spinach, pea and ginger risotto. So much deliciousness!
INGREDIENTS
400ml (13 1/2fl. oz.) can coconut milk (unsweetened)
5cm (2in.) piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
3 kaffir lime leaves (or use 1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest)
2 tsp fish sauce (or use 1 tsp flaky salt)
1/2 medium-heat chilli, chopped, including seeds (more or less to taste)
4 chicken breasts (fillets), about 175g (6oz.) each, skin attached (it helps keep it juicy and you’ll peel it off once cooked)
8 slices slightly stale bread, 5mm (1/4in.) thick
1 tsp olive oil
200g (7oz.) baby spinach
1 tbsp lime juice (or use a little extra of lemon juice)
400g (14oz.) melon, seeds and skin removed, sliced into wedges or chunks
125g (4 1/2oz.) thinly sliced prosciutto
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 170°C (350°F/Gas mark 4).
Pour the coconut milk into a large saucepan, then rinse out the can out with the same volume of water and add to the pan. Add the ginger, lime leaves, fish sauce and chilli and bring to the boil. Put a lid on the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat back up, remove the lid and bring almost to the boil.
Place the chicken breasts (fillets) into the pan, skin side down, then reduce to a simmer and cook with the lid on for 8 minutes. Carefully turn them over using tongs and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to cool in the liquid for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the croutons. Lay the sliced bread on a baking sheet and brush lightly with the oil. Bake until they begin to crisp up and turn pale golden. Turn over and bake on the other side for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cook on a cake rack.
Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a tray to cool. Strain the poaching liquid through a fine sieve into a jug and leave to cool. Just before serving, peel off the skin and slice the chicken breasts (fillets) at an angle about 7mm (1/4in.) thick.
To serve, toss the baby spinach leaves with 4 tablespoons of the cooled coconut poaching liquid, the lime juice and a few pinches of salt. Arrange the leaves on your plates and sit the sliced melon on top. Lay the chicken pieces on and then the prosciutto. Tuck in the croutons.
FOR 6–8 AS A MAIN COURSE
◁ Poached chicken, green tea noodles, grilled baby corn, daikon, pomegranate and lemongrass
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
Poaching poultry (or other meats) in stock is nothing new, but in parts of China, this ‘master stock’ is used again and again, which makes it incredibly tasty and concentrated. Once you’ve cooked the chicken for this salad, strain the stock and use again, or freeze it as it is or reduce to a quarter of the volume and freeze. Either way, next time you use it, taste for seasoning before you poach your chicken and either add more aromatics or dilute it with more water. Green tea noodles (cha soba) are generally made with wheat and buckwheat flours but it’s the powdered green tea that gives it a lovely colour and flavour. Buckwheat noodles, vermicelli or Chinese egg noodles also work well for this salad.
INGREDIENTS
1 chicken (about 2kg/4 1/2lb.)
3 litres (13 cups) chicken stock (or water)
125ml (1/2 cup) soy sauce
10 star anise
2 x 6cm (2 1/2in.) cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 clementine (or mandarin or orange), sliced into six
4 black garlic cloves (or use smoked garlic or ordinary garlic), sliced
6 dried (or 12 fresh) shiitake mushrooms
100g (3 1/2oz.) ginger, peeled and sliced
4 tbsp honey, agave syrup, palm sugar or demerara sugar
250g (9oz.) green tea noodles
2 tbsp sesame oil
500g (1lb. 2oz.) baby corn
2 tsp sunflower oil
3 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
300g (10 1/2oz./2 cups) podded edamame beans, blanched
300g (10 1/2oz.) daikon, peeled and thinly sliced into discs
seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
FOR THE DRESSING
5cm (2in.) lemongrass stem from the lower end, two outer layers discarded, insides thinly sliced
1 tbsp grated or finely chopped ginger
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or use Chinese black vinegar)
reserved stock (see method)
[ METHOD ]
Cut the legs/thighs from the chicken carcass, keeping them in one piece. Cut off the wings. If your chicken came with the neck, rinse this. Rinse the inside of the body cavity. In a pan large enough to hold all of the chicken pieces, add the chicken stock, soy sauce, star anise, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds, clementine, sliced garlic, shiitake mushrooms, ginger and honey. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add the wings and legs/thighs and bring back to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the carcass and cover with boiling water, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the chicken in the stock for 5 hours without removing the lid.
Remove the legs, thighs, wings and carcass from the poaching stock. Remove the meat from the bones, cut into pieces, cover and set aside. Strain 200ml (3/4 cup) of the stock into a clean jar for the dressing.
Make the dressing. Add the lemongrass, ginger and vinegar to the reserved stock and give the jar a good shake. Add salt to taste and leave at room temperature, or store in the fridge, for up to 1 hour. This dressing needs to be very punchy!
Drop the noodles into a large pan half-filled with lightly salted boiling water. Bring back to the boil, then stir in 200ml (3/4 cup) of cold water. (This is known as ‘shocking the noodles’.) Do this once more as soon as the water comes back to the boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook until the noodles are al dente. Drain into a colander and rinse until cool under running water. Tip into a large bowl and toss with the sesame oil.
Toss the baby corn with the sunflower oil. Cook over a high heat in a frying pan (skillet) or griddle pan until coloured all over, then tip onto the noodles. Add the spring onions (scallions), half the edamame, half the daikon, half the pomegranate seeds and 2 tablespoons of the dressing, then divide among your plates.
Lay the chicken on top of the noodle salad, then scatter with the remaining edame, daikon and pomegranate seeds. Shake the dressing again and spoon over the chicken.
FOR 4 AS A MAIN COURSE OR 6 AS A STARTER
◁ Chicken livers, quinoa, roast fennel, hazelnuts, mushroom purée and tarragon crème fraîche
WARM
One of the great classic salads is the combination of warm chicken livers and baby spinach tossed with croutons and mustard vinaigrette. This dish is inspired by that classic and I really enjoyed creating it. If you’re not a fan of offal, think of this as a sort of warm pâté!
INGREDIENTS
2 heads fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthways
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 sage leaves, shredded
1 tbsp olive oil
100g (3 1/2oz./generous 1/2 cup) quinoa, cooked and drained (see Aubergine, quinoa, gem lettuce, tomato and pistachio)
60g (2 1/4oz./1/4 cup) butter
1 tsp finely grated or chopped ginger
150g (5 1/2oz.) open-cap mushrooms, thinly sliced
150g (5 1/2oz./2/3 cup) crème fraîche (thick sour cream)
1 tbsp tarragon leaves
1/2 red onion (or 2 shallots), thinly sliced
500g (1lb. 2oz.) chicken livers, cleaned of sinews and veins
1 tbsp balsamic, sherry or red wine vinegar
60g (2 1/4oz./generous 1/3 cup) hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and coarsely chopped
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°C/Gas mark 5).
Place the fennel, garlic, sage and olive oil in a roasting dish and toss together. Roast for 30 minutes or so, tossing as it cooks from time to time, until the fennel becomes golden. Once done, mix in the cooked quinoa and keep warm.
Melt a third of the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and add the ginger. Cook for 30 seconds, gently stirring to prevent it catching. Stir in the mushrooms, 2 teaspoons of water and 1/2 teaspoon of flaky salt. Put a lid on the pan and cook until the mushrooms are cooked, stirring from time to time. Once they’re done, remove the lid, stir in 100g (3 1/2oz./scant 1 cup) of the crème fraîche (thick sour cream) and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring as it cooks. Purée smooth using a stick blender or small food processor, taste for seasoning and keep warm.
Pound the tarragon leaves with a pinch of salt using a mortar and pestle. Mix in the remaining crème fraîche (thick sour cream) and set aside.
Heat a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Add another third of the butter and the onion and sauté until the onion caramelizes, stirring as it cooks. Remove to a small plate. Add the remaining butter and, when sizzling, add the chicken livers. Cook for 1 minute, then turn over and cook on the other side for 2 minutes. The livers will be pink at this stage; if you prefer them well done, then cook them for a bit longer. Return the onion to the pan and add the balsamic vinegar, hazelnuts and some salt and pepper. Mix into the livers and cook for 10 seconds.
To serve, divide the mushroom purée among four warmed plates, spreading it out with the back of a spoon. Lay the fennel and quinoa on next. Spoon on the livers and the pan juices, then dollop on the tarragon crème fraîche (thick sour cream).
FOR 4 AS A MAIN COURSE
◁ Twice-cooked sweet-chilli quail with deep-fried egg and sweetcorn
WARM
This really does work best with boned quails, and you can ask your butcher to bone them for you, but if that’s not possible, then use whole un-boned quails; it’ll just be a little more difficult to eat them. If your quail are small, serve one and a half per person. Deep-frying boiled eggs may seem a strange idea, but we’ve been serving them as a snack in The Providores for years, and there’s something quite delicious and a little quirky about them – golden eggs on the outside that have runny inner yolks. The tofu dressing resembles mayonnaise when made, although it’s much lighter, and it also goes well with steamed chicken breasts (fillets) and fish, or drizzled over barbecued pork chops.
INGREDIENTS
5cm (2in.) cinnamon stick
2 star anise
1 shallot, sliced
3 tbsp soy sauce
85g (3oz./scant 1/2 cup) grated palm (or demerara) sugar
1 medium-heat chilli, red or green, sliced, including the seeds (more or less to taste)
2 garlic cloves, sliced
4 tsp finely chopped or grated ginger
4 quails, boned and flattened out (spatchcocked)
1 corn cob, husks removed, cut in half (see Grilled sweetcorn and asparagus with ricotta, goji berries and truffled honey dressing)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
150g (5 1/2oz.) silken tofu
1 small bunch coriander (cilantro), shredded
2 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp lime zest, finely grated
2 tsp sesame oil
vegetable oil for deep-frying
6 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and cut into 5cm (2in.) lengths
1 carrot, ends trimmed, peeled, then peeled into ribbons
1 small handful flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves
[ METHOD ]
First poach your quail in a medium pan. Put the cinnamon stick, star anise, shallot, soy sauce, palm sugar, chilli, garlic and half the ginger in the pan. Add 700ml (3 cups) of water and bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Bring back to the boil and lower in two of the quail, skin side facing up, and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to a rapid simmer, then turn them over and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove with tongs on to a plate and cook the other two in the same way. Leave to cool, then cut each one into four, cutting the legs and thighs from the body, then cutting through to separate the breasts (fillets). Lay on absorbent kitchen paper. Reserve the poaching liquor.
Once the quail are done, keep boiling the poaching liquor until it has reduced by two thirds, then strain into a heatproof bowl and keep warm.
Half-fill a medium pan with lightly salted water and bring to the boil. Add the corn and boil for 2 minutes, then remove and place in a bowl of iced water. After a minute, remove to a colander and drain. Cut the kernels from the cob using a sharp knife.
While the water is still boiling, carefully lower the eggs into it using a slotted spoon and boil for 4 minutes 15 seconds. A medium egg will be soft boiled at this stage; cook up to a minute more for large eggs, or if you don’t like your yolk runny. Remove from the boiling water and place in iced water to cool. Drain after 10 minutes, then carefully peel, making sure you don’t damage the egg white. Place in a bowl of water until you need them. (Being supported in the water stops them collapsing.)
In a small food processor bowl, or using a stick blender, purée the remaining 2 teaspoons of ginger with the tofu, coriander (cilantro), lime juice and zest and sesame oil until green and smooth. Add 1/4 teaspoon of flaky salt.
Pour oil into a wok or saucepan to a depth of about 6cm (2 1/2in., deep enough to submerge an egg) and heat to 180°C (350°F). Deep-fry the spring onions (scallions) until collapsed and just beginning to colour, stirring gently as they fry, then drain on absorbent kitchen paper. Deep-fry the carrot ribbons until crispy, stirring gently the whole time to prevent them burning, then drain on kitchen paper. Make sure the parsley leaves are dry so that they don’t splatter, then deep-fry until crisp, again stirring gently as they fry and draining on kitchen paper. Sprinkle everything with a little flaky salt.
Remove the eggs from the water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Gently lower the eggs into the hot oil and cook for about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Carefully stir them in the oil as they fry to ensure even cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate – avoid using absorbent kitchen paper as it may stick to the eggs.
The quail will be easier to cook in two batches: deep-fry the legs together first, then the breasts (fillets). Lower the pieces carefully into the hot oil and deep-fry until golden and a little crisp, about 2 minutes, stirring gently as they cook. Remove from the fryer and place in the bowl of quail-poaching liquor, toss together and leave to marinate. Cook the breasts (fillets) next. Quail breasts (fillets) are best cooked pink, so even though they’re thicker, deep-fry for just 90 seconds, gently stirring as they fry. Drain from the oil and toss with the marinating legs.
To serve, lay the spring onions (scallions), carrots and parsley on your plates and scatter over the corn kernels. Serve two legs and two breasts (fillets) per portion. Place an egg on each plate – which you can serve whole or broken up, then finish by spooning on the dressing.
FOR 2 AS A MAIN COURSE
◁ Duck, figs, walnuts, grapes, sherry vinegar and membrillo
WARM
Make this in the autumn (fall) when the figs and grapes are sun ripened, rich and sweet. I used delicious black grapes that tasted of port and small black figs from Turkey, which are packed with flavour and spectacular when cooked. Membrillo is a firm quince ‘paste’ or ‘cheese’ from Spain. (You can, of course, make it, but that’s not a recipe for this book.) The thick purée made from it here makes more than you need, but it’s hard to make less and it will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
INGREDIENTS
2 duck breasts (fillets) (125–175g/4 1/2–6oz. each)
125g (4 1/2oz.) membrillo, cut into chunks
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
60g (2 1/4oz./1/2 cup) walnuts, toasted
1/4 tsp olive oil
4 figs, stalk removed, halved lengthways
1 small handful salad leaves (I used baby kale and pea shoots)
100g (3 1/2oz./1 cup) grapes, halved
[ METHOD ]
Score the skin of the duck breasts (fillets) in a cross-hatch pattern, cutting through the skin, but not down into the flesh. Remove the sinews from the flesh side of the breasts (fillets). Season the skin side with salt and leave covered on a plate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Put the membrillo, sherry vinegar and garlic into a small food processor, add a quarter of the walnuts, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of coarse black pepper. Blitz to a fairly smooth purée, wiping down the bowl several times as you do so. Transfer into a jar or bowl.
Heat a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Brush the skin side of the duck breasts (fillets) with the oil, then place them into the heated pan, skin side down, and cook until they have become quite golden and the fat has rendered out. Move them around from time to time, but don’t turn them over. This will take about 10–12 minutes. If they’re burning, reduce the heat. Carefully drain all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat from the pan into a heatproof bowl – this can be used later for roasting potatoes or the like. Turn them over carefully and cook for an additional 2–5 minutes, depending on how thick the breasts (fillets) are (they are best eaten a little pink). Remove the duck from the pan to a warm plate and put in a warm place.
Cook the figs in the cooking fat in the pan, cut side facing down, until caramelized. Turn over and cook for an additional 20 seconds.
To serve, lay the salad leaves onto warmed plates. Cut the duck breast (fillet) into slices 7mm (1/4in.) thick and lay them on top. Dollop on the membrillo paste, then scatter on the figs, walnuts and grapes. Spoon a little of the pan juices on – they will be a bit fatty, but all the more delicious for it!
FOR 2 AS A MAIN COURSE
◁ Confit duck leg, caramelized onions, almonds, porcini, cavolo nero and blue cheese
WARM
Confit duck legs, a wonderful French invention, are completely delicious and you can find them at most delicatessens or French butchers. They are un-boned legs that have been salted for a day or two then cooked very slowly in duck fat. Once cooked by you at home they have lovely crispy skin and succulent firm flesh. You could serve roast chicken legs or breast (fillet) or duck breast (fillet) instead. The cavolo nero (which could be replaced with kale or spinach) and blue cheese purée is wonderfully good and a perfect match for lovely plump porcini mushrooms, or use another wild mushroom in season.
INGREDIENTS
2 confit duck legs
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
150g (5 1/2oz.) cavolo nero leaves (stalk removed), cut crossways into 2cm (3/4in.)lengths
85g (3oz.) blue cheese (I used dolcelatte)
30g (1oz./2 tbsp) butter
150g (5 1/2oz.) porcini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
8 sage leaves, shredded
30g (1oz./3 tbsp) almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas mark 4). Line a roasting dish with baking parchment.
Put the duck legs in the oven for 6–8 minutes. By this point you should be able to cut and then gently remove the thigh and leg bones from the legs. Cut each leg into three or four pieces and return to the oven to crispen up for about 20 minutes.
Caramelize the onion and garlic in the olive oil over a medium heat with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, stirring frequently. It will take about 8–10 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook until it has evaporated. Keep warm.
Boil or steam the cavolo nero in salted water for 3–4 minutes. Drain into a colander, then put into a small food processor or blender with half of the blue cheese. Pulse-blitz, adding hot water if needed, to give a purée – I prefer mine to have a little texture. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Melt the butter in a frying pan (skillet) and sauté the porcini mushrooms with the sage until nicely coloured on both sides. Add the almonds and warm through. Season to taste.
Break the remainder of the blue cheese into pieces. To serve, spoon the cavolo nero purée onto warmed plates and spread it out. Lay the duck pieces and caramelized onion on top, then spoon on the porcini and scatter over the cheese.
FOR 4 AS A MAIN COURSE
◁ Steamed guinea fowl, spiced roast pumpkin and honeyed pecans
WARM OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
This is a really good dish in autumn (the fall), when pumpkin is at its best. The slightly sweet flavour of pecans is even better when candied with honey, or even with maple or agave syrup. The egg-free milk aioli, which is made with black garlic, is terrific with this, but you could also serve it with plain aioli or even the honey mustard dressing.
INGREDIENTS
4 guinea fowl (game hen) breasts (fillets), skin on or off
1 tbsp chopped mixed herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano)
2 tbsp olive oil
100g (3 1/2oz./2/3 cup) pecans
2 tbsp honey
600g (1lb. 5oz.) pumpkin flesh, thickly sliced
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp nigella seeds
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp five-spice powder
1 large handful watercress, picked
100g (3 1/2oz./scant 1/2 cup) egg-free milk aioli
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F/Gas mark 3). Line a small baking sheet with baking parchment.
Sprinkle the guinea fowl (game hen) all over with the herbs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Leave covered in a cool place for 30 minutes. Just before steaming them, brush all over with 1 teaspoon of the oil.
Put the pecans and honey in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook until the honey begins to caramelize, then tip onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden – about 15–18 minutes, but keep an eye on it. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F/Gas mark 4).
In a roasting dish, toss the pumpkin with the fennel and nigella seeds, chilli flakes, five-spice powder, a pinch of salt and the remaining oil. Roast until cooked through and golden, about 20 minutes, turning them once as they cook.
Put a steamer on and place the guinea fowl (game hen) breasts (fillets) in, making sure they don’t overlap. Cook until done, about 7 minutes. (To test, cut a small slice from the thickest part – the meat should be almost fully cooked.) Turn off the heat and leave to rest in the steamer for 1 minute before removing.
To serve, lay the roast pumpkin and watercress on warmed plates. Slice each guinea fowl (game hen) breast (fillet) into four and lay on top. Scatter with the pecans. Serve with aioli.