This salad has found a permanent place on the Cook House menu. I think there would be a revolt if we were to remove it! I change this salad with the seasons, using shredded roast chicken and cubes of roast celeriac or squash in autumn and winter and making it fresh and light in spring and summer with poached chicken and raw spring vegetables.

Chicken, Courgette and Pea Salad with Aïoli and Sourdough Crumb

SERVES 4

• 1 whole chicken

• stock vegetables: 1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters, 1 carrot, peeled and cut into quarters and 1 celery stick, cut into quarters

• 1 bay leaf

• 6 black peppercorns

• salt and pepper

• 2 slices of leftover bread, preferably sourdough

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large handful per person of mixed leaves, such as spinach, rocket, pea shoots or little gem lettuce

• 1 courgette

• 200g fresh peas in the pod

• 1 quantity of Cook House Dressing (see page 53)

EQUIPMENT

• food processor

• baking tray

Place the chicken in a large pan and cover with cold water. Add the stock vegetables, bay leaf and peppercorns and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat so it is simmering very gently, the water should only just be moving. If you boil it too vigorously the chicken will be tough and dry out. Simmer for 45 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you pierce it with a knife. Remove the chicken from the pan and place it in a large tray to cool.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred every last piece of meat off the bones and place in a large bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of the poaching stock with some salt and pepper and mix well. It should be moist and well seasoned.

To make the sourdough crumb, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Blitz the leftover bread in a small food processor, tip it into a baking tray, add the olive oil and some salt and pepper and mix well with your hands. Put it in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown, shaking the tray halfway through.

Then it’s just a case of assembling your salad. Put the salad leaves into a large bowl, peel ribbons of courgette into the bowl using a vegetable peeler, and pod your peas straight in there too. Add 2 tablespoons of the dressing and mix well, then add a large handful of chicken per person to the salad and mix again.

Divide the salad among serving plates and serve topped with the sourdough crumb and a big dollop of Aïoli (see page 43) on the side.

NOTES

Reserve the chicken stock and freeze to use for soups, stews or risottos.