THE CHEF AND THE BUTCHER
Amid their usual shtick Colin Fassnidge and Anthony Puharich are back with an economical dish that cleverly packs in flavour.
C:
Everyone has had bad couscous. You know like really bad, dry couscous. It’s like sawdust. So I think we need a little bit of fat in it to keep it moist. I saw in Portugal how they do it where they massage the couscous in olive oil…
Have you been watching Rick Stein? …so they get the couscous wet with oil and massage it in their hands. We’re not going to do that, but we’re going to poach the chicken and then use the stock to cook the couscous. So then the couscous has all this flavour.
Nice.
It’s our post-lockdown couscous. It has absorbed all our passion and our stress, and it’s ready to burst. Pent up with flavour. R-rated couscous!
And then we add a handful of meat on a stick.
You’re on a roll, aren’t you? You’re angry! I’ve been locked up for too long! It’s basically couscous with the moisture and flavour of chicken, rather than the dry couscous you’ve been brought up on – like those boiled brussels sprouts and broccoli. We’re bringing couscous into the 21st century and adding our chicken too.
Okay. So chicken drumsticks. Nobody likes chicken drumsticks. Except Colonel Sanders.
In this time of recession, drumsticks are cheap, cheerful flavour. Great for families.
They’re the cheapest cut. But they’re juicy, fibrous, and there’s a bit of texture. They are great for the stock because they’re gelatinous and have the bone and the tendon, and are a bit fatty. Drumsticks are often just thrown away, so for the zero-waste issue we’re fully utilising them.
It’s a forgiving part of the chicken, too, you can overcook it and get away with it.
A: C: A: C: A: C: A: C: A: C: A: C: A:
Everyone loves wings, you know.
We’re not talking about wings!
Yeah but I am saying, wings win over drumsticks usually.
Sometimes
I wonder if you’re even listening.
C: A: C: POACHED CHICKEN WITH WARM SPICED COUSCOUS SALAD SERVES 6-8
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 8 chicken drumsticks
1/ 2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems very
roughly chopped, leaves chopped 1/ 2 bunch mint, stems very roughly
chopped, leaves chopped Pared peel and juice of 1 orange 4 cloves
3 dried bay leaves
SPICED COUSCOUS SALAD
300g couscous
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/ 3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp each ground cumin and sumac 270g semi-sundried tomatoes, drained,
chopped
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained 1 red onion, thinly sliced into rings Seeds of 1 pomegranate
To poach the chicken, place oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Add the drumsticks and sear, turning frequently, for 6-8 minutes until browned all over. Add 8 cups (2L) water and bring to the boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the herb stems, orange peel, cloves and bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 40-45 minutes until chicken is cooked and easily falls away from the bone. Strain, reserving the stock and chicken in separate bowls. Discard the remaining ingredients. Place 300ml of hot stock in a heatproof bowl. Store remaining stock in an airtight container in the freezer for later use.
For the couscous salad, add couscous, lemon zest and juice to the 300ml hot stock and stir until just combined. Cover completely with a large plate or oven tray to lock in the heat and steam. Stand for 8-10 minutes to cook the couscous.
Meanwhile, shred the chicken and set aside meat in a bowl. Discard bones and skin. Place crushed garlic, oil and orange juice in a bowl, season to taste and whisk to combine. Fluff couscous with a fork and add herb leaves, cumin, sumac, semi-sundried tomato, zucchini, chilli, chickpeas, onion, pomegranate seeds and shredded chicken. Season to taste, add half of the dressing and toss well to combine. Drizzle with remaining dressing to serve.
CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
You’d be hard pressed to find a cut more versatile than the chicken drumstick. Roasted, fried, barbecued or poached, like in this recipe, any method of cooking goes. Plus, the skin, bone and cartilage in a drumstick makes it a perfect addition for stocks and bone broths.
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