Turmeric chicken with lemon pickle and almonds
Serves 4 PREP TIME: 20 minutes, plus 1hr 15 min cooking time (and pickling) When you don’t want to roast a whole chicken, use chicken quarters, but make sure they have a high fat content Make the lemon pickle two weeks ahead.
For the lemon pickle
1 lemon 2 tbsp salt 1 tbsp grapeseed oil ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds pinch of brown mustard seeds pinch of chilli powder 4 chicken quarters (350g each) 60ml (¼ cup) grapeseed oil 1 white onion, cut into wedges 4 red bird’s-eye chillies, halved 1 garlic clove, crushed ½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp nigella seeds 3 sprigs fresh curry leaves, torn 60g raw almonds, coarsely chopped juice of 1 lime steamed basmati rice and yoghurt (optional), to serve
1. For the lemon pickle: Wash the lemon and place in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water to clean the skin, then drain. Rinse, cut into thin wedges, place in a bowl with 2 tbsp salt, squeeze lightly and toss to combine. Transfer the wedges to a sterilised jar that holds them snugly, pressing down to compact them. Warm the oil and spices in a small saucepan over low heat until the spices are fragrant and the mustard seeds start to pop. Pour over the lemons in the jar, then seal and store in a cool dark place, turning occasionally, for 2 weeks. 2. Preheat the oven to 230ºC. 3. Place the chicken and the remain-
ing ingredients except the lime juice in a bowl, toss to combine and season with salt and black pepper. Transfer the chicken to a roasting pan that holds it snugly. Pour the marinade all around the chicken pieces, drizzle with lime juice and roast till golden and cooked through (50 minutes).
4. Serve with lemon pickle, yoghurt and steamed rice. Wine suggestion: An aromatic, textural blend of Gewürztraminer and Riesling Za’atar roast chicken with pilaf, pomegranate and nuts Serves 8 PREP TIME: 30 minutes, plus 1hr 30 min cooking time This fragrant dish is usually placed in the centre of the table (it’s something of a showstopper) so guests can help themselves. We’ve made the za’atar fresh for a more intense thyme flavour, but buy the blend if you need to save time. • 40g pistachio nuts • 40g pine nuts For the za’atar • 1½ tbsp fresh thyme leaves • 1½ tbsp dried oregano • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds • 2 tsp sumac • 2 chickens (1.5kg each), removed from fridge 20 minutes before cooking • 2 onions, thickly sliced in rounds • 2 tbsp olive oil • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 lemon, plus extra wedges to serve (optional) • rubies of half a pomegranate • finely chopped fresh coriander • plain yoghurt to serve For the pilaf • 40g butter, coarsely chopped • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cinnamon quills • 2 cardamom pods, bruised • 2 fresh bay leaves • 2 cups (400g) basmati or long-grain rice, rinsed under cold water • 700ml chicken stock • finely grated rind of half a lemon
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Roast the pistachios and pine nuts on a baking tray until golden (8-12 minutes). Set aside to cool.
2. For the za’atar: Pound the herbs with a mortar and pestle until crushed but still coarse, then add the sesame seeds and sumac, and pound until finely ground.
3. Rinse the chickens inside and out under cold running water, pat dry with paper towel and place in a roasting pan on top of the sliced onion. Rub the chicken all over with oil, garlic and za’atar, then roast, basting occasionally until they’re cooked through and the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh with a skewer (1hr 25 min). Turn the heat up to 250ºC and baste occasionally until golden brown (5 minutes). Season to taste and add a drizzle of lemon juice. Rest for 5 minutes before serving. 4. While the chicken is roasting, make the pilaf: In a casserole set over medium heat, melt the butter in the oil and sauté the onion with the whole spices until the onion starts to caramelise (7-8 minutes). Add the rice and stir to coat, then add the stock, season to taste and bring to a bubbling simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, then leave to steam on medium-low heat until cooked (15 minutes). Stir in the lemon rind, cover with a tea towel, replace the lid, and leave to steam for 5-6 minutes.
5. Spoon the pilaf onto a platter, chop the chicken into pieces and arrange on top of the pilaf, sprinkle with pistachios, pine nuts, pomegranate rubies and coriander, and drizzle with pan juices. Serve with lemon wedges and yoghurt. Wine suggestion: A gutsy, spicy grenache rosé
Chickentoasties withand provolonepickles and caperMakes 4 aioli PREP10 minutes TIME: cooking15 minutes,time plus A good toastie is in itself almost reason to roast a bird. Melting cheese adds extra savour that’s offset by the piquant chillies. Store-bought pickled jalapeños are great here, but you could pickle the chillies yourself three days ahead. For the pickled green chillies • 500ml (2 cups) tarragon vinegar • 2 tbsp castor sugar • ½ tbsp fine sea salt • 8 long green chillies, pierced
with a knife For the caper aioli • 250g (¾ cup) aioli • 1 cup (loosely packed) mixed soft herbs such as dill, chives, basil and flatleaf parsley, finely chopped • 1 tbsp capers in vinegar, rinsed well, drained, coarsely chopped • 8 soft sourdough bread slices • softened butter, for spreading • ½ roast chicken, meat coarsely shredded • 120g (1 cup) grated provolone piccante • ½ white onion, thinly sliced
1. For the pickled chillies, bring the vinegar, sugar, salt and 250ml water to the boil in a saucepan. Place the chillies in a tall, sterilised jar or container that holds them snugly, pour in the vinegar solution, seal and store in a cool dark place to pickle for at least 3 days and up to 3 weeks. Refrigerate after use. 2. For the caper aioli, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season to taste.
3. Preheat the oven to 140ºC and line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread the bread slices with butter, then place butter-side down on the
When you don’t want to roast a whole chicken, use chicken quarters, but make sure they have a high fat content .
baking tray. Arrange the shredded chicken on half the slices, top with aioli, provolone piccante, onion and sliced pickled chillies, then sandwich with the remaining slices.
4. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add half the sandwiches and cook, turning once, until golden (2 minutes each side). Repeat with the remaining sandwiches, transfer to an oven tray and place in the oven to melt the cheese, then serve hot. Wine suggestion: Passionfruity Sémillon-Sauvignon blend Roast chicken with sausage stuffing, prunes and pan gravy Serves 4 PREP TIME: 40 minutes, plus 1hr 40 min cooking time (and resting time) We baked the stuffing separately to crisp it up, but it works well stuffed inside the roast as well. When you make gravy, cook out the flour to a brown roux before adding the liquid. For the sausage stuffing • 2 tbsp olive oil • 40g butter, coarsely chopped • ½ onion, finely chopped • 8 sage leaves, thinly sliced • 1 tsp thyme, coarsely chopped • 100g crustless sourdough bread, diced • 6 small chicken sausages (about 550g), skins removed, meat crumbled • 2 carrots, coarsely chopped • 2 onions, coarsely chopped • 1 x 1.5kg chicken, removed from fridge 20 minutes before cooking • melted butter, for brushing • 1 tbsp olive oil
• 12 pitted prunes • 200ml dry white wine • 2 heaped tbsp plain flour • 2 cups (500ml) brown chicken stock (see note below), at room temperature • buttery mashed potato, to serve
1. For the sausage stuffing: Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a shallow loaf tin with foil. Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over low heat, and sauté the onion until softened (10-15 minutes). Add the herbs and sauté until fragrant (30 seconds to 1 minute), then stir in the diced sourdough, season to taste and transfer to a tray to cool. Add the sausage meat and toss to combine, then transfer the mixture to the prepared tin.
2. Scatter the carrot and onion in a small roasting pan. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, brush with melted butter, drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Then scatter the prunes around the chicken and pour in the wine. Roast the chicken and stuffing separately until the chicken juices run clear when pierced and the stuffing is cooked, golden and crisp on top (approximately 1hr 20 min; cover the stuffing with foil if it browns too quickly). Transfer the chicken to a plate to rest (10 minutes). Reserve the prunes separately, and vegetables, if desired.
3. Reserve 2 tbsp of fat from the roasting pan juices, then drain off the remainder (if you haven’t got 2 tbsp, top it up with a little melted butter), return to the pan and place over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Add the flour and stir continuously until the mixture turns golden brown, ensuring it doesn’t burn (3-4 minutes). Gradually add the stock a cup at a time, whisking continuously to emulsify between additions until the gravy comes to a simmer and thickens. Season to taste. (Strain gravy if you prefer it very smooth.)
4. Cut the chicken into pieces and serve with buttery mashed potato, prunes and stuffing. Drizzle with a little gravy and serve the remaining gravy in a jug.
Note: To make 2L brown chicken stock, brown 1kg chicken carcasses in a roasting pan in a 240ºC oven, turning occasionally until well browned (40-50 minutes). Transfer to a large saucepan. Deglaze the