Classic chicken Kiev with bean ragoût

THERE are a few dishes which hark back to the Seventies that I relish to this day. I’m not so old that I was cooking back then, but my mum certainly was. This chicken Kiev is down to her. It’s proper home-cooked grub and for that I thank her and for showing me the importance of good food at a young age. SERVES 4

● 175g softened unsalted butter, plus 50g for the bean ragoût

● 1 garlic bulb, cloves peeled and crushed

● 4 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

● Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

● Flavourless vegetable oil, to deep-fry

● 4 French-trimmed skinless chicken breasts (wing bones attached)

● 75g plain flour

● 3 eggs, lightly beaten

● 90g panko crumbs

● 125g runner beans, trimmed and cut into 4cm pieces

● 125g garden peas

● 4 spring onions, roughly chopped

● 125g broad beans, skins removed PUT the 175g of butter, all but one clove of the garlic and half the parsley in a bowl and beat together, then season with salt and black pepper.

Spoon in a line on to a sheet of cling film and roll up into a log, then twist the ends to secure and place in the fridge for one hour to set.

Heat a deep- fat fryer to 160c/320f or heat the oil for deep-frying in a deep, heavy based saucepan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)

Insert a knife horizontally into the bone end of the chicken breast, just next to the bone, and carefully move the knife from side to side, creating a pocket in the centre of the breast.

Slice the garlic butter into 1cm-thick fingers and place a few in each pocket, pressing in as far as possible. Put the flour, eggs and panko crumbs into three separate shallow dishes. Season the flour. Pass the chicken through the flour, turning to coat all sides, then through the egg. Repeat, so each chicken breast has two coats of flour and egg. Finally roll each through the breadcrumbs to coat totally.

Carefully lower two at a time into the hot fat and fry for eight to 10 minutes until golden and the chicken has cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside to keep warm while you cook the rest.

Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan until medium hot, add the runner beans, 275ml of water and 25g of the remaining butter and bring to the boil Add the peas, spring onions, garlic and broad beans and simmer for three or four minutes until all the vegetables are tender.

Add the rest of the butter and parsley and heat through, then check the seasoning.

Spoon the vegetables into the centre of four plates, top with a chicken Kiev and serve.