MENU dorset issue 22 MENU22..dorset pdf issue 22. | Page 51

Method
Steve James learnt his
craft at Lesley Walter’s
cookery school
{
Te l : 0 7 9 0 9 6 5 15 5 7
E m a il : s t e v e @ s t e v e j a m e s l t d . c o m
w w w. s t e v e j a m e s l t d . c o m
{
To make the brine: mix the water, brown sugar, salt, bay leaf,
rosemary and peppercorns in a large container and stir until the
sugar and salt has dissolved. Once the water has cooled place the
chicken in the brine and leave overnight in the fridge.
Prepare your accompaniments. Peel the carrots and the beetroot
and chop all into large chunky pieces ready for roasting. Place in a
roasting tray and add a good pinch of salt and pepper and strip the
leaves off the thyme and mix all together well.
Make the herby garlic butter by grating the garlic clove, finely
chopping the parsley and mixing with the butter. Roll up in some
cling film like a log ( this will freeze well in portions for future use).
To make the stuffing: finely chop the two onions and fry with a
little oil until soft and golden. Blitz the nuts in a food processor until
roughly chopped. Finely chop the sage and add to the nuts with
breadcrumbs, butter, a large pinch of salt, pepper and the egg until
combined and then mix through the stuffing mix.
Potatoes: peel and chop and boil in salted water for about ten
minutes until a knife easily slides in. Drain and leave in the colander
until all the steam has gone. Tip back into the saucepan and put a lid
on top and shake to create a rough crumbed texture on the outside.
Roasting the chicken: after it has brined overnight, place on a
roasting tray, leave in the fridge for a couple of hours for the skin
to dry out, making sure to take out of the fridge to come to room
temperature at least one hour before cooking. Preheat the oven to
200°c Fan. Chop the onion into 8 wedges and place the chicken
in a new roasting tin on top of the onion. Season the flour with salt
and pepper and rub all over the chicken breast. Brush the chicken
breasts with a beaten egg and then press the stuffing mix over
the chicken breasts till well coated. Place in the oven for 1 hour 10
minutes or until juices run clear then remove from the tray and cover
with foil to rest. Add the duck fat to a roasting tray and place on top
of the hob till melted. Tip the potatoes into the oil, season with salt
and pepper and toss. Place in the oven with the roasted carrots
and beetroot for 1 hour.
Make your gravy. Place the roasting tray over a hob with all the
juices and onions from cooking the chicken. Add a couple of
tablespoons of plain flour and stir until incorporated. Make sure you
cook out the flour for a minute or two. Add 600ml boiling water and
stir through. Pass through a fine sieve and keep warm.
Five minutes before serving, add a good splash of red wine vinegar
to the roasting carrots and beetroot. Blanch all the greens in boiling
salted water for a few minutes. Serve everything at the table with
the garlic herb butter over the greens and tarragon over the roast
potatoes.
Stuffing Crusted Chicken with Thyme Roasted Root Veg, Greens and Crispy
Tarragon Roast Potatoes. (Makes enough for 5 with leftovers for bubble and squeak).
Chicken
2kg whole chicken
4.5l (1 gallon) warm water
½ cup salt
2/3 cups brown sugar
Bay leaf
Sprig of rosemary
1 tbsp peppercorn
2 eggs
100g flour + 2 tbsp for the
gravy
Salt and pepper for
seasoning
1 onion
Stuffing crust Mixed greens with
2 large onions herby garlic butter
15 sage leaves
125g of breadcrumbs
40g butter
Salt and pepper
75g chestnuts
75g macadamia nuts
1 egg
100g butter at room
temperature
1 clove of garlic
Parsley
A mixture of your
favourite green
vegetables (peas,
spinach, kale,
chard etc.)
Salt
Pepper
www.menu-dorset.co.uk
Roasted carrots
and beetroots
1kg carrots
1kg b