Chicken Run

17/12 CHICKEN RUN

Hunting, shooting and fishing: a country weekend roasting in your oven. A winter treat that dares you to ever leave the house again. Hibernation was my plan, the most attractive way of spending dark winter nights. Roasting a chicken is probably the easiest animal to tackle - but there always is the fear of the bird shrivelling, drying up like it died of thirst on an american salt lake.

I found a solution to keep that bird dead yet alive. Traditionally roast potatoes would accompany the bird to its grave, and not add much other than starchy bulk. Instead roast with a cauliflower that softens perfectly to absorbs the chicken juices before they evaporate into oblivion. I used a makeshift béchamel sauce, really just milk and flour, to help trap all the flavour and give the chicken a soft nest to lie in. Rest in peace chickadee, your sacrifice shall be consumed with love and warmth. 

Ingredients (all approximate) - 

1 Chicken
1 large potato
1/2 Garlic
1 Cauliflower
25g butter
1 cup Milk
50g Flour
50g White Cheese
Paprika
Japanese Chilli
Salt + Pepper
Thyme
Nutmeg
Rosemary

What I did - 

Prepare the chicken, which is no harder than throwing whatever melange of spices you have handy. The fun here came from that elusive Japanese chilli powder reserved for sushi restaurants, but get your hands on some, and liberally dust the chicken. I had a few old potatoes so i stuffed them in the chicken with some garlic, but not essential. Let it sit marinade you prepare its fluffy white bed.

The cauliflower provides the right mix of hearty roast vegetable, without a huge amount of starch which soaks up and drys all the chicken juices, instead it relishes the roasted lubrication. decapitate all the heads off a cauliflower and with a large knife hack them roughly into smaller segments. In a large pan belt the butter until it stars to bubble and then quickly add in the flour off the heat, whisking fast to eradicate lumps. Then continue to whisk in the milk until it is magically thick and creamy. Tumble in the cauliflower and turn through the white sauce until thinly but completely coated. Now grate the cheese and nutmeg and turn once more.

The chicken is ready for its creamy nest, so tip the cauliflower into a baking dish wasting none of the white sauce. Push to the edges so that there is a small space for the chicken so squeeze in. Pack the cauliflower tightly around the bird and drizzle one final slick of olive oil. Bake takes two hours and should be served immediately, so become friendly with your oven timer.The entire dish should come out a uniform golden brown. If slightly charred above no matter, it will be gloriously juicy once your knife massacres it.

JG