with wild rice and medley of garden vegetables
Ingredients
For the chicken
• 6-8 bone in, skin on, chicken drumsticks
• 2 white onions, halved, skin on
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 2 sprigs of tarragon
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 star anise
• 3 cloves of garlic crushed
• 150g mixed basmati and wild rice
• 500ml extra dry white wine (Loire Muscadet)
• 50ml sherry
• 1 tbsp of grated nutmeg
• 1 tbsp honey
• 30g dried porcini mushrooms
• 200ml double cream
• 80g Roquefort
• Salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, to garnish (kept in cold water to keep fresh)
Medley of garden vegetables
• Bunch of large asparagus
• One head of broccoli, broken into florets
• Handful of baby spinach (raw)
• 1 packet of mangetout
• Handful of French beans
• 1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• Black pepper
• Sprinkle of white sugar
• Handful parsley – add just before serving
• Chopped chives – add just before serving
• 2 large carrots, for carving the flowers, optional
For the chicken – method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. Season the chicken on all sides, then put straight into a hot pan, skin side down, and sear on all sides 5 minutes.
3. Add the onions, garlic, bay, thyme, star anise and black pepper to the pan. Put into the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes.
4. Bring out of the oven after 15-20 minutes and add the porcini mushrooms, cumin seeds, rice, honey. Mix together. Then add the wine and sherry. Bring to the boil, cover and then put back into the oven for 25-30 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven. If still liquid, put back on the heat for 5 mins. Then just before serving, delicately stir in the Roquefort cheese, cream, parsley and nutmeg.
Medley of garden vegeatbles – method
1. Prepare the veg and then mix in a bowl with olive oil, black pepper, a sprinkle of white sugar and smashed garlic.
2. Veg then goes into a hot dry pan, put the lid on and shake for 1 minutes. Add 2 tsp of water only and put the lid back on very quickly. Allow to steam for 2 minutes.
3. Put into another bowl, add a touch of olive oil, the spinach, herbs and a touch of black pepper and cover with clingfilm until serving. Set aside.
4. Make the carrot flowers.
To serve
1. Take the chicken out and add a grating of nutmeg, tarragon, parsley and chives.
2. Remove veg from the bowl covered in clingfilm and serve up. Top with carrot flower.
Equipment
• 1 large deep-frying pan approx. 30cm
• 1 boiling pan with lid
• Chopping board
• Serving dishes
• Tongs
• Resting plate
• 2x Large Pyrex Bowls
• Large Pyrex Jug
• Bowl of iced water with Herbs