Chicken

Roast chicken with fried bread salad and agrodolce

Name: Roast chicken with fried bread salad and agrodolce
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1.8kg whole chicken; 100g unsalted butter; 1 bunch sage, leaves picked; Fronds from 1 fennel (reserve fennel bulb for another use); 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked, stalks reserved; 1 rosemary sprig; 2 cups torn sourdough; 1 head radicchio, leaves torn; 2 cups saltbush leaves (from farmers’ markets or outbackpride.com.au) or watercress; 1/4 cup (40g) roasted almonds, chopped; 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil; 16.00 eschalots, sliced; 4.00 thyme sprigs; 4.00 garlic cloves, sliced; 4.00 tbs caster sugar; 2/3 cup (165ml) white wine; 1/3 cup (80ml) white wine vinegar; 1/4 cup (40g) golden raisins

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Hamish Ingham and Rebecca Lines are putting botanicals centre stage. This fresh take on the classic roast chook is a new style of cooking the whole family will love.

1.8kg whole chicken
100g unsalted butter
1 bunch sage, leaves picked
Fronds from 1 fennel (reserve fennel bulb for another use)
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked, stalks reserved
1 rosemary sprig
2 cups torn sourdough
1 head radicchio, leaves torn
2 cups saltbush leaves (from farmers’ markets or outbackpride.com.au) or watercress
1/4 cup (40g) roasted almonds, chopped

Agrodolce

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
8 eschalots, sliced
2 thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tbs caster sugar
2/3 cup (165ml) white wine
1/3 cup (80ml) white wine vinegar
1/4 cup (40g) golden raisins

Bread salad

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
8 eschalots, sliced
2 thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tbs caster sugar
2/3 cup (165ml) white wine
1/3 cup (80ml) white wine vinegar
1/4 cup (40g) golden raisins

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a roasting pan with baking paper.
2.

Carefully run your hand or fingers under the skin of chicken breast to loosen. Slice butter into 3cm slices, then carefully push under the breast skin with half the sage leaves, being careful not to tear skin.
3.

Fill the cavity of chicken with fennel fronds, parsley stalks and rosemary. Place chicken in pan and season.
4.

Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce oven to 180°C and roast for a further 30 minutes. Remove from oven and add bread to the pan, spooning over roasting juices. Return to oven and roast for a further 15 minutes or until juices run clear when the thickest part of the chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer.
5.

Remove from oven. Transfer fried bread to a bowl. Rest chicken, loosely covered with foil, for 15 minutes.
6.

Meanwhile, for the agrodolce, heat olive oil in a frypan over medium-low heat. Add the eschalots, thyme and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until tender.
7.

Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
8.

To make salad, add radicchio, saltbush, parsley leaves and almonds to the bowl of fried bread. Season and add half the cooled agrodolce. Toss to combine.
9.

Place salad on a large serving platter. Cut the chicken into pieces and arrange on top of salad with remaining sage leaves, Drizzle with any reserved cooking juices and serve with remaining agrodolce.