Christmas Chicken
INGREDIENTS
- 8 slices pancetta or bacon
- 4 spatchcocks*, trussed with kitchen string
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 150ml dry red wine
- 150ml chicken stock
- 4 tbs redcurrant jelly
- Fresh breadcrumbs fried in butter, to serve (optional)
Bread sauce:
- 30g unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped 100ml pure (thin) cream
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 cloves
- 1½ cups (100g) fresh white breadcrumbs
- 300ml milk
- Pinch of nutmeg
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cross 2 pancetta slices over each spatchcock, season and drizzle with oil. Roast for 40 minutes or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced.
- While spatchcocks are roasting, make the sauce. Melt butter in a pan over low heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add cream, bay and cloves and stir for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and stand for 20 minutes to infuse. Discard bay and cloves, then puree in a food processor and set aside.
- Simmer crumbs and milk in a pan on low heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until smooth. Add onion puree and nutmeg, then season. Cover surface of the sauce with baking paper.
- Remove birds from pan and leave to rest while you make a gravy. Place roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Add wine, stock and jelly, then simmer, stirring and scraping pan, for 5-6 minutes until gravy thickens.
- Serve spatchcocks with gravy and bread sauce, topped with extra crumbs if desired.
Serves 4.
Recipe by Valli Little.
