Episode: Delish Christmas Delights special
Title: Russell’s Christmas Roast Chicken
Broadcast: Dec 16th 2017
Presenter: Russell Blaikie & Scott Taylor

Russ has a secret ingredient today and it starts with chicken and walnuts! Russell creates a gorgeous Christmas roast chicken with help from Scotty Taylor.

Ingredients:

• 1 large Mount Barker Chicken (approx. 2.3-2.5kg)

Stuffing:

• 100 grams Pancetta, finely chopped
• 100 grams shallot finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 50 grams butter
• 250 grams pork mince
• ½ cup (125ml) white wine
• 150 grams freshly made sourdough breadcrumbs
• 50 grams pistachio nuts
• 70 grams Manjimup walnuts, chopped
• Zest of ½ a lemon
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves chopped
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley leaves chopped
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• Few grinds black pepper
• 1 egg

Truffle Butter

• 80 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 Manjimup black truffle, microplaned
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Bravo Apple Salad

• 2 bravo apples
• 1 head fresh fennel
• 3 cups rocket lettuce (about 60 grams)
• ¼ cup Manjimup walnuts, lightly roasted

Dressing

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¾ teaspoon Karri honey
• 1 tablespoon organic cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Stuffing:

• Heat a large frypan over low-medium heat. Drop in pancetta and stir so that fat begins to render from it.
• Increase heat and cook for 3 minutes to colour and begin to become crisp.
• Add onion and garlic and reduce heat to medium, cook 3 minutes while stirring to colour and soften.
• Remove to a large bowl.
• Add butter and melt over medium heat. Add pork and cook over medium high heat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as you stir it.
• Once the pork has browned and separated, add wine and increase heat to high, cook one minute then add to the bowl with the rest of ingredients.
• Add all remaining ingredients in and stir well with a spatula or wooden spoon to combine.

Truffle Butter:

• Combine butter with microplaned truffle, thyme and a generous amount of salt and pepper.

To stuff and cook your chook:

• Preheat oven to 220C.
• Separate the flesh and skin carefully near the cavity, push the truffle butter into the gap between the skin and flesh, working the butter all over the flesh.
• Dab the cavity of the chicken with kitchen towel to dry it, season with a little sea salt and black pepper, and fill with stuffing.
• Seal cavity with a skewer and place onto rack over baking tray. Pour 1 cup of water into baking tray.
• Place into oven and cook 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 180C and cook a further 1 hour. Test the chicken is cooked by piercing the thigh with a skewer, if the juice runs clear its cooked through.
• Remove from oven and keep warm to serve.

Salad:

• Shave the apples and fennel, place into serving bowl with walnuts and rocket.
• Whisk dressing ingredients together and drizzle over salad, toss together and serve immediately.

Mt Barker Free Range Chicken
P: (08) 9435 3600
W: www.mtbarkerchicken.com.au

Must Winebar
W: www.must.com.au
P: (08) 9328 8255