THIS week's recipes are great for when having the family around for a Sunday dinner.
A roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings is the perfect crowd-pleasing dish and this recipe maximises the flavour of the chicken, whilst crisping the skin and keeping the bird moist.
I am not usually one for buying kitchen gadgets, but I picked up a Staub vertical chicken roaster on a visit to London and was very surprised at how this kitchen appliance could improve tasted. I was so impressed that I bought four more for the restaurant.
So, when cooking chicken from time to time you should try to cook it vertically. This can also be accomplished by cooking the chicken over a beer can, but I personally think that this piece of ovenware has many more benefits, and the chicken really does taste better - trust me.
The second dish this week is a very simple lemon posset. This light and zesty dessert, topped with a fresh raspberry is the perfect accompaniment to a Sunday dinner.
For more information, or to book an experience at the Waterman Cookery School, visit www.cookinbelfast.co.uk.
****
Lemon Posset
(Serves 6)
400g double cream
125g sugar
2 lemons juiced
Berries to garnish
Method:
Start by placing the cream in a pan and bring to the boil. Add in the sugar and cook on a medium heat for 4 minutes, making sure to keep whisking the liquid to help all the ingredients combine. You also need to stir to ensure the mix does not form a skin.
Take the mix off the heat once all is cooked through and combined. Then add in the lemon juice and pour into six serving dishes, I like to use a glass for this. Place in the fridge and leave to set, this can take up to 4 hours, but this is a great dish to have ready the night before.
When ready to serve garnish with a fresh berry; I have used raspberries.
****
Staub Vertical Roast Chicken
(Serves 4 with leftovers)
½ teaspoon of black pepper
½ teaspoon of sea salt
½ teaspoon of cumin
½ teaspoon of paprika
1 pinch of cayenne
3 cloves of garlic, grated
1 large chicken
100ml of white wine
Olive oil
Method:
Combine all the spices, salt and pepper and rub onto the skin of the chicken. Rub the grated garlic over the skin. Wrap in cling film and marinade for 2 hours, place in the fridge.
Remove from the fridge and remove the cling film.
Preheat oven to 180C and place the chicken in the Staub vertical dish. Pour the white wine into the bowl of the vertical cooking dish and place the chicken in the oven.
Drizzle over a little oil and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes. Ensure that you give the chicken some resting time before carving.
