Medieval Chicken

We had been having a discussion on the Wildfood http://www.wildfood.info/Food Board about trying new recipes and Ian had been talking about Clarissa Dickson Wrights recipe for Medieval Chicken http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/medieval_chicken_with_04370 from the Great British Food Revival. He had cooked it and thought there was a couple of things that could be improved (well that is how recipes develop after all). I had said that as I was at a loss of what to cook at the weekend I would give his changes ago.

So here is my take on it:

A pinch of the best Spanish Saffron threads

200 ml of Aubines de Goupil (a sweetish white wine from Gascogne)

200 ml+ of home made chicken stock, made from 3 chicken carcasses,  some root veg, leek, garlic, chopped mushrooms, onion,a bit of vegetable stock, pepper , cloves  all topped up with water, bring to the boil and simmer.

1 free range straight from the farm yard free range chicken, weighing in at 1.3kg

1 tsp of crushed black pepper

1 tsp of best quality (Sri Lanka) bio cinnamon

5 garlic bulbs (she said small, they didn't have small ones)

A largish piece of garlic peeled and diced

Spanish olive oil (I didn't want the saffron to feel lonely)

My sea salt from Ile de Noirmoutier (it is getting down I do believe I must pop down to the Saline’s and pick up a few more kilos, popping in to see may friends Jacquie and Ian of course)

A small leek sliced

A few slices of sweet onion (Spanish of course)

My process only deviated from the original in that I (on Ian’s recommendation) used half wine and half stock, and put the garlic bulbs in the microwave for a minute to get them started (Ian had said his was still a little hard, the garlic, if you please). I also put a bit of onion in the cavity and some under the bird along with a small chopped leek.

giving it it's first baste



The resting Medieval Chicken, before being put to the sword




The resulting chicken was moist, flavoursome and I did enjoy it, though no more than I would a normal chicken, less that Jamie’s Lemon roasted chicken and not half as good as my paprika roast chicken. I was expecting it to be more well exotic and was a little disappointed, though the potato, celeriac and garlic mash almost made up for it and the braised Savoy with bacon made it worth while!

The spud and celeriac mash

Potaoes (depends how much you like)
Celeriac (1/4 as that was all I had)
Good knob of butter
3 tspn of herbal creme frais
squeezed roasted garlic cloves
Nutmeg to taste
S&P to taste

The braised Savoy cabbage:



fry the lardons in the frying pan that I had done my bacon in for breakfast



Add the onions and soften, then add the Savoy



Add a bit of chicken stock and saute, lid on and braise until soft.



The finished meal.

But I do not think I shall be rushing to do it again, the chicken that is!