Chicken with black garlic, mushrooms and asparagus

  • medium
  • 2
  • 2 hours 30 minutes
Not yet rated

This distinctive chicken and black garlic recipe from Steven Smith is full of contrasting flavours, from the bright, fresh-tasting accompaniments of asparagus and peas, to rich, earthy black garlic and swirls of smoky charred leek purée. This recipe uses chestnut mushrooms, but Steven recommends using whatever fungi are seasonal and local to you at the time of cooking.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Chicken

Charred leek purée

To serve

Equipment

  • Chargrill pan
  • Fine strainer
  • Thermomix

Method

1
Preheat the oven to 130˚C/gas mark 1/2
2
For the charred leek purée, cut the leeks in half lengthways and wash thoroughly. Use a very hot chargrill pan to blacken the leeks on both sides, then remove from the heat, trim down slightly and scatter evenly on the base of a saucepan
3
Add enough water to just cover (200-300ml), bring to a boil and simmer until the liquid has reduced and the pan is almost dry. Transfer to a high-speed blender and blitz with the squid ink, a dash of soy sauce and the miso paste
4
Once the purée is very smooth, press through a fine strainer, transfer to a squeezy bottle and set aside until required
5
Preheat oven to 150˚C/gas mark 2
6
Make a couple of incisions along the side of each chicken breast and stuff with the black garlic. Bake in the oven for 18 minutes, then remove and rest for 5 minutes
7
Meanwhile, cut the chestnut mushrooms in half and colour cut-side down in a hot pan with a dash of rapeseed oil. To finish, add a small knob of butter, toss to coat and season with salt
8
Trim the asparagus and peel up to the tip. Blanch in boiling salted water with the peas and broad beans for 1 1/2 minute. Strain, peel the broad beans, season all the greens and keep warm
9
To serve, pipe the charred leek purée in swirls on the base of each plate. Slice each breast in half and place on top of the purée
10
Scatter the asparagus, broad beans, peas and mushrooms onto each plate and garnish with pea shoots before serving. Finish with a drizzle of oil

Steven Smith may be trend-averse but he is certainly not risk-averse, his cuisine embraces tradition without being consumed by it.

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