Grilled poussin with chicory salad, anchovies and pine nuts
Poussin are a young chicken small enough that you can serve a whole bird as an individual portion. Here, Andy Beynon cooks them over a grill and brushes them with an intense and sticky chicken glace, for an irresistible main. It's served with a fresh and herby chicory salad, and a glass of Saicho's sparkling Darjeeling tea. Made with tea grown in the foothills of the Himalayas, this lightly tannic drink is a delicious accompaniment to rich roast chicken.
Note: To get the best chicken glace for this recipe, you want to make your chicken double stock from something with plenty of gelatin, like chicken wings. It's also important not to use store bought, pre-seasoned stock. Since it's being reduced, the salt will be concentrated up to ten times its original amount.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
For the poussins
- 2 poussin, approx. 400–500g each
- sea salt, to season
- olive oil
- 1l double chicken stock, unseasoned
- 1 handful of fresh thyme
For the chicory salad
- 30g of pine nuts
- 1 red chicory, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 green chicory, cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 anchovy fillets, torn into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 red chilli, finely sliced (adjust heat to preference)
- 8 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
- 10 basil leaves, torn
- 10 perilla leaves, torn
- 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
- sea salt, to taste
Equipment
- Robata grill
Method
Bring the double stock to a boil in a large sauce pan. Cook down the stock until it's thick and glossy. The exact amount will depend on the amount of collagen in the stock, but once it's ready you should be left with 100-250 ml glossy chicken glace
Preheat a Robata grill, or prepare a barbecue for indirect cooking
Place the poussin skin-side down on the grill. Grill over medium-high heat, flipping occasionally, and brush frequently with the glaze until the internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F). Keep the poussin mostly skin-side down to allow it to crisp up
Sprinkle with thyme leaves, then rest for 3–5 minutes before chopping into smaller pieces
- 1 handful of fresh thyme
For the salad, toast the pine nuts lightly in a dry pan until golden (2–3 minutes)
Combine the chicory, anchovy fillets, chilli, pine nuts, thyme leaves, basil and perilla leaves
- 1 red chicory, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 green chicory, cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 anchovy fillets, torn into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 red chilli, finely sliced (adjust heat to preference)
- 8 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
- 10 basil leaves, torn
- 10 perilla leaves, torn
Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and some salt. Dress the salad lightly with the vinaigrette, then season to taste
- 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
- sea salt, to taste
Serve immediately, while the poussin is hot and the salad is fresh
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