Poached and roasted chicken with almond and thyme crust and chargrilled cauliflower

by Marcus Wareing
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servings4
3 hours

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1 free-range chicken
  • 100ml of double cream
  • 1 tsp grain mustard
  • 1 tbsp of tarragon

Poaching Stock

  • 1 carrot, peeled and halved
  • 1 onion, peeled and halved
  • 1 celery stick, halved
  • 1/4 bunch of thyme
  • 1/4 bunch of tarragon
  • 4 garlic cloves, halved
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp of tarragon

Almond and thyme crust

  • 100g of whole almonds, toasted with the skin on
  • 200g of crusty brown loaf, crusts removed
  • 50g of Parmesan, grated
  • 1/2 bunch of thyme, just the leaves
  • 1/2 tbsp of salt
  • 4 tbsp of olive oil

Chargrilled cauliflower

  • 1 cauliflower, cut into large florets
  • 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 50g of macadamia nuts, toasted and finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp of flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped

Method

1
Begin this whole chicken recipe by making the stock. Place the ingredients for the poaching stock into a large saucepan and fill with warm water
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 onion
  • 1 celery stick
  • 1/4 bunch of thyme
  • 1/4 bunch of tarragon
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp salt
2
Bring to a gentle simmer, then add the chicken, topping up with more water if necessary. Cover with a lid and simmer very gently for 40 minutes
  • 1 free-range chicken
3
Remove the chicken from the stock and allow to dry off slightly. Strain the stock into a clean saucepan, bring to the boil and continue to boil gently until it has reduced to a third
4
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the mustard and cream. When ready to serve, reheat gently and whisk in the chopped tarragon
  • 1 tsp grain mustard
  • 100ml of double cream
  • 1 tbsp of tarragon
5
Make the crust by putting all the ingredients into a food processor and whizzing until it clumps together
  • 100g of whole almonds
  • 200g of crusty brown loaf
  • 50g of Parmesan
  • 4 tbsp of olive oil
  • 2 bunches of thyme
  • 1/2 tbsp of salt
6
Preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/Gas 2. Smother the crust mixture on to the chicken, then place it in the oven for 45 minutes
7
For the cauliflower, put a chargrill pan over a very high heat whilst blanching the cauliflower for 3 minutes in seasoned boiling water, then drain
  • 1 cauliflower
8
Toss the florets in the vegetable oil, then chargrill until they are starting to brown. Sprinkle with the curry powder as they are being grilled. Sprinkle with the macadamias and parsley when ready to serve, plating up next to the encrusted chicken
  • 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 50g of macadamia nuts
  • 2 tbsp of flat-leaf parsley