ADJIKA CHICKEN
Serves six
- 1 EMH free-range chicken (about 1.5 kg)
- 1 tbsp cold-pressed olive oil
- 3 tbsp adjika
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
pan-roasted carrots:
- 500 g carrots
- cold-pressed olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- a few sprigs of thyme
- 0.5 tsp ground cumin
- juice of about half a lemon
- 2 tsp honey
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, remove the backbone and spatchcock it (place your hands on the breast and press down gently). Season with salt and pepper. Mix the adjika with olive oil and spread evenly over the chicken. Let it marinate for a couple of hours or overnight. Then roast in a preheated 180°C oven for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Meanwhile, prepare the couscous and carrots. Peel the carrots and cut into pieces of your preferred size. Heat a mixture of butter and oil in a pan, add the carrots, brown lightly, add the thyme sprigs, then cover and braise on low heat until tender. The carrots should remain slightly crunchy. Season with cumin, salt, pepper, lemon juice and honey.
Serve the chicken with couscous and carrots.
CIDER CHICKEN
Serves six
- 1 EMH free-range chicken
- cold-pressed olive oil
- salt
- 1/2 pack Santa Maria dry marinade mix for chicken
- 1 can (0.33 l) quality cider
- a bunch of thyme and rosemary
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 medium onions
- 1 kg potatoes
Mix the marinade powder with olive oil to form a paste. Rub the chicken evenly inside and out. Pour out one third of the cider from the can, tuck 1 bay leaf and herb sprigs inside. Set the chicken on top of the can and place in a roasting dish. Peel the onions, cut into wedges, and cut the potatoes to your preferred size. Place the vegetables in the roasting dish around the chicken. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt.
Place the chicken in a preheated 180°C oven and roast for 1.5 hours or until cooked through. Serve with the onions, potatoes and a fresh salad.
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH WATERMELON-SPINACH SALAD
Serves four to five
Brine:
- 2 l water
- 60 g salt
- 30 g sugar
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 allspice berries
Salad:
- 800 g watermelon
- a couple of large handfuls of spinach leaves
- 200 g halloumi
- cold-pressed olive oil
- lemon juice
- salt
For the brine, bring the water to a boil, add salt, sugar and spices. Turn the heat to low, simmer for 5 minutes, then cool. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, remove the backbone and spatchcock it (place your hands on the breast and press down gently).
Place the chicken in the brine and let it marinate in the fridge at least overnight. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, brush with olive oil and cook on the grill over moderate heat, turning occasionally, for 45 minutes or until cooked through. If you prefer to use the oven, roast in a preheated 180°C oven for about 45 minutes or until done. Grill or pan-fry the halloumi, cut into pieces of your choice, and dice the watermelon. Toss the salad components in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and mix well. Serve the chicken with the salad.
ROSEMARY-BALSAMIC CHICKEN
Serves four to five
- 1 EMH free-range chicken (about 1.5 kg)
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 large sprig of rosemary
- 20 g room-temperature butter
- 3 tbsp cold-pressed olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- salt
Peel the garlic cloves and blend with the spices, oil, butter and balsamic vinegar in a food processor or blender. Finely chop the rosemary, add it to the mixture and season with salt.
Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels, season with salt. Carefully loosen the skin from the breast and spread some of the seasoning mixture evenly under the skin. Rub the remaining mixture over the chicken both inside and out. Let it marinate for at least a couple of hours. If you have time, cover with cling film and let it marinate overnight in the fridge.
Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Place in a roasting dish, pour 150 ml water into the bottom and roast in a preheated 180°C oven for 1.5 hours. If the chicken browns too quickly, cover with foil. Serve with your favourite sides.
