John Torode's pot roast chook
John Torode will be cooking an exciting twist on your traditional roast - his all in one pot roast chicken, flavoured with fragrant Asian spices and fresh herbs taking us all the way to Hong Kong! Best enjoyed with some Asian inspired spring onion rice.
JOHN TORODE'S CHINESE POT ROAST CHOOK
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
1 bunch of spring onions, roughly chopped
3 star anise
1 dessert spoon of 5 spice
1 dessert spoon of salt
1 dessert spoon of sugar
1 cinnamon stick Cracked
100g hunk of ginger, roughly sliced
100ml soy sauce
100ml maple syrup
3 pak choi, split in quarters
Good handful of sugar snap peas
1 bunch spring onions (whites to be cooked whole, greens to be sliced and scattered over)
To serve:
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Toasted sesame seeds
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180c.
2. Combine one bunch of chopped spring onions, salt, sugar, ginger and spices in a bowl and put inside the chicken cavity. Use a wooden toothpick to seal the chicken back up. Shake well and place in an oven dish, breast side up.
3. Add the maple syrup and soy sauce to a saucepan and bring to the boil.
4. Pour the mixture over the chicken and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
5. Put the lid onto your dish and bake for 30 minutes. Turn over breast side down and bake for another 30 minutes. Turn again and cook for a final 15 minutes.
6. After a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes, transfer the chicken to a board and carve.
7. Blanch the rest of the green vegetables until soft, drizzle with a little soy sauce and sesame oil and serve alongside the chicken.
8. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped spring onions, with some of the extra sauce spooned over the top.
9. Serve with a cucumber salad.
SMASHED CUCUMBER & SPRING ONION SALAD, MISO & SESAME DRESSING
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
1 large cucumber or 4 small ones
1-2 small green chillies diced
2 large spring onions
Good handful fresh coriander
Good pinch of salt
1/2 tsp chilli flakes optional
For the dressing:
50mls rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tables sesame seeds
1 tbsp white miso.
Method
1. Wash the cucumber. Cut off both ends and discard.
2. Use a peeler to remove half the peel
3. Cut the cucumber lengthwise and then each half in half again and then each quarter into 4 on an angle . place on a bench and place a large board on top and squash but not completely
4. Slice the spring onions and dice the chilli, pick the coriander and then mix all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
5. Make the dressing by placing all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.
6. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
7. Serve all together.