CHICKEN GALLANTINE

Chicken galantine

TIME:

1-2 hours

SERVES:

4-6

Ask your butcher to bone the chicken for you, and to remove the bones without puncturing the skin.

Ingredients

100 g (3½ oz) minced (ground) chicken

150 g (5½ oz) minced (ground) pork

1 teaspoon green peppercorns

170 ml (5½ fl oz/⅔ cup) Calvados or apple brandy

2 tablespoons pouring cream

½ teaspoon mixed (pumpkin pie) spice

1 egg

50 g (1¾ oz) thickly sliced lean ham, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) dice

35 g (1¼ oz/¼ cup) pistachio kernels

2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) chicken, boned

80 g (2¾ oz) butter, softened

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F/Gas 3).

2. Put the chicken, pork and peppercorns in a small processor fitted with the metal blade. Whizz in 5second bursts for 35–45 seconds, or until fine. Add 2 tablespoons of the Calvados or apple brandy, the cream, mixed spice and egg and season with salt and pepper. Whizz in short bursts until just combined. Remove the bowl from the machine and stir in the ham and pistachios.

3. Lay the chicken on a board, skin side down, ensuring that all the flesh is on top of the skin. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the chicken and pork mixture on top, leaving a 3 cm (1¼ inch) border. Roll the chicken into a fat log, tucking in the ends as you roll. Tie the chicken in three to four places with kitchen string to help keep its shape, then secure the seams with short skewers.

4. Rub the butter all over the skin and put the chicken on a wire rack in a roasting tin. Cover the tin with foil, sealing the edges tightly. Bake for 35 minutes.

5. Remove the foil and pour the remaining Calvados or brandy over the chicken. Bake for 50 minutes, basting with the pan juices every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, basting once or twice. Wrap the chicken in foil and refrigerate overnight. Cut into thin slices to serve.