Cumin Spiced Roast Chicken With Pork Pistachio Stuffing Recipes

CUMIN-SPICED ROAST CHICKEN WITH PORK & PISTACHIO STUFFING

Steps:

• Make the stuffing by blending the ingredients with 1 tsp salt in a food processor, taking care not to purée it - a little bit of crunch here and there makes it all the more satisfying. Check the seasoning by frying a tsp of the stuffing and tasting - adjust if you need to.
• Put a piece of cling film on a chopping board and dollop on the stuffing, patting it out to rough circle just smaller than the surface of the breast meat to be covered. Make the layer thicker at one end, for the bottom end of the breasts where the meat is thinner - the extra thickness will help to keep it juicy and cook evenly. Cover with cling film and chill for 30 mins to set.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Pat the chicken dry all over using kitchen paper. From the neck end, push your fingers under the layer of skin on the breasts and wriggle them gently to release the skin and open up the pocket for the stuffing. Push right down - you will need to cover the entire breast meat area with the stuffing - but be careful not to tear the skin.
• Make the spice rub by combining all the ingredients. Rub it generously over the chicken and inside the cavity, then insert the aromatics into the cavity. Unwrap the stuffing, halve it, then push half under the skin of each of the breasts, thin end first. Cover the chicken loosely with foil so the spices don't burn.
• Roast the chicken for 1 hr 10 mins. Mix 3 tbsp grape molasses with 1 tbsp hot water, brush over the skin, then increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and return the chicken for 20 mins to crisp up the skin. Baste twice more with molasses at 5-min intervals. Test the chicken in the thigh and breast to make sure it is cooked - the juices should run clear. Take the cavity aromatics out of the chicken and set aside (don't worry if you can't get them all). Leave the chicken to rest for 45 mins somewhere warm, but don't cover the skin so it stays crisp.
• Meanwhile, pour the fat out of the roasting tin (there will be lots, which you can sieve and keep in the fridge for up to a week to use for cooking), leaving the juices behind. Add a little chicken stock and the cavity aromatics to the tin and bring to a boil, then sieve into a pan. Add the rest of the stock, simmer until reduced by half, then stir in 1 tsp grape molasses. Just before serving, add the resting juices from the chicken to the pan and bring the sauce back to the boil. Taste for seasoning and stir in the butter.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH CUMIN, PAPRIKA AND ALLSPICE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Rinse chicken; pat dry.
• Place chicken on rack in large roasting pan.
• Stir oil and next 7 ingredients in small bowl to form paste.
• Rub spice paste all over chicken.
• Roast chicken 1 hour.
• Squeeze juice from lemon halves over chicken, place lemon halves inside main cavity.
• Continue to roast until chicken is cooked through and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175, about 1 hour longer.
• Transfer to platter, let stand 15 minutes.

CROWN ROAST OF PORK WITH SPICY RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Cut a circle of aluminum foil roughly the shape of the crown roast and place in center of roasting pan. Put the pork on it. Fill inside of roast with stuffing, packing it firmly as you go. The filling should reach the top; smooth it over with a spatula and cover stuffing (but not meat) with aluminum foil.
• Coat meat with vegetable oil and dust lightly with salt; season generously with pepper. Press dried rosemary sprigs around the exterior. Scatter onions around roast and cook about 2 hours in the preheated oven. Baste occasionally.
• Transfer pork to serving platter, covering loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm. Pour off fat from roasting pan and remove circular piece of foil from pan. Leave backbone sections and onions in pan and place pan over medium-high flame. Add chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil while scraping bottom of pan to remove clinging particles. Simmer 5 minutes. Strain the liquid and serve it as gravy with pork.
• Bring 4 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rice, return to a boil while stirring and simmer 17 minutes. Stir occasionally. Drain well and set aside.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat melt butter and add onions and garlic. Stir 5 minutes. Add sausage meat and break it up with a fork. Add bell pepper, fennel, cumin and clove. Cook about 10 minutes while stirring.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In large mixing bowl, combine rice with sausage mixture. Add egg, parsley, pistachio nuts, salt and pepper. Blend well.