Ottolenghi’s Roasted Chicken with Jerusalem Artichoke and Lemon
Juicy chicken, sharp lemon and earthy artichokes combine in this simple, but impressive traybake from Ottolenghi, perfect for dinner parties.
From the book
Jerusalem
100 recipes celebrating Jerusalem's fusion of flavours
Ottolenghi's exquisite recipes made simple
Inspiring ideas for delicious vegetable dishes
Introduction
Jerusalem artichokes are well loved in the city but have actually got nothing to do with it; not officially anyway. The name is a distortion of the Italian name of this sunflower tuber, which has an artichoke-like flavour. From girasole articiocco to Jerusalem artichoke.
The combination of saffron and whole lemon slices does not only make for a beautiful-looking dish, it goes exceptionally well with the nutty earthiness of the artichokes. This is easy to prepare . you just need to plan ahead and leave it to marinate properly. Serve it with Mejadra (see page 120 of Jerusalem).
Ingredients
| 450g | Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and cut into six lengthways (1.5cm thick wedges) |
| 3 tbsp | lemon juice |
| 8 | chicken thighs, on the bone with the skin on, or a medium whole chicken, divided into four |
| 12 | banana shallots, peeled and halved lengthways |
| 12 | large garlic cloves, sliced |
| 1 medium | 1 medium lemon, cut in half lengthways and then into very thin slices |
| 1 tsp | saffron threads |
| 50ml | olive oil |
| 150ml | cold water |
| 1½ tbsp | pink peppercorn, slightly crushed |
| 10g | fresh thyme leaves |
| 40g | tarragon leaves, chopped |
| 2 tsp | salt |
| ½ tsp | black pepper |
Method
Put the Jerusalem artichokes in a medium saucepan, cover with plenty of water and add half the lemon juice. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10–20 minutes, until tender but not soft. Drain and leave to cool.
Place the Jerusalem artichokes and all the remaining ingredients, excluding the remaining lemon juice and half of the tarragon, in a large mixing bowl and use your hands to mix everything together well. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight, or for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 240°C/220°C Fan/Gas Mark 9. Arrange the chicken pieces, skin-side up, in the centre of a roasting tin and spread the remaining ingredients around the chicken. Roast for 30 minutes. Cover the tin with foil and cook for a further 15 minutes. At this point, the chicken should be completely cooked. Remove from the oven and add the reserved tarragon and lemon juice. Stir well, taste and add more salt if needed. Serve at once.
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