ROAST CHICKEN WITH SAFFRON, HAZELNUTS & HONEY

 

This recipe from one of my favourite chefs, Ottolenghi, is very easy to make and delicious. It has a delicate flavour and the hazelnuts give it a crunchy touch. I let it macerate in the fridge all day, and the sauce is perfect with basmati rice. I made one of our favourites, also from Ottolenghi: lemon rice with curry leaves. Below you can find the link to the recipe.

Ingrediente 

1 large chicken, divided into quarters - breast and wing, leg and thigh

2 onions, chopped roughly

60 ml olive oil

1 teaspoon of ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

a generous pinch of saffron threads

juice of 1 lemon

60 ml. cold water

100 g hazelnuts, skinned

70 g honey

2 tablespoons rose water

2 spring onions, roughly chopped

sea salt flakes and black pepper

Method

In a large bowl, mix together the onions, olive oil, ginger, cinnamon, saffron, lemon juice, water, 2 teaspoons of salt and a good grind of black pepper. 

Add the chicken pieces and leave to marinate for at least an hour, or overnight in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast for 5-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Chop and set aside.

Transfer the chicken and marinade to a baking tray large enough to fit everything comfortably. Place the chicken pieces skin side up and place the tray in the oven for about 40 minutes or until almost done.

While the chicken is roasting, mix the honey, Rose Water and hazelnuts to make a smooth paste. 

Remove the chicken from the oven, put a generous amount of hazelnut paste on each piece and spread to cover. 

Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the hazelnuts are golden brown.

Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and garnish with the chopped spring onions.

Serves 4

Here it is served with lemon rice and curry leaves. Recipe here.