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Coal-grilled spatchcock with fenugreek, coriander and walnuts

Coal-grilled spatchcock with fenugreek, coriander and walnuts

You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

“Would you please ask chef Ben Williamson at Brisbane’s Gerard’s Bistro for the recipe to his excellent coal-grilled spatchcock?”
Leanne Small, Brisbane, Qld

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Coal-grilled spatchcock with fenugreek, coriander and walnuts

Serves 4
Cooking Time Prep time 1 hr, cook 1 hr 25 mins (plus cooling, infusing, marinating, resting)
1   onion, coarsely chopped
4   spatchcock (500gm each), butterflied, wing tips and thigh bones removed
2   Lebanese cucumbers, shaved lengthways on a mandolin
1 cup each   (loosely packed) coriander and mint
4   radishes, thinly sliced on a mandolin
Seeds   of 1 pomegranate
80 gm   marinated goat’s cheese or Persian feta
60 ml (¼ cup)   reduced chicken stock (see note)
Fenugreek oil
150 ml   vegetable oil
25 gm   fenugreek seeds
Spiced walnuts
30 gm   butter
100 gm   walnut halves
1 tsp each   smoked paprika and ras el hanout (see note)
30 ml   Pedro Ximénez
Pomegranate vinaigrette
25 ml   chardonnay vinegar
2 tsp   pomegranate molasses (see note)
60 ml (¼ cup)   extra-virgin olive oil


1 For fenugreek oil, warm oil and fenugreek in a small saucepan over low heat to infuse (20 minutes). Cool to room temperature, then strain and set aside.
2 Juice onion in a juicer or process in a food processor, strain (discard solids) and combine with spatchcock in a non-reactive container. Refrigerate to infuse (30 minutes), then drain, pat dry, place in a clean container and pour fenugreek oil over. Refrigerate overnight for flavours to develop.
3 For spiced walnuts, preheat oven to 120C. Heat butter in a small frying pan until foaming, add walnuts and stir until toasted (3-4 minutes). Add spices and 1 tsp salt, toss to coat, then add Pedro Ximénez and cook until reduced completely (2-3 minutes). Transfer to an oven tray lined with baking paper and roast until dry (25-30 minutes). Set aside.
4 For pomegranate vinaigrette, whisk vinegar and molasses in a bowl to combine. Slowly add oil in a thin steady stream until incorporated. Season to taste and set aside.
5 Heat a charcoal barbecue (or large char-grill pan) to medium heat, place spatchcock skin-side down and grill, turning occasionally, until crisp and cooked through (20 minutes). Set aside to rest (5-10 minutes).
6 Combine cucumber, herbs, radish, pomegranate seeds and goat’s cheese in a large bowl, drizzle pomegranate vinaigrette over and toss to combine. Warm reduced chicken stock in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cut spatchcock into quarters, drizzle with stock and serve with salad scattered with spiced walnuts.

Note Cook 400ml chicken stock over medium heat until reduced to 60ml. Ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend, and pomegranate molasses are available from Middle Eastern and other select delicatessens.

This recipe is from the January 2013 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

RECIPE Ben Williamson, Gerard's Bistro, Brisbane PHOTOGRAPHY Ben Dearnley STYLING Geraldine Munoz


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