Serving a whole cockerel — head, feet and all — packs a mighty flavour punch, especially when it’s a slow-grown cockerel from Aurum Poultry Co. The bones, skin, and connective tissues in the cockerel’s head and feet release collagen and marrow when cooked, adding depth and richness to the meat. Lather in a glossy eight-spice salt to ring in the Chinese New Year in good taste (and fortune).

Ingredients

Whole cockerel

Lemon, cut into wedges

Japanese Worcestershire sauce, as needed (see note)

Spring onion, julienned

Coriander leaves

Black vinegar gastrique

200 gm black vinegar

200 gm sugar

8-spice salt

280 gm Murray River pink salt

40 gm sugar

10 gm star anise

15 gm black pepper

10 gm Sichuan pepper

1 gm chilli flakes

15 gm white pepper

12 gm coriander seeds

10 gm fennel seeds

5 gm cinnamon

Method

8-spice salt

1.Preheat the oven to 150˚C. Toast spices for 15 minutes.

2.Cool slightly and blend into a fine powder. Sift and blend with salt and sugar. Store in an airtight jar.

Lacquered cockerel

3.Cut the cockerel in half lengthways from the back, debone.

4.Boil water in a kettle. Place cockerel on a cooling rack, pour boiling water over the skin to shrink back.

5.Season the flesh side with spice salt and leave uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.

6.Steam the cockerel on low heat until the internal temperature has reached 65˚C. Cool to room temperature or chill overnight in the refrigerator.

7.To make the black vinegar gastrique, mix together the black vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes until a syrup forms, then cool to room temperature.

8.Brush cockerel skin side with the gastrique and allow to dry out for an hour.

9.Heat oil in the deep fryer until 165˚C. Deep fry cockerel for 4-5 minutes or until the skin has turned into a burnished brown. Rest for 10 minutes.

10.Carve and serve with more spiced salt, lemon wedges, coriander and Worcestershire sauce.

To save time, buy a pre-chopped whole cockerel at Aurum Poultry Co.
* Japanese Worcestershire sauce can be bought from select Asian supermarkets and organic wholefoods stores.

Notes

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.