Name: Bistro Livi’s stuffed spatchcock wrapped in pancetta with shiitake mushroom filling
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 80 gm unsalted butter; 2 golden shallots, finely diced; 100 gm shiitake mushrooms, finely diced; 1½ tbsp white wine; 250 gm skinless chicken breast, chopped; 1½ tbsp thickened cream; ⅓ cup finely chopped chives; 10 gm lightly beaten egg; 4 long, thin slices flat pancetta (about 40gm); 2 spatchcocks, deboned, leg bones intact and French-trimmed (see note); 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 radicchio, leaves separated (we used a variegated variety); 1 tbsp chardonnay vinegar

“We usually use quail at the restaurant but this transfers beautifully to a small chicken,” says Bistro Livi chef Ewen Crawford. “You could also use whatever mushrooms you have on hand. This dish will look impressive on any dining table.”

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Ingredients

80 gm unsalted butter

2 golden shallots, finely diced

100 gm shiitake mushrooms, finely diced

1½ tbsp white wine

250 gm skinless chicken breast, chopped

1½ tbsp thickened cream

⅓ cup finely chopped chives

10 gm lightly beaten egg

4 long, thin slices flat pancetta (about 40gm)

2 spatchcocks, deboned, leg bones intact and French-trimmed (see note)

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 radicchio, leaves separated (we used a variegated variety)

1 tbsp chardonnay vinegar

Method

Heat half the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until softened but not coloured (3-4 minutes). Add mushrooms and sauté until softened (4-5 minutes). Deglaze with wine and cook until evaporated (1-2 minutes). Transfer mushroom mixture to a bowl and refrigerate to chill (30 minutes).

To make mousse filling, process chicken breast in a food processor until smooth. Pass through a sieve into a bowl, then stir in cream, chives, beaten egg and mushroom mixture and season to taste. Refrigerate to chill (15 minutes).

Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on a clean work surface, lay 2 slices of the pancetta slices slightly overlapping on top with the short-side facing you. Place a boned spatchcock, skin-side down, with the short-side facing you over pancetta, then spoon half the filling over breast area. Roll tightly to enclose using the plastic wrap to assist if needed, then wrap tightly into a cylinder, twisting ends to seal and refrigerate to chill and firm (30 minutes). Repeat with remaining pancetta, spatchcock and mousse filling.

Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced. Remove plastic wrap from rolled spatchcocks and secure at 2cm intervals with kitchen string. Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron frying pan over high heat. Add rolled spatchcocks and cook, turning, until golden all over (4-6 minutes). Transfer pan to oven and roast until just cooked through (12-15 minutes or until internal temperature of filling reaches 60°C on a digital thermometer). Remove spatchcocks from pan (reserve pan) and set aside loosely covered with foil to rest (15 minutes).

Melt remaining butter in reserved pan over medium heat. Add radicchio and sauté until wilted (2-3 minutes, in batches). Add vinegar, stir to combine and season. Remove from the heat.

Remove kitchen string from spatchcocks and thickly slice. Transfer radicchio to a serving platter and arrange spatchcock on top to serve. Drizzle with resting juices.