Roll up this surpringly easy chicken ballotine with gourmet filling of olive and fig tapenade.
Ingredients
- 1 brown onion
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 bunch English spinach, stems removed, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled, coarsely chopped
- 2 x 1.8kg whole chickens, deboned, wings reserved
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 185ml (3/4 cup) hot water
Olive & fig tapenade
- 90g (1/3 cup) Angas Park Soft & Juicy Figs
- 80ml (1/3 cup) water
- 80g (1/2 cup) kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 teaspoon baby capers
- 1/2 garlic clove, chopped
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Method
- Step 1Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan forced. For the tapenade, place the figs and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 6 minutes or until water is almost evaporated and figs are soft. Set aside for 10 minutes, to cool. Process the figs, olives, capers and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the lemon juice and oil. Process until combined. Season with pepper.
- Step 2Finely chop half the onion. Thickly slice remaining onion. Set aside. Heat 2 tsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook garlic and chopped onion, stirring, for 2 minutes or until soft. Add the spinach. Season. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until just wilted. Transfer to a bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool.
- Step 3Place the carrot, sliced onion and reserved chicken wings in a large roasting pan. Place the chickens, skin-side down, on a work surface. Spread each chicken with tapenade, leaving a 1cm border. Sprinkle with the spinach mixture. Roll up carefully to enclose. Tie with kitchen string at 3cm intervals to secure.
- Step 4Place the chickens in tray. Drizzle with lemon juice and remaining oil. Season. Roast for 20 minutes. Pour hot water into pan. Roast, basting halfway with pan juices, for 30-40 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a chopping board. Cover loosely with foil. Set aside for 10 minutes, to rest.
- Step 5Pour the pan juices through a sieve into a jug. Discard solids. Skim fat from the surface. Thickly slice the chicken. Arrange on a platter. Drizzle with pan juices.
- High protein
- Low carb
- Low sugar
- Lower gi
- Paleo
Nutrition
3954 kj
Energy
39g
Fat Total
10g
Saturated Fat
2.3g
Fibre
131.3g
Protein
401mg
Cholesterol
505mg
Sodium
6.5g
Carbs (sugar)
10.6g
Carbs (total)
All nutrition values are per serve
- Author: Katrina Woodman
- Image credit: Al Richardson
- Publication: Taste Magazine
0