Fool proof food
Smoked salmon trimmings softened butter, unsalted
Remove any skin or bones from the fish. Weigh the flesh. Add three quarters the weight in butter. Blend to a smooth puree. Fill into pots and run clarified butter over the top. Alternatively, mould in a loaf tin. Turn out and cut in slices when set.
Dan Aherne’s Traditional Roast Stuffed Organic Chicken
4½ - 5 lbs (1.5 - 2.3kg) free range organic chicken preferably with giblets.
STOCK: Giblets (keep the liver for a chicken liver pate), and wishbone; 1 sliced carrot; 1 sliced onion; 1 stick celery; a few parsley stalks and a sprig of thyme.
STUFFING: 1½ ozs butter; 3 ozs chopped onion; 3-3½ ozs breadcrumbs; 2 tablesp. chopped fresh herbs; salt and freshly ground pepper; a little soft butter.
Remove the wishbone to make carving easier. Tuck the wing tips underneath the chicken. Put the wishbone, giblets, carrot, onions, celery and herbs into a saucepan of water and bring to the boil, skin and simmer gently while the chicken is roasting. Next make the stuffing, sweat the onions in the butter until soft, (10 mins) then stir in the crumbs, herbs, a little salt and pepper. Allow it to cool. Season and half fill with cold stuffing. Season the breast and legs, smear with a little soft butter. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo4 (allow about 20 minutes to the lb and 20 minutes over).
GRAVY: Spoon off the surplus fat from the pan and deglaze with the fat-free stock from the giblets and bones (1 pint depending on the size of the chicken). Whisk, stir and scrape to dissolve the caramelised juices. Boil, season and thicken with roux. Serve the chicken surrounded by crispy roast potatoes garnished with parsley. Carve it so that each person gets some brown and some white meat. Serve with gravy and bread sauce.
