Recipe: Gabby's Spring Chicken

Spring has sprung! I hope this lovely season of new growth and new beginnings finds you all getting outside a bit more and enjoying these glorious milder Melbourne days. Our home-chef food blogger Gabby Trifiletti @gabbyandthefourseasons has three super Spring recipes for you, all very quick and easy, and will give you an excuse to gather your family and friends around the table. First of all, her Spring Chicken (see the recipe below). Whilst your oven is on …her second recipe is a Roast Pumpkin + Cauliflower salad with Spinach + Almonds. And what is a shared meal without a little something sweet to finish? So, she finishes the Spring-themed feast off with her third recipe, which is a lovely cake, of course - Rhubarb + Apple Cake.

But for now our Spring poultry dish. Take it away Gabby...

"Ciao a tutti.

Here you will find a very simple casserole bake of chicken, white wine and the best of spring’s bounty – Dutch carrots, fennel, fresh herbs, onion and garlic. I’ve used the Cherry Tree Farm organic chicken thighs and drumsticks, available in-store at Rhubarb. They cook faster than a whole chicken, but if you use the pieces on the bone, they are still super tasty and juicy. So quick and easy to prepare, the oven does all the work. If you want to make a feast of this meal I encourage you to add on the other two Spring seasonal recipes the Roast Pumpkin + Cauliflower salad and the Rhubarb + Apple Cake.

Buon Appetito,

Gabby x"

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GABBY'S SPRING CHICKEN

Makes: 1 casserole dish of cooked chicken pieces to serve 4 people.

Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1-1.5 kg Cherry Tree Farm chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks or chicken Marylands)
• 1 bunch Dutch carrots, scrubbed, tops left on (or 2 larger carrots, scrubbed, sliced into thin batons lengthways)
• 1 fennel, washed and sliced, including the tops
• 1 onion, washed, peeled and finely sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• Fresh herbs: choose from dill, thyme, sage, parsley (a handful of each, or whatever’s in-store at Rhubarb or growing in your garden)
• Olive oil approx 150-200 ml
• 125 ml white wine or white vermouth (such as Noilly Prat) OR
• 125ml chicken or vegetable stock, if you prefer
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Choose a casserole dish or deep baking tray that will fit all of your ingredients, and line it with baking paper.
2. Layer the fennel, garlic and onion in the base of the dish and tear a mixture of herbs over the top. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil over.
   
   
3. Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables, and then arrange the carrots on top. Sprinkle again with salt and pepper, tear more herbs over and drizzle with olive oil.
   
   
   
   
4. Pour over the wine, vermouth or stock.
5. Put the lid on the dish (or cover with foil) and bake for 45 mins to one hour in a 160 degrees Celsius oven (fan forced, or 180 degrees Celsius conventional oven). Check after 30 minutes that you have enough liquid in there. Top up with more (water, alcohol or stock) if it’s getting dry: you want to be left with a nice sauce of the juices at the end.
   
   
   
   
6. Once chicken is cooked, take off the lid or foil and allow chicken pieces to become golden – another 10-15 minutes.
7. Serve with the Roast pumpkin and cauliflower salad, or a green salad. Don’t forget fresh crusty bread to mop up the juices.