Chicken on toast with Roman beans from Antara 128
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 whole chicken
2 thick slices of sourdough bread
Chicken brine
750ml water
30g fine salt
150g brown sugar
1 lemon cut in half
2 sprigs of fresh sage
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 fresh bay leaves
1tbsp black peppercorns
Braised Roman beans
5 cloves sliced garlic
2 sliced shallots
200ml extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of chilli flakes
Pinch of whole fennel seeds
6 fresh ripe tomatoes, diced
500g runner beans, cut into 3 cm pieces
500ml chicken stock
1 rosemary sprig
2tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 bunch chopped fresh dill
Salt and cracked black pepper to season
Pickled zucchini
1 medium size zucchini
150ml water
100ml apple cider vinegar
2tbsp castor sugar
Toum
75g garlic, peeled
75ml lemon juice
400ml canola oil
4g sea salt
Method
*We recommend beginning this dish the day before serving to allow time for brining the chicken.
First, source high-quality chicken for enhanced flavour. Debone the breast and thigh using a sharp knife or have your butcher do it, saving the trim and bones for stock.
For the brine, simmer water, dissolve salt and sugar, add the other ingredients and cool in the fridge. Brine the chicken for 6 hours, then rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.
For the braised Roman beans, sauté chilli flakes, shallots, garlic and fennel seeds in olive oil until fragrant. Add tomatoes, then Roman beans, chicken stock, rosemary, and seasoning, and cook on medium heat for 45 minutes until soft. Off the heat, add vinegar, salt, cracked pepper and dill, and reserve for serving.
Pickle the zucchinis by dissolving salt and vinegar in simmered water, cooling it to fridge temperature. Thinly slice the zucchini with a knife or mandolin, then submerge the zucchini slices in the pickling liquid for at least 1 hour.
To make the Toum, use a thermomixer or blender to form a fine paste with the garlic cloves and half the lemon juice. Slowly stream in the oil to emulsify and thicken. Add the remaining lemon juice and season with salt.
To cook, preheat the oven to 200°C, place sourdough in a heavy baking dish or cast-iron pan and spread with a generous layer of Toum. Place the prepared chicken skin side up to cover each slice of bread, drizzle with a little olive oil, season the chicken with a pinch of flake salt and roast for 30-40 minutes. The bread should be toasted, and the chicken should be roasted with crispy golden skin. After cooking, let the chicken rest to allow the juices to soak into the bread.
Warm the beans in a saucepan and adjust seasoning.
Slice each half chicken into 3-4 pieces on a cutting board, then place it with the toasted sourdough on an edged serving dish to catch the juices.
Ladle warm Roman beans and sauce onto the dish, add drained pickled zucchini, top with chicken on toast, and drizzle with olive oil.
Finish with fresh chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Notes:
Skip brining for simplicity; however, brining ensures a more flavourful, juicy chicken.
Boneless chicken can be used.
Toum is a versatile Lebanese garlic sauce; substitute with garlic butter if preferred.
Substitute Roman beans with French green beans if unavailable.
Antara 128
128 Exhibition Street, Melbourne
