CHICKEN WITH MANDARIN JUS
For the jus:-
Scraps and carcass of broken down chicken
150 g butter
2 tablespoons of oil
2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
2 Carrots peeled and chopped
1 Medium onion chopped
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 Naartjies or Mandarins
80 ml of white wine vinegar
250 ml of Dry white wine
3 Tablespoons of sugar
Thyme (to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 block of chicken stock mixed with 1 cup of boiling water
For the Spinach:-
500 g of fresh spinach
1 large potato peeled and chopped
1 wheel of Feta Cheese
100 ml of thick cream
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Chicken:-
Break down 1 whole chicken into pieces (the scraps and carcass is essential to the Jus)
200 g butter
2 tablespoons of oil
Chicken Spice
For the nest:-
1 Potato
Nest…
If you have a nice machine to slice the potato into long thin strands, use that. Otherwise the potato can also be grated or sliced thinly. It is important to wash the potato a few times after you have sliced it. You want to get rid of all the starch. Once washed, place in freezer for later. This will ensure a nice crispy chip
Jus (The most important part of the dish!)
Place butter and oil in a deep pan over a high heat until melted. Then place in the chicken scraps, rosemary and thyme and fry for about 4 minutes. You then need to add the stock BUT BE CAREFULL, the liquid is going to react quite harshly with the butter and oil, so keep a lid handy. Quickly poor in the stock and put the lid over the pan. Turn down to medium heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.
Now add the rest of the ingredients and place the lid back. Let it simmer for another 20 minutes and stir regularly.
Take off the lid and reduce the Jus until it becomes a little thicker (about the consistency of a thick soup). Take the mixture and poor into a bowl THROUGH A Sieve so you are left with only the liquid
Spinach
Place spinach and potato in a pot with boiling water until the potato is nice and soft. Poor out as much of the water as you can and place back on the stove over a low heat. Add the feta and then mash it all together. It might still be very wet, so keep on the heat until the liquid is gone. Then add the cream and mix well
Chicken
Put butter and oil into a hot pan and fry the chicken pieces, skin side down until golden brown. Add the spices and turn the chicken pieces around and fry for another 4 minutes.
Then transfer the chicken to an oven pan and cover with foil. Bake at 160 for around 30 minutes, or until cooked through and juicy
In hot oil, fry your potato nests until golden brown. Place on kitchen towels to drain excess oil
To plate:
Place the spinach on the plate and then add two pieces of chicken on the spinach. Drape some of the jus over the chicken and the plate. Place the crispy nest over the chicken
Recipe posted by Anco Pretorius
Photo: Anco Pretorius
