January 2009 - Chorizo-stuffed Chicken with Couscous

So onto the penultimate magazine for January. I have so enjoyed not only the discovery of some great new recipes that I had previously overlooked but reading through the magazines. I have read a lot of articles that I have either forgotten or just didn't get around to reading the first time. Once you really sit down with delicious. there is a lot of reading in it.

Issue 78 again presented a large number of choices although in reality there was really no option but to make Tobie Puttock's Chorizo-stuffed Chicken with couscous. I don't often do a roast for just me as most of the time I find that small roasting pieces are not as nice as larger roasting pieces. I also find that smaller chickens can be a bit dry. At least this has been my experience, perhaps though I have a tendency to over-cook, sometimes it is hard to remember that while it is a roast it is smaller and will take less time to cook. I believe that the slices of chorizo help to keep the breast (my favoured part) from drying out and impart a subtle flavour into the meat. I didn't have the best quality chorizo unfortunately but it was still a decent one. I would recommend using the best that you can get though as I think that it would impart more flavour. I ended up making some gravy from the pan drippings. The chorizo flavour in that was magnificent.

Chorizo-stuffed Chicken with Couscous

Serves 2

Ingredients

• Small (1.2 kg) free-range chicken (mine was 1.3 kg)
• 1 chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 lemon
• 6 thyme sprigs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• Creme fraiche, to serve (optional) (I didn't use it)

Couscous

• 3/4 cup (150g) couscous
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 3/4 cup (185 ml) boiling chicken stock
• 1/2 onion finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp sultanas (I didn't use)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 C.
  
• Gently work your fingers between chicken skin and breast, being careful not to tear. Carefully stuff chorizo under skin in 1 layer (you may not need all the chorizo). Place onion, garlic, lemon and thyme in cavity. Tie legs with string, rub with oil and season.
  
• Place on a rack in a roasting plan. Roast 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting occasionally, until cooked through - juices will run clear when thigh is pierced. (Cover with foil if over-browning.)
• Remove string and carefully turn bird upside-down on a board (to keep breast from drying out). Rest 5 minutes.
  
• Meanwhile, mix couscous and oil in a bowl with hot stock. Cover and stand for 5 minutes, then fluff grains with a fork, stir in remaining ingredients and season. (I am not keen on raw onion and garlic so cooked them before adding.)
• Carve chicken, drizzle with pan juices and creme fraiche if using, garnish with extra parsley and serve with couscous.